monahos

Status benefits are the guest's, although in practice the issuing account's status is sometimes taken into consideration.

Inexperienced staff will sometimes not know what to do when the guest's status is higher than the award issuer's (have them ask the duty manager), but you are definitely entitled to your Gold perks while using your wife's points. I've done this many times with my relatives' points.

So have your wife make the reservations in your name. The only issue is that you will not be pre-upgraded, as the system will be unaware of your status until you check in (it will reference your wife's number). At the dwindling number of properties which upgrade Golds to the exec floor, if they are fully booked, you may end up in a regular room.