Best Credit Cards for Before, During & After the Wedding

Proposing is already panic-inducing — and that’s before you start thinking about money. A little cashback on a big purchase like a ring definitely helps soothe the nerves. The Chase Freedom Unlimited Card has a unique value proposition: It offers 1.5% cashback on all purchases and there’s no annual fee. Your ‘cashback’ comes in the form of Ultimate Rewards points (1.5 per dollar spent) which you can exchange for cash back or use for travel. Although we don’t recommend getting into debt by purchasing a ring you can’t afford, the card does come with 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening in case you simply can’t manage to pay it off all at once.

Plan to purchase the ring in the first three months of opening the card, as you’ll get $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in your first three months of account opening (terms apply, so read the fine print). The card offers purchase protection on jewelry and other big-ticket items, but only up to $500.

However, make sure to only use this card within the United States as it does charge a 3% foreign transaction fee for purchases made abroad.

Pros

• High unlimited percentage cashback on everything

Cons

• No bonus spend categories
• Charges foreign transaction fees

Runner-Up

The best runner-up for purchasing the ring would be the Quicksilver Cash Rewards from Capital One. Similar to the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, you can get 1.5% cashback on your purchases plus an extra $150 if you spend $500 within the first three months of opening the card. There’s no annual fee and 0% APR for the first 15 months. 

Since wedding costs can encompass a variety of categories, it can be difficult to select one right card for it all. If you’d prefer to use different cards in order to earn bonus points on expenditures (such as your rehearsal dinner restaurant) or to get statement credits for wedding accessories from stores like Saks, read our article on the best credit cards for wedding costs, which has details on which card is best for you organized by category.

But if both planning a wedding and a credit-card strategy seems overwhelming, the one card you should consider is the Discover It Cashback, especially if you plan to pay off the debt in stages as the card has 0% APR for 14 months.

Although you’ll only get 1% cashback on most wedding purchases with this no-annual fee card, you can sign up to receive 5% back bonuses (up to $1,500) each quarter on different categories. Timing specific wedding costs to match these bonuses is a smart idea. For example, in 2020, from July to September, the 5% rotating category is restaurants, which can be particularly interesting for anyone holding their wedding at a venue that codes as a restaurant or hosting a large rehearsal dinner.

The right timing is essential with this card, considering it matches your cash back the first year — with no limit — so plan to get the card the year of the wedding and honeymoon in order to maximize rewards.

Pros

• Unlimited cashback on regular categories
• Cashback match

Cons

• 5% cashback  is only on certain rotating categories

Runners-Up

If you’d prefer to rack up points on wedding costs you can later utilize for your honeymoon, consider using a card such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred, especially if your wedding venue codes as a restaurant, earning you 3X or 2X points per dollar respectively. More on those below.

Everyone wants their honeymoon to be #tripofalifetime. Though it often seems impossible to jet off in first class, stay in five-star hotels and/or access fancy airport lounges, it might not be with the right card(s).

While there are co-branded cards that will earn you points and miles with specific airlines and hotels, the best card for honeymoon flexibility is the Chase Sapphire Reserve. Yes, it comes with a hefty $550 annual fee. But before you panic, let’s talk about the perks.

The card comes with a $300 travel credit, a 50,000 bonus Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first three months and Priority Pass airport lounge access — and even travel protection insurance (though we sincerely hope you won’t need to use that on your honeymoon). You’ll also earn 3X points on both travel (hotels, car rental, tolls, flights and more) and dining. The card has no foreign transaction fees, so it’s perfect for using abroad. Plus, you get a Global Entry ($100 value) or TSA Precheck statement credit ($85). These services can make that honeymoon airport experience just a little less stressful, so plan to apply for them before traveling.

Pros

• High bonus categories
• Travel credit
• Priority Pass lounge membership
• Flexible rewards points

Cons

• Expensive annual fee

Runner-Up

If you just can’t swing the $550 fee (we get it, weddings are expensive enough), then the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a more feasible second choice, with a $95 annual fee that’s waived the first year. You’ll get 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months but you’ll only earn 2X points per dollar spent on both travel and dining. The card has no foreign transaction fees and trip-protection insurance, but you won’t get the lounge access, travel credits or Global Entry/Pre Check fee statement credits on this card.

Tip

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are extremely valuable to travelers thanks to their flexibility. If you book directly through the Chase Travel Portal, your points are 25%-50% more valuable than they would be elsewhere (50,000 points means $750 in travel for Reserve cardholders, and 60,000 points means $750 in travel for Preferred cardholders). And you can transfer them to a number of different airline and hotel partners such as British Airways, United, Southwest, Virgin, Hyatt or IHG just to name a few (each card lists its partners on its website). With trip-protection insurance and car-rental insurance —and without foreign transaction fees — these cards are ideal to use for traveling, especially for a memorable trip like a honeymoon.

Hopefully you’ve talked to your partner about finances before getting married. If not, or even if you have, consider discussing the following before deciding on which card(s) to get:

• Will you have a joint bank account?
• Who pays the bills?
• What’s your monthly budget?
• Which cards do you already have?
• What will you be spending heavily on in the next few years to come? (gas, groceries, travel, dining, kids, home furnishings, saving/investing, etc.)

Picking the right card(s) can vary greatly depending on your response to the above questions, but a good choice for most married couples is the Amex Everyday Preferred card. Although it has a $95 annual fee, you’ll get a bonus of 15,000 Membership Reward points after spending $1,000 in the first three months of card membership and the card has 0% APR for the first 12 months. The card offers 3X at supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year), 2X at gas stations and gives 30% extra points bonus if you make 30 purchases or more in one billing cycle. If you simply can’t swing the annual fee, the Amex Everyday card is the no-fee version, but in turn gives you fewer bonus points and comes with fewer benefits.

Amex Membership Rewards points can be transferred to certain airlines and hotels and/or used to purchase hotels, flights or experiences through Amex Travel. Some of the transfer partners include airlines like Delta, Air Canada and Singapore and hotel brands like Marriott or Hilton.

Pros

• Additional points for 30 purchases or more in a month

Cons

• 3X points on groceries capped at $6,000 per year

Runner-Up

A solid runner up would be the Chase Freedom card. Although this card differs from the Freedom Unlimited card by only offering just 1% cashback on all purchases, you can earn 5% cashback on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500). Categories include things like supermarkets, streaming services or gas stations — all things married couples likely spend money on.

If you love to eat (and drink) out, the American Express Gold card (AKA Amex Gold) gives you 4X Membership Reward points per dollar spent at restaurants. You’ll also get 4X points at supermarkets. Although the annual fee for the card is $250, you’ll get a 35,000-point bonus after spending $4,000 in the first three months of card membership. The card also comes with other perks like an airline fee credit (you can use this for in-flight booze or snacks, seat upgrades or checked baggage fees) and dining credits, which you can get for spending at spots like Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and others.

American Express Membership Rewards points can be transferred to airlines, hotels or used to purchase hotels, flights or experiences through Amex Travel.

Pros

• Additional airline fee and dining credits

Cons

• Dining credit is only offered for specific chain restaurants

Runner-Up

The best runner-up is the Capital One Savor Rewards card, especially if you’re a pair of foodies that also loves going to see movies or shows. You’ll earn 4% cashback on both dining and entertainment purchases, as well as 2% back at grocery stores. The card waives the $95 annual fee the first year and comes with a $300 cash bonus if you spend $3,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. A tasty proposition.

Identifying which credit card to get for home purchases depends on what you want to buy. Those making lots of home improvements may want to consider a Lowe’s or Home Depot credit card, whereas those buying furniture might prefer an Ikea card. If you’re picking up things for your kitchen or bathroom, an Amazon card might be the right choice. Just know that these cards are more niche and typically offer benefits only for purchases at these particular spots, so only consider them if you’re spending a lot on a particular type of home renovation/redecoration.

But if you’re making lots of purchases from different outlets for your home, the Quicksilver Cash Rewards from Capital One is a solid choice. The card offers 1.5% cashback on all purchases, plus a $150 cash bonus when you spend $500 in the first three months of opening the card. The no annual fee card also has no foreign transaction fees and 0% APR for the first 15 months — ideal for those financing expensive furniture sets or other home items. Certain items may be eligible for extended warranties too.

Pros

• Unlimited cashback

Cons

• No bonus spend categories

Runner-Up

A solid runner up card would be the Chase Freedom, where you can earn 1% cashback on all purchases. But, you can earn 5% cashback on rotating categories — which have included home improvement stores in the past (and this category may again appear, though we have no idea if and when). Financing big ticket items is easy as the card comes with 0% APR for 15 months from account opening and you’ll get $200 cashback after spending $500 on purchases in your first three months of account opening.