The Best Credit Cards for Wedding Expenses in Canada

Did you know that Canadian couples spend the equivalent of 10 months’ salary on their wedding on average?

Canadians say “I do” for the first time around age 31 according to Statistics Canada, who also says the average 25-34 year old takes home $41,690 per year. Meanwhile, a Canadian couple will spend roughly $34,500 on their wedding. That’s a lot of money!

When you’re spending that much on your big day, you want to get as much out of it as you can. That’s why it’s so important to get the right credit card to earn points or cash back on all those expenses. These are the best credit cards in Canada for your wedding expenses.

Unfortunately, most event venues and caterers don’t count as restaurants or hotels where credit card rewards are concerned. Fortunately, the National Bank World Elite Mastercard is here to save the day for this, and other miscellaneous wedding expenses.

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard rewards you with 1 point per dollar spent on all purchases, including wedding venues. It also has a healthy welcome bonus - earn up to 40,000 rewards points. Must apply by March 31, 2025.

If you do happen to use a restaurant for a rehearsal dinner or the wedding itself, you’ll earn a whopping 5 points for every dollar you spend. You’ll also earn 5 points per dollar spent on groceries, and 2 dollars spent on travel, fuel, and recurring bill payments. Points can be redeemed for just about anything, including a bill credit, although you’ll get the best value if you use them for travel. 

This card has comprehensive travel insurance coverage and includes unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montréal-Trudeau airport. Bon voyage!

After the stress of planning a wedding, your honeymoon is a much needed break. The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card can help you book the honeymoon of your dreams and offers great protection along the way.

When it comes to earning travel rewards, this card gives you 3 Scene+ points per dollar spent at participating grocery stores, 2 points per dollar spent on restaurants, food delivery, entertainment, and daily transit, and 1 point per dollar spent on everything else. Plus, it has a generous welcome offer - earn up to $1,100 in value in the first 12 months, including up to 35,000 bonus Scene+ points. To qualify, apply by December 31, 2024. Scene+ points can easily be redeemed for travel, merchandise, or a bill credit.

For the trip itself, this card includes travel emergency medical insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and a host of other travel insurance coverage. You can use one of the 6 complimentary airport lounge passes to make your trip more comfortable. And as an added bonus, it’s the only Visa Infinite card with no foreign transaction fee, saving you an average of 2.5% on purchases made outside the country.

And finally, you can earn your honeymoon faster by getting a secondary credit card for your fiancé(e), with a $50 annual fee waiver for new clients.

While there are no credit cards that will let you run up a balance without paying interest, the MBNA True Line Mastercard has a great introductory interest rate on balance transfers that can help you avoid paying interest charges on your other cards.

When you transfer your balance from another card within 90 days of getting your MBNA True Line Mastercard, you’ll pay 0% interest for 12 months on the amount transferred. Even after the 3% transfer fee, you’ll save more than $200 a year per $1,000 you transfer.

For financing larger purchases, this card has a relatively low interest rate of 12.99%. It also offers 0% payment plans that let you spread purchases out over 6, 12, or 18 months for a one-time fee.

If you don’t have a balance to transfer and just want a low interest credit card, consider the MBNA True Line Gold Mastercard which offers an ultra-low interest rate of 10.99% but carries a $39 annual fee.

Alright, sometimes you don’t want travel rewards. When you’re planning and paying for a wedding, sometimes you just want cash. That’s where the CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite Card comes in.

This premium cash back card gives you 4% cash back on gas and groceries, 2% cash back on transportation, restaurants and recurring bills, and 1% cash back on everything else with no limits on how much you can earn. As a welcome bonus, you can earn a 10% cash back welcome bonus of up to $300 (first 4 statements). Offer not available to QC residents. Terms and conditions apply. And you can cash in on your cash back any time, as long as you have a minimum of $25 to redeem.

This card also comes with other perks like discounts on rental cars, some travel insurance, and savings of 10₵ per litre at participating gas stations.

While the thought of paying a big annual fee for a premium credit card can be off-putting, you don’t always need to pay to get a great credit card.

The Tangerine World Mastercard has no annual fee and gives you unlimited money back rewards of up to 2% on purchases. What’s more, you can choose your own rewards categories to maximize your cash back. As a welcome bonus, you can earn earn an extra 10% back on up to $1,000 in everyday purchases within the first 2 months. Must apply by October 31, 2024. 

Even without an annual fee, this card offers some useful features like rental car collision insurance, mobile device insurance, and a handful of travel perks provided by Mastercard.

The bottom line

If you’re not using the right credit card for your wedding expenses, you’re missing out on big rewards and valuable perks. Compare credit cards online to find the best one for your spending plans and say thanks to the bank for your awesome (and well-deserved) honeymoon.

Also read:

• The best credit cards in Canada for couples
• Should you get a second credit card?
• Ratehub’s 2023 credit card rewards