Amassing Over 120,000 Points While Organizing a Wedding Vacation

In the heart of Prague, Czech Republic, a beautiful wedding took place, attended by friends and family from North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. This was no ordinary wedding, as it served as a case study in maximising rewards when planning a destination wedding.

Planning a destination wedding comes with its own set of challenges. However, with careful planning and strategic use of credit cards, the couple managed to earn a substantial number of points and miles, which helped fund part of their honeymoon and future travels.

Three credit cards were used to pay for wedding expenses. The World of Hyatt Credit Card was one of them, used for the venue payment and host hotel expenses. This card earned a total of 47,500 World of Hyatt points, thanks to the 4 points per $1 spent at the hotel and the elite night credits gained.

Another card in the rotation was the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, used for a venue payment, earning 20,000 miles, and for other expenses, earning 2 miles per $1 on eligible purchases. The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card was also utilised, earning 60,000 points from a venue payment and other expenses.

It is recommended to use a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees for payments in a foreign currency. Services like Wise or Revolut can help reduce currency conversion and transfer fees for bank transfer payments. However, some payments were made via bank transfer and did not earn rewards.

The Lindner Prague Castle, a Category 2 Hyatt property, offered a great negotiated nightly rate that included breakfast. The room block for the wedding was booked through Hyatt's Meeting Planner Portal, but the promised 1 World of Hyatt point per $1 spent has not been received yet.

The wedding expenses were charged to three different credit cards. The venue organized billing for flowers, audio equipment, and other vendors, allowing credit card payment without added fees. Some members of the Upgraded Points team attended the wedding, witnessing first-hand the strategic use of credit cards to maximise rewards.

The earnings from the wedding helped fund part of the honeymoon and are being used to book a trip to Malaysia next year. The total value of the points and miles earned is $1,962.50 based on valuations of 1.8 cents per Capital One mile, 1.6 cents per Alaska mile, and 1.5 cents per World of Hyatt point.

The author used the TF Bank Mastercard Gold for payment of reception room and equipment costs without receiving any points. It's a reminder that not all expenses can be maximised for rewards, but the majority of the wedding expenses were effectively leveraged to earn a significant number of points and miles.

In conclusion, with careful planning and strategic use of credit cards, a destination wedding can serve not only as a memorable event but also as a means to accumulate rewards for future travels.