Wedding loans are unsecured personal loans that provide funds to cover the cost of your event. Compare NerdWallet’s picks for the best wedding loans.
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Best for secured wedding loans
2026 NerdWallet award winner
6.99 - 35.99%
$2K - $50K
600
3 to 5 years
Best for joint wedding loans
2026 NerdWallet award winner
6.53 - 35.99%
$1K - $60K
600
2 to 7 years
Best for wedding loans for good credit
2026 NerdWallet award winner
8.74 - 35.49%
$5K - $100K
None
2 to 7 years
Best for co-signed wedding loans
2026 NerdWallet award winner
7.74 - 35.99%
$1K - $50K
600
2 to 7 years
Best for wedding loans for bad credit
2026 NerdWallet award winner
6.70 - 35.99%
$1K - $75K
None
3 to 5 years
Best for affordable wedding loans
2026 NerdWallet award winner
6.49 - 24.89%
$5K - $100K
660
2 to 7 years
Our team of consumer lending experts follows an objective and robust methodology to rate lenders and pick the best.
30+
Lenders reviewed
We review over 35 lenders, including major banks, top credit unions, leading digital platforms, and high interest installment lenders operating across multiple states.
25+
Categories assessed
Each lender is evaluated across five weighted categories and 27 subcategories, covering affordability, eligibility, consumer experience, flexibility, and application process.
60+
Data points analyzed
Our team tracks and reassesses hundreds of data points annually, including APR ranges, fees, credit requirements, and borrower tools, ensuring up to date, accurate comparisons.
We evaluate more categories than competitors and carefully weigh how each factor impacts your experience.
NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates personal loan products from more than 30 financial technology companies and financial institutions. We collect over 60 data points and cross-check company websites, earnings reports and other public documents to confirm product details. We may also go through a lender’s pre-qualification flow and follow up with company representatives. NerdWallet writers and editors conduct a full fact check and update annually, but also make updates throughout the year as necessary.
Our star ratings award points to lenders that offer consumer-friendly features, including: soft credit checks to pre-qualify, competitive interest rates and no fees, transparency of rates and terms, flexible payment options, fast funding times, accessible customer service, reporting of payments to credit bureaus and financial education. Our ratings award fewer points to lenders with practices that may make a loan difficult to repay on time, such as charging high annual percentage rates (above 36%), underwriting that does not adequately assess consumers’ ability to repay and lack of credit-building help. We also consider regulatory actions filed by agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. We weigh these factors based on our assessment of which are the most important to consumers and how meaningfully they impact consumers’ experiences.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings. Read more about our ratings methodologies for personal loans and our editorial guidelines.
Our list includes lenders that offer multiple loan types — secured loans, joint loans and co-signed loans — which can help couples qualify for low interest rates and lower monthly payments. We also feature options for borrowers with good to bad credit.
Best Egg lets you secure your wedding loan with a personal vehicle or permanent fixture in your home (think built-in cabinets or bathroom vanities). Secured loans tend to charge less interest than unsecured loans, so you’ll save money. But the lender can seize the collateral if you don’t repay the loan.
Other Best Egg perks include free enrollment in its financial health platform. Couples can monitor their credit score, track spending and set debt payoff goals.
LendingClub offers joint loans, which is when you add a co-borrower to your application. This may be ideal for couples who want to finance their wedding together. It also may be easier to get approved for a joint loan, versus applying alone, if your partner has better credit or a higher income than you.
LendingClub will also let you choose and change your monthly payment date, which not every lender offers. This type of flexibility comes in handy during big life changes, like if one of you gets a different job with a new payday schedule.
Co-signed loans are similar to joint loans, but the co-signer doesn’t have access to the loan funds. They’re still on the hook for repayment though, if you’re unable to pay. A co-signed wedding loan may be a good choice if you have a family member who wants to help you pay for the wedding but doesn’t need access to the money.
In addition to its co-signed loans, Upgrade also stands out for its lower credit score requirement (600). This means you can still qualify even if you have fair or bad credit.
Borrowers with good credit will likely have their pick of the best loans, and SoFi is a top choice. Its loans come in a wide range of amounts ($5,000 to $100,000), and repayment terms (two to seven years), which gives you plenty of flexibility for the big day.
You’ll also receive access to unique perks not found with other lenders, like free financial planning and an estate planning discount. This may be especially helpful for couples looking to review their finances after the wedding.
If you’re worried about getting approved for a loan, consider Upstart. It has a minimum credit score requirement of 300 and even considers applicants with no credit score. Upstart may also consider nontraditional data as part of your application, like college education and work history.
If you’re on a deadline, Upstart offers fast approval and funding. According to the lender, most borrowers receive an instant approval decision after applying. Once approved, Upstart can fund loans as fast as one business day.
Going into married life with debt is never ideal, but you can minimize costs by picking a lender that offers low interest rates. LightStream has some of the lowest rates of lenders we review. Even if you were to get approved for a lower rate with another lender, LightStream will try to beat it, via its Rate Beat program.
You can also receive an additional rate discount by setting up automatic payments on your loan. You’ll need a minimum credit score of 660 to apply with LightStream.
To pick from the best lenders listed above, consider these four factors.
1. Borrower requirements: First consider the lender’s basic borrower requirements. Many lenders publish a minimum credit score requirement, and some lenders (like banks and credit unions) require an existing relationship to apply for a loan. This can help quickly narrow down your options.
2. Loan amounts: Loan amounts range from $1,000 to $100,000, and each lender offers a different range. Make sure any lenders you’re considering offer the amount you need to finance your wedding. Try to only borrow what you need, even if you qualify for more.
3. Repayment terms: Loan terms range from two to seven years, and available terms vary by lender. The longer the term, the more interest you’ll pay over the length of the loan. It’s best to go with the shortest term that still has an affordable monthly payment.
4. APR: Finally, consider what annual percentage rate you can qualify for with each lender. APRs range from 7% to 36% and represent the total cost of the loan. At this stage, it’s best to pre-qualify with a few lenders to compare APRs (more on that lower down).
A wedding loan is an unsecured personal loan you use to pay for wedding expenses.
You borrow money from a bank, credit union or online lender and use the funds to pay for the wedding and other related costs.
Once you apply and are approved, you’ll receive the money in a lump sum in your bank account. You’ll then pay it back with fixed monthly installments that include interest.
The cost of a wedding loan depends on what annual percentage rate you qualify for. The most expensive wedding loans will have the highest APRs. Here’s an example of how it works:
An average wedding costs about $33,000, according to wedding website The Knot . Say you get a three-year loan for $15,000 (about half the average wedding cost). On the low end, a loan with a 7% APR would mean you’d have monthly payments of $463, and pay $1,674 in total interest.
But if you take out that same loan with a 36% APR, you’d have monthly payments of $687 and pay $9,734 in interest. That’s why qualifying for the lowest rate possible is the best way to reduce wedding loan costs.
Plug in your potential wedding loan amount and estimate your monthly payments with NerdWallet’s free personal loan calculator.
Estimated monthly payment
$309.92
Total interest over 3 years
$1,156.95
Total loan payment
$11,156.95
Loan amount
$10,000
Interest rate
7.25%
Loan term (years)
3
The best loans offer pre-qualification, so you can check your potential loan terms without hurting your credit score.
This involves filling out a short application. You’ll supply basic personal information and details about the loan you want, like desired amount and repayment term.
It’s best to pre-qualify with multiple wedding loan lenders to compare offers. Online lenders are more likely to offer pre-qualification, though many banks and credit unions do, too.
» Get started: Pre-qualify with multiple lenders for free with NerdWallet
Once you’ve pre-qualified and decided on a lender, you’ll need to formally apply for the loan. Most applications are completely digital.
As part of the application, you’ll provide personal and contact information, like proof of identification, Social Security number, address and phone number. You may also need to provide proof of employment and income.
Once you submit your application, the lender will conduct a hard credit pull. This temporarily knocks a few points off your credit score.
While some decisions are instantaneous, other lenders may take a few days, especially if the lender needs more information.
» MORE: How to apply for a personal loan
Once approved, you’ll receive the loan agreement, which you’ll review and sign. The loan funds are then deposited into your bank account and ready for use.
The best wedding loans offer same-day funding, while others may take up to a week to send the funds. You can also choose to receive a check, though this may delay funding time further.
After receiving the funds, make a plan for repayment. Missing a loan payment can hurt your credit score and trigger late fees.
» MORE: How to manage your personal loan
Wedding loans are available to borrowers even if they have bad credit (a score in the high 500s or lower). Some online lenders specifically cater to borrowers with bad credit and have low minimum credit score requirements.
Since rates may be higher with these lenders, make sure you can afford the monthly payment for the duration of the loan.
» COMPARE: Best loans for borrowers with bad credit
If you need help qualifying, there are ways to quickly boost your chances of getting approved. This includes checking your credit report for errors, like inaccurate credit limits, or paying off any small debts, which can help quickly build your score.
You may also consider a co-signed or joint wedding loan, as mentioned above. Adding a partner or family member to your application can help you get approved, particularly if they have better credit or a higher income than you.
It’s best to pay for your wedding with money you’ve saved, but that isn’t always an option for couples.
As long as you qualify for a low rate, and you’re confident you can repay the loan without sacrificing other financial goals, wedding loans may be a good idea. Weigh the pros and cons of wedding loans carefully, though.
What the nerds think
How will a wedding loan affect my credit score?
“As long as you make the payments on-time, a wedding loan could actually help build your score. That's because you’re showing responsible repayment behavior to the credit bureaus. Late payments will hurt it, though, so consider setting up automatic payments on your loan."
Compare other options for financing your wedding so you can celebrate your big day feeling confident you’ve made the right financial choice.
Savings: With a long enough engagement, you and your partner may be able to save up to cover the cost of the wedding, interest-free.
Financial experts don’t recommend incurring debt for discretionary expenses like weddings. Instead, estimate your wedding’s cost and then choose a strategy for saving.
0% APR credit cards: You may be able to pay for the wedding interest-free with a 0% APR credit card. The zero-interest promotional period on these cards can last up to 21 months.
You usually need good or excellent credit to qualify for this type of card. Be mindful of the card’s typical APR, which will take effect if you can’t pay the balance off during the promotional period.
» COMPARE: Best 0% APR credit cards
Rewards cards: You can put some of your expenses — like the dress and decorations — on a rewards credit card and potentially get cash back. A travel rewards card could help you put money toward your honeymoon, too.
Some of these cards require good or excellent credit to qualify, and you may not get rewarded for all of your expenses. But they’re an option if you’re going to use your own cash to cover some of the costs.
» COMPARE: Best credit cards for wedding expenses
Downsize: You can look for other ways to save on your wedding. This may include reducing the guest list or picking an off-peak date. Reducing costs could prevent you from financing altogether or lessen the amount you need to borrow.
