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Planning a wedding can be a stressful experience, especially when the average wedding costs about $30,000, according to Zola
There are ways to save on wedding expenses, like limiting the guest count and having your ceremony off-season. But you can stick to your budget and still have a wedding that costs as much as a down payment on a house.
To make the most of your wedding dollars, pay with a credit card whenever possible. With the right card, you can earn travel rewards you can use toward your honeymoon or get cash back to help cover the bills. Some credit cards offer a 0% introductory APR for over a year, which can be a low-cost alternative to a wedding loan.
Ahead, CNBC Select takes a look at the best credit cards for wedding expenses, considering factors such as rewards programs, welcome bonuses, standard APRs and more (see our methodology below).
Best credit cards for wedding expenses
- Best for travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Best for paying for your honeymoon: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (See rates and fees)
- Best if your wedding venue is a hotel: Citi Strata Premier® Card
- Best for catering: American Express® Gold Card
- Best for entertainment: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Best for no annual fee: Citi Double Cash® Card
- Best 0% APR offer: Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
Best for travel rewards
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a reasonable annual fee and earns flexible travel rewards, which makes it a great travel card for beginners or heavy travelers.
Highlights
- Earn a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Top rated mobile app
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Foreign transaction fee
None
Who's this for? The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is ideal for paying for wedding expenses because of its valuable yet flexible rewards program. Your expenses don't neatly fall into a single card's bonus spending categories and, with the Capital One Venture Rewards card, they won't have to since you'll earn an above-average return on everyday purchases.
Capital One miles can be redeemed at a fixed value of one cent per point to offset travel purchases made in the last 90 days or to book new travel through Capital One Travel. This means that you can pay for your honeymoon or travel-related wedding expenses the day that you open your card and then offset those purchases later once you've earned the card's welcome bonus. Alternatively, you can stretch the value of your miles by transferring them to a variety of airline and hotel partners, such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Etihad Guest and Accor Live Limitless.
Cardholder benefits include no foreign transaction fees (which is great for destination weddings), a credit of up to $120 to cover Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® membership.
Best for paying for your honeymoon
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Long list of travel and shopping protections
- $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- Has an annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase TravelSM
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Who's this for? The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a top choice if you want to save on your honeymoon. Not only does it offer generous rewards for common spending categories, such as dining and travel, but Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are ideal for booking your post-wedding getaway.
The card's $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit is also a nice honeymoon perk, as are comprehensive travel and car rental protections and no foreign transaction fees.
Other benefits include a 10% points boost on your card anniversary and special discounts on purchases made through DoorDash.
Best if your wedding venue is a hotel
The Citi Strata Premier® Card has competitive rewards rates and unlocks access to all of the Citi ThankYou® transfer partners, which boosts the value of your points.
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Balance transfer fee
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Who's this for? The Citi Strata Premier® Card is great for hotel weddings because it earns either 10X points when booked through CitiTravel.com or 3X points on hotel spending not booked through the site, including boutique accommodations to large chain resorts.
With the Citi Strata Premier card, you can choose the hotel that has the best price or location for you and still maximize your rewards. Plus, you may still be able to earn additional points through the hotel's loyalty program.
Citi ThankYou® Points can be redeemed for a flat rate of one cent per point for travel, gift cards or cash back. The Citi ThankYou® Points rewards program also has valuable airline and hotel transfer partners. For example, you can transfer 50,000 Citi points to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles to book two round-trip business class tickets to Hawaii.
The card also comes with an annual $100 hotel credit when booking a single stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) through the Citi Travel portal.
Best for catering
The American Express Gold Card is great for earning valuable Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets.
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You'll know upfront exactly how much you'll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Foreign transaction fee
None
Who's this for? After the venue, food is the second largest expense in most weddings. The American Express® Gold Card is designed to reward you for restaurant purchases worldwide, with a high 4X points in this category (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X).
Travel rewards experts generally value American Express Membership Rewards® points at two cents each, yielding an effective 8% return at restaurants. Amex points can be transferred to a variety of airline or hotel partners, including Delta SkyMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy and Choice Privileges.
While the card has a $325 annual fee (see rates and fees), there are benefits that offset it, like a $120 dining credit (up to $10 in statement credits monthly) for purchases made with your card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder (after a one-time enrollment) and a $120 Uber Cash credit worth up to $10 in Uber Cash each month for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. ( you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States). An Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
One caveat is that not all catering services are guaranteed to qualify as dining purchases. If you pay for catering from a local restaurant, that could earn the bonus cash back, but food services provided by a wedding venue may not qualify as dining purchases.
Best for entertainment
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the most rewarding options for earning cash back in categories such as entertainment and dining without paying an annual fee.
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months; 18.74% - 28.74% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- Top rated mobile app
Balance transfer fee
3% for the first 12 months; 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time
Who's this for? The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card earns a sizeable 3% back on cash back on entertainment purchases.
Traditionally, the entertainment category includes movie theaters, theme parks, sports arenas and concert venues. While less likely than catering companies coding as dining, your band or DJ may code as entertainment in the eyes of the card issuer. It all comes down to how the merchant classifies itself to the payment processor, so proceed with caution.
The cash-back rewards with the Capital One Savor Cash card don't require a lot of effort to redeem and can cover any type of expense. Points and miles are generally a bit more complicated and only valuable when used for travel.
Best for no annual fee
The Citi Double Cash® Card is one of the best no-annual-fee cash-back cards thanks to its straightforward rewards structure. Card is one of the best no-annual-fee cash-back cards thanks to its straightforward rewards structure.
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.49% - 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Balance transfer fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Who's this for? If you don't want to have to keep track of bonus spending categories or worry about justifying a card's annual fee, the Citi Double Cash Card is the one for you.
This card has no annual fee and earns a solid 2% cash back on everything — 1% on all eligible purchases and an additional 1% after you pay your bill.
If you decide to take your rewards game up a notch, you can pair this card with a Citi ThankYou® Points earning card like the Citi Strata Premier® Card and unlock the ability to transfer your points to various travel partners (one cent in cash back equals one transferrable Citi ThankYou® Point).
Best for 0% APR offer
The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card can help you save on interest charges thanks to its extra generous intro-APR offer on purchases and qualifying balance transfers.
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 17.49%, 23.99%, or 28.24% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate, BT fee of 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Through My Wells Fargo Deals, you can get access to personalized deals from a variety of merchants. It's an easy way to earn cash back as an account credit when you shop, dine, or enjoy an experience simply by using an eligible Wells Fargo credit card.
Balance transfer fee
5%, min: $5
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Who's this for? If you don't have the cash on hand to pay for your nuptials, a wedding loan may look attractive. But a 0% APR credit card could be a less expensive alternative.
With the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card, you can get a 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (then 17.49%, 23.99%, or 28.24% variable APR thereafter). Balance transfers made within 120 days from account opening qualify for the intro rate, BT fee of 5%, min: $5.
The Reflect® card doesn't earn rewards, but the interest you save during those first 21 months could exceed the value of even the best card bonuses.
How to choose a credit card for your wedding expenses
Finding the right credit card for your wedding expenses comes down to two main things: What are your biggest expenses and how do you want to be rewarded? Once you have a good answer to those questions, you're well on your way to maximizing the return for your wedding costs.
You may also find that the best card for you didn't even make our best credit cards for wedding expenses list. For example, if you're booking a Marriott property as your venue and paying for a package deal, then most of your expenses will be Marriott hotels. In that case, a card like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card could be good because it gives you automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status and earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for eligible purchases made directly at Marriott properties. Terms apply.
How to decide if a wedding loan makes sense
If you're considering financing part or all of your wedding costs, it might be cheaper to take out a personal loan for wedding expenses than putting them all on a credit card.
The rates, fees and repayment terms for a wedding loan will vary by lender and depend on your circumstances. If you have a higher credit score, you'll be able to secure a lower interest rate. As you compare lenders make sure you can afford the monthly payment and that you understand how much interest you'll pay over the life of the loan and any fees you may be responsible for.
Shorter loans will have larger monthly payments, but you'll pay less interest because you're paying off the loan more quickly. A longer repayment term will have a smaller monthly payment and over the life of the loan, the interest you pay will end up being more.
As you compare lenders, look at different loan terms and avoid early repayment fees if you can. Lenders like LightStream Personal Loans and Upstart Personal Loans don't have early payoff penalties.
LightStream Personal Loans
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
6.49% - 24.89%* APR with AutoPay
Loan purpose
Debt consolidation, home improvement, auto financing, medical expenses, and others
Loan amounts
$5,000 to $100,000
Terms
24 to 144 months* dependent on loan purpose
Credit needed
Good
Origination fee
None
Early payoff penalty
None
Late fee
None
Terms apply. *AutoPay discount is only available prior to loan funding. Rates without AutoPay are 0.50% points higher. Excellent credit required for lowest rate. Rates vary by loan purpose.
Upstart Personal Loans
Annual percentage rate (APR)
6.20% - 35.99%
Loan amounts
$1,000 to $75,000
Terms
36 and 60 months
Credit needed
300 (but may also accept applicants with no credit history)
Origination fee
0% to 12% of the target amount
Early payoff penalty
No
Late fee
5% of the last amount due or $15, whichever is greater
FAQs
Can you pay for a wedding with a credit card?
Depending on your vendors, you can generally pay for the majority of a wedding with a credit card. Some vendors may charge a transaction fee, however, and a 3% credit card fee could easily wipe out any savings you receive from a rewards program.
You and your future spouse need to be realistic about your budget: You might be able to put your reception on your cards but, if you can't pay the bill on time, the interest can add up quickly.
Can I pay for my honeymoon with credit card rewards?
Credit card rewards are a great way to pay for a honeymoon and get something in return. However, you should plan as far in advance as possible as flight and hotel award availability can dry up quickly, particularly for more desirable destinations.
Bottom line
Weddings are expensive, but can also be an opportunity to amass a stockpile of credit card rewards.
The best wedding credit cards have solid earnings on everyday purchases and may even provide an exceptional return on specific purchases. Before you hit the apply button, decide what type of reward is the best fit for you and what categories most of your wedding expenses will fall into. Knowing those two things will make it easy to find the right credit card for you.
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Our methodology
To determine which cards offer the best value for wedding expenses, CNBC Select analyzed 230 of the most popular credit cards in the U.S. We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards, welcome bonus, introductory and standard APR, balance transfer fee and foreign transaction fees, as well as factors such as required credit score and customer reviews when available. We also considered additional perks, the application process and how easy it is for the consumer to redeem points.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of financial products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
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For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.
