Did your Valentine pop the question? Congratulations! Welcome to the world of wedding planning. Get ready, you’ll be swiping your credit card — a lot.
And, if you’re going to make your plastic work hard in the months and weeks leading up to your big day, make sure it’s working hard for you. The right rewards card can help you make money while you’re spending it, offsetting the overall cost of getting hitched.
Here's our round-up of the best credit cards to use when wedding planning.
Pay For Your HoneyMoon with Points
BMO World Elite MasterCard: This card won RateSupermarket.ca's overall Best of Finance travel category for its high earning potential and flexibility - you'll get two BMO points on the dollar on all purchases, regardless of retailer type. New signups will get a bonus $300 in travel points, and they can be used to pay for taxes and other fees as well as your airline ticket. This card is on the pricier side with a $150 annual fee, but also comes stocked with some of the most comprehensive travel insurance options on the market.
Scotiabank Gold American Express: This card earns 4 points on the dollar on gas, groceries and entertainment, quickly racking up points. It's a cheaper option with only a $99 annual fee, which is waived for the first year, but its sign-up bonus of $200 in travel comes with $1,000 minimum spend strings attached. Also outfitted with extensive travel insurance and featuring a flexible redemption model, this is a great option for anyone looking to offset their travel costs.
Pay For a DIY Wedding Dinner and Desserts
Our Top Pick: President's Choice Financial World MasterCard: If you’re planning on catering your wedding fête yourself, shop with the President's Choice Financial World MasterCard. Charge $2,000 worth of any kind of purchases each month and you’ll earn about $288 in annual rewards. You don’t have to restrict your shopping to Loblaw stores but you might want to — shopping where President’s Choice products are sold will net you double the points. This card also has no annual fee.
Other great options:
MBNA Smart Cash MasterCard Credit Card: This card earns back 5% on the dollar on all gas and grocery purchases up to $400 within the first 6 months, making it an ideal choice if you're shelling out for a smorgasbord. With no annual fee and a cheque automatically mailed to you whenever earnings hit $50, this is a great no-fuss cash back option.
SimplyCash Card from American Express: This card also earns 5% cash back on all gas and grocery purchases within the first six months, up to a cap of $250. After the welcome rate ends, the card will continue to earn 1.25% on purchases with no cash back cap. This card also has no annual fee.
Pay for Makeup, Shoes and Accessories
Our top pick: The Simply Cash Preferred Card from American Express: Looking to outfit your wedding party for the big day? Find a cash-back earning card without retailer limitations. Like its no-fee cousin, the Simply Cash preferred earns 5% in cash back rewards for the first six months but isn't limited to gas, groceries and dining. Use it for your clothing and cosmetic purchases to earn up to $400 in cash back during the welcome period, up to $100,000 after that at 1.5%, and then unlimited at 1.25%. This card comes with an annual fee of $79.
Other great options:
Hudson's Bay Rewards MasterCard: Earn double the Hudson’s Bay Reward Points when you use this card to buy your wedding day lipstick, cufflinks or dancing shoes from Hudson’s Bay Company stores. You’ll also get two points on almost every dollar you spend on non-Hudson’s Bay stores. Plus, there are plenty of other benefits, including free shipping from TheBay.com and extended return periods. Two thousand points can be redeemed for a $10 Hudson’s Bay gift card to put towards matching lovers’ bathrobes. No annual fee.
Pay for Roadtrips
Our Top Pick:
CIBC Petro-Points MasterCard: Logging major miles between all those venue visits and cake samplings? Consider signing up for a card that pays out at the pump. Receive between five and 10 Petro-Points for every litre of fuel you purchase with the card at Petro-Canada locations, plus 15 points at grocery and drug stores and 10 points for all other purchases. You’ll get 15,000 points just for signing up and once you hit 45,000 points, you can redeem for a $25 Petro-Canada gift card. Bonus: when you and your sweetie use this card to fuel up at Petro-Canada, you’ll instantly save two cents per litre. No annual fee.
Other Great Options:
The Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite Card: This is a heavy-hitting cash back earner with 4 points earned on the dollar on all gas and grocery purchases. You'll also receive complimentary rental car travel accident coverage - one less thing to worry about on those weekend getaways! However, this card does come with an annual fee of $99, which kicks in after the first year.
