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Weddings are expensive. Between the attire, gifts, bachelor or bachelorette parties, and sometimes a destination trip, the bill adds up quickly. In Canada, a wedding costs an average of $30,000 to $40,000, or about $125 to $175 per guest. Good news: every dollar spent can earn you rewards points or cash back. Simply put, you can turn these expenses into future trips.
Here’s how to save on a wedding, plan a bachelor(ette) party, and shop in a way that helps you earn the maximum number of points. The method is based on three pillars: points-earning online portals, gift cards, and the right credit card for each expense.
Our top pick for a wedding remains the American Express Cobalt Card: 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on dining and groceries, 2 points per dollar on travel and transit, and transfers to Aeroplan and Marriott Bonvoy to fund your trip.
A wedding is planned over several months. Each stage generates expenses, so each stage can generate points. Here are the three key moments to optimize.
Wedding planning mostly involves shopping: dress, suit, shoes, décor, gift registry and small accessories for the bachelor(ette) party. Instead of paying full price, route these purchases through a points-earning or cash back online portal. This simple habit adds an extra layer of rewards on top of what your credit card already earns.
The Aeroplan eStore lets you earn bonus Aeroplan points when you shop with partner retailers. You first go through the Aeroplan portal, then you’re redirected to the merchant’s site. That way, you earn points in addition to the ones from your credit card on the same purchase.
Rakuten works on the same principle, but with cash back paid directly. You first click through to the merchant from Rakuten, then shop as usual. That way, part of your purchase comes back to you as cash, often between 1% and 10% depending on the retailer. For a wedding dress or a décor order worth a few hundred dollars, the cash back quickly becomes worthwhile.
Some credit cards offer multipliers on specific categories, such as groceries. However, many grocery stores sell gift cards for major brands (Amazon, home décor stores, restaurants). By buying these gift cards at the grocery store with the right credit card, you earn the grocery-category multiplier on purchases that normally wouldn’t qualify.
In practical terms, several cards earn 5 times the points at the grocery store: the American Express Cobalt® Card, the National Bank World Elite Mastercard®, and the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card. The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card does even better, with up to 6 times the points at IGA, Voilà by IGA, Sobeys, Safeway, and Foodland.
Here is the concrete difference for an alcohol purchase at the SAQ, where the base rate remains 1 point per dollar:
The same principle applies to Amazon. Instead of paying directly on the site, buy an Amazon gift card at the grocery store:
For the complete list of eligible retailers and details on the technique, consult our guide dedicated to gift cards at 5 times the points.
For gifts and small gear, Amazon remains convenient. However, before redeeming your points for Amazon purchases, check the real value of the redemption. Very often, your points are worth more for travel.
A bachelor or bachelorette party often combines restaurants, bars, activities and sometimes a weekend away. These expenses fall into categories that earn a lot of points. For example, the American Express Cobalt Card earns 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on restaurants, food delivery and groceries in Canada.
If you’re organizing the night for the group, put the payments on your card, then get reimbursed by the participants. That way, you earn points on all expenses while keeping a clear record of amounts. For a weekend, a rental accommodation or a hotel booked with points reduces the bill even further.
A destination wedding or honeymoon is the biggest expense, but also the best use of your points. The points earned during the planning then go toward flights and the hotel. That’s how the loop closes: your shopping purchases fund your trip.
Holding your wedding at a Marriott Bonvoy family hotel turns the reception itself into a source of points. With the Marriott Bonvoy Events program, you earn 2 points per US dollar on the eligible event, up to 60,000 points per wedding. Titanium or Ambassador status members can even reach 105,000 points.
Marriott also provides certified planners and ceremony packages. To choose the property, first compare the different Marriott hotel brands and all-inclusive options.
For the honeymoon, certain destinations come up year after year. Most can be booked advantageously with points, especially for the hotel.
To go further, check out our guide to overwater villas and our romantic destinations. The media outlet La Sœur de la Mariée also publishes a ranking of honeymoon destinations.
The right strategy is to pair a transferable-points card for nights out and travel, and a cash back card for everyday shopping. Here are four cards that cover wedding expenses well, depending on the category.
To go further, compare all options on our best credit cards page.
Saving on a wedding doesn’t mean cutting back on the celebration. It’s about making every expense work for you. By routing your shopping through the Aeroplan eStore or Rakuten, paying for nights out with the right card, and booking the trip with your points, you can get significant value back on a budget you were going to spend anyway.
The American Express Cobalt Card remains our starting point for this type of project, thanks to its high points on restaurants and groceries and its transfers to Aeroplan and Marriott Bonvoy.
My advice: take this card out at the very beginning of the preparations, not just on the day of the party. Since it covers both dining and groceries, it accumulates on almost all your wedding expenses spread over several months, which makes a real difference to the final total.
Savings this way:
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