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I have bad news for your credit card points strategy.
You love your AMEX. You live for the miles. You want to pay for the entire wedding with that Platinum card and fly First Class to the Maldives on points.
I would want that too.
But here is the reality check: In Spain, Amex is about as useful as a winter coat in August in Ibiza.
Why? Because the fees for merchants are high. And while a luxury hotel in Madrid might take it with a smile, the artisan florist in a small village or the guitar player for your ceremony? They are going to look at you like you just handed them Monopoly money.
So, how do you pay for your dream wedding without losing a fortune in exchange rates and bank fees?
1. The King: Bank Transfers (The IBAN) In Spain, “Wire Transfer” isn’t a scary term. It’s how we buy bread. Okay, not bread, but everything else. Most vendors will ask for a bank transfer.
The problem: Your US bank probably charges you $45 just to say “Hola” to a European bank, plus a terrible exchange rate.
2. The Life Hack: WISE (formerly TransferWise) If you don’t have this app yet, download it. Now. It allows you to send money to a Spanish IBAN with real exchange rates and tiny fees. It’s fast, it’s safe, and your vendors will love you because the money actually arrives.
Pro tip: Don’t try to PayPal a vendor unless you want to pay fees that could feed a small village.
3. Credit Cards (Visa/Mastercard)
You assume paying with credit card = paying a huge 3% surcharge. Not always. Here is the insider tip:
There are two types of vendors in Spain:
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The Amateurs: They send you a PayPal or Stripe link. These platforms charge them high fees, so they pass that cost to you. Ouch.
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The Pros: They have a “TPV Virtual” (Virtual POS). This is a negotiated deal with a Spanish bank where transaction fees are tiny (often under 0.5%).
So, here is the trick: Before you assume you have to do a bank transfer, ask your vendor: “Do you have a Spanish bank TPV Virtual?”
If they do, using your Visa or Mastercard might actually be cheaper and faster than a wire transfer, and they won’t need to charge you extra fees (or very low).
Note: AMEX is still the difficult child in this family, but for Visa/Mastercard, the TPV Virtual is a game changer.
4. Cash (The old school way) “Can I pay in cash?” Yes, but… legality. Spain has strict anti-money laundering laws. You can’t just walk in with a suitcase of bills like in a narco movie.
There are limits (usually 1.000€ for residents, a bit higher for tourists, but check the current law). Use cash for tips or small extras, not for the venue.
The Bottom Line: Don’t let the payment method be the reason you lose your dream photographer. Be ready to transfer funds.
This is the boring part of the wedding, I know. But getting it right means more budget for the open bar. And let’s be honest, that’s where the real “Wow” experience happens.
Confused about IBANs and contracts? That’s why I’m here. Let’s get your budget sorted.
