In the United States, a couple can expect to pay around $33,000 for their wedding. Add honeymoon expenses on top of that, and it’s clear to see why many couples put off getting married for a couple of years until they can get enough money together.
However, if appropriately managed, there is an option that can take some of the bite out of the expense of getting married: credit cards.
When used responsibly, credit cards can make weddings more affordable by giving you ample time to repay the debt without interest or by giving you phenomenal rewards for the things you purchase. Here are some of the best credit cards for planning a wedding and some tips on getting the most out of them.
Credit Cards With a Long Interest-Free Period
Most people can save up some money for their wedding expenses. But, they may not have enough to cover everything that they need by the date of the wedding. Some people can turn to their families for help. Others can avail themselves of credit cards that have long interest-free periods. It gives them the extra cushion they need to have the wedding they want and manage any unforeseen expenses.
The credit card offers interest-free . Ongoing interest rate is between . Capital One offers the that offers a similar interest-free promotion and a nice sign-up bonus: . If you’re looking to purchase some of the things for your wedding on your credit card, you should have no trouble hitting that spending threshold.
Credit Cards for Destination Weddings
If you are thinking about planning a destination wedding, you want to look for a credit card with good travel rewards. You might get enough of a bonus from your wedding purchases that you will be able to cover your entire honeymoon.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
This is a fantastic card for people who are thinking about a destination wedding. It gives couples and . You will easily accomplish this if you are putting parts of your wedding on the card. The card comes with no foreign transaction fees. If you visit Guatemala and purchase items in quetzals, you’re not going to have to pay extra to convert the price you pay from USD to Guatemalan currency. has industry leading flexibility and if that sounds like something you would benefit from, apply today!
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Looking for a big sign up bonus that could go straight to traveling? The boasts . Your destination wedding becomes more enjoyable with this cards flexible and powerful travel points system.
Additionally, earn . The offers foreign transaction fees so you can enjoy traveling to the fullest!
Best Card to Get Cash Back on Wedding Expenses
There are a lot of big-ticket items associated with weddings. But, there are also a ton of little wedding expenses that can come up. All of them qualify for cash back if you use the right card.
Think about this, . Ongoing APR is after. And . If that’s not a lovely wedding gift, what is?
Enjoy This card is great for general and overall cash back. Some couples will apply for rewards cards separately and then stack or combine their cash back from what they earned on wedding expenses to maximize cash back. Of course, while the tactic is sound, it’s not always advisable for couples to run up high credit card bills just to get cash back.
Can Credit Cards Be Helpful When Trying to Save for a Wedding?
Yes. Using credit cards can be a great way to cover some of your wedding expenses. However, unless you can pay off all of your credit card expenses quickly, it’s not advisable to put all of your wedding expenses on a credit card.
Some of the generous zero APR introductory rates can help you and your fiancé pay for your wedding interest-free. They give you miles and cash back that you can use to cover your honeymoon.
Credit cards allow you to personalize your advantages. You can use the card benefits you receive toward your wedding, your honeymoon, or other expenses that might come up in the future. If you plan right, you can strategize and use multiple credit cards to get maximum rewards.
Credit cards protect your purchases. Thanks to the Fair Credit Billing Act, you can dispute products you charged for that you did not receive. For example, you may charge a photographer’s expenses on your credit card. Then the photographer doesn’t show up or never delivers the photographs. You may have some recourse through your card issuer.
Finally, with a credit card, you only need to borrow what you need. If you take out a loan to cover your wedding expenses, you might get stuck with more debt than you want.
Things to Be Wary of When Using a Credit Card to Pay for a Wedding
When you use a credit card to pay for your wedding, you risk going into debt. Credit cards are convenient to use. You swipe them, and it’s easy to feel like you’re getting things for free, especially if you don’t have to pay interest on your purchases for some time. But the ease of use of credit cards has led some to overspend and find themselves carrying a lot of debt for a long time.
Many of the cards mentioned above carry an introductory 0% APR. However, the interest rate jumps to between 14% and 25% once that preliminary time has passed. You can face steep interest charges. The interest can quickly put you into the red if you are not careful with how you use your credit card.
Overusing credit cards to cover wedding expenses can affect your credit score. For example, a good credit score means affordable loan rates if you want to purchase a home after the wedding. But if you have a maxed-out credit card or your credit utilization ratio is high, it can destroy your credit score. All it takes is missing one payment on a credit card, and your credit score is damaged.
Should You Charge Your Wedding Expenses on a Credit Card?
There are some circumstances where using a credit card is a great idea. For example, you may want to book a venue now that will not be available if you wait a few months to book it. However, you know that you will have the money to cover the expense completely before the 0% APR expires. Using a credit card to secure a venue, purchase a cake, or secure a photographer may be a good idea.
That being said, using a credit card is not your only option. By planning in advance, you may be able to set aside a dedicated savings account where you stash away wedding funds. This will allow you to pay in cash.
You won’t have the same level of consumer protection, but you have no interest and won’t spend money that you don’t have. In a similar vein, you could put something on a credit card to get consumer protection, get the rewards, and then use the cash you saved to immediately pay off your balance. You may need to prolong your engagement to save up the money you need and avoid wedding debt, but you will be happy.
Another option is to downsize your wedding. A less extravagant wedding does not mean getting rid of all of the bells and whistles. But you might minimize your guest list or reduce venue costs, which will prevent you from taking on debt and depleting your savings.
Finally, think about your registry. Do you really need a new set of dishes or a blender? If not, think of alternative wedding registries that allow people to put money in your savings account to fund your wedding or honeymoon.
Final Thoughts
You have quite a few options for credit cards that can help fund your wedding. If you combine your credit cards with a reasonable budget and accumulated savings, you can have a lovely wedding, avoid unnecessary debt, and enjoy some amazing perks. At the end of the day, the goal should be to use credit cards as a way of supplementing your wedding savings. You don’t want wedding credit card debt to be a weight on your shoulders during your first years of marriage.
Written by
Thomas Donaldson
Tanza Loudenback is a CFP® certificant, writer, and editor. From 2015 to 2021, she was a top-read author and editor at Business Insider. Her work focuses on helping people make smart decisions with their money and is published by a variety of online publications. Full Bio
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