I don't have any firsthand experience here, but it sounds to me as if the wedding expenses would get the extra bonus point.

From the Amex fine print:
You will receive one additional Starpoint for each U.S. dollar of Eligible Spending charged on your Card account at Starwood-branded hotels and resorts then participating in the Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program, and at standalone retail establishments and online stores that, in each case, are wholly owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Starwood associates do not receive any additional Starpoints as a Starwood Preferred Guest member for hotel stays and spend.

"Eligible Spending" includes purchases of goods or services, which purchases have not been returned or otherwise rescinded, and are not subject to a credit; it does NOT include fees, Finance Charges, Cash Advances (including the use of checks, line activators, automated teller machines or other means of accessing your account), Balance Transfers, or adjustments to your account. We reserve the right not to award any Starpoints for transactions we determine are not made with the good faith intention of consuming the item charged.

I don't see any fine print to indicate that wedding services are not "Eligible Spending."

(Personally, I like the SPG Amex more than the Member Rewards program even at only 1 Starpoint per dollar.)

I had my wedding at a starwood hotel. How they give points can and should be negotiated. They won't have a problem throwing in some extra starpoints if you are spending some money.

I just got married at the Sheraton Grand Bahamas in April and had a terrible experience with the hotel. They missed every suspense, never responded to calls or emails, promised us everything will be taken care of before we got there...all lies. We went through 3 different coordinators. They messed up every room request the wedding party made and I asked for a points increase and got nothing.

I have all the documentation from the many numerous negative repsonses. Is there a way to request extra points? We spent 8 nights there and dropped a good amount on rooms and bar tabs.

Definately follow up. I've called over little things and gotten points.

I joined SPG right before booking my daughter's wedding at W Union Square NYC. Her wedding is next May (2008). I read in the contract that I'd be eligible for "Planner Points" at the rate of 1 per $3. Not good. I insisted that I wanted regular SPG points at 2 per $1. I argued that I was not a planner in the "employ" of the host and not "registered" as a planner with Starwood. The coordinator kept referring to the Planner points as more valuable. I didn't bite and did get in writing that I'd get regular SPG points. I'll see next May what I receive but I feel I have a strong position for the 2 per $1. I'm meeting next week with a new coordinator (previous one left) and you can bet I'll get the same committment from her.

Is this deal dead? I have a couple of friends that I told to sign up for the card and wouldn't mind a few extra points of my own :)

Yes, it's dead........

but has anyone done it. charged a wedding or meeting and gotten amex credit at 2 points per $?

also, for the points coming directly from the hotel (and not from amex). Did anyone successfully convince the hotel you aren't planners and in fact receive something besides 1/3 point per $. If so what did the hotel do in points and at what ratio?

Anyone else get stiffed by SPG for any/all of your referral bonuses for this promo? As in incentive to let me refer them I gave 2K airline miles to each of 4 FTers via a post on CC, all 4 of them assured me that they were accepted and actually received the card. However I only received 3 referral bonuses, not 4. When I contacted SPG of course they told me that it was a matter to take up with the SPG Amex folks, when I called them I was assured that they would look into it - I even gave them the 4 referrees names. That was over two months ago.

Either a FTer who I referred lied to me and didn't receive the card or the Amex folks dropped the ball. I'm betting it was the latter.

Same thing happened to me, only 15k of the 20k points posted. Turns out one of my referrals didn't activate and charge anything to the card so that's why the points didn't post. :( Then they couldn't find the card so they had to call and order a new one. Hopefully I'll still be able to get the pts at this late date. Check with all your referrals to make sure their 10k SPG points posted properly. If their points all posted, so should yours have. My brothers 20k points for his 4 referrals all posted fine without any problems.......................

SPG AMEX with UK address?
 

Hi all, apologies for asking a question which must have come up before, but I tried and failed with search.

Does anybody know if it's possible for a Brit living in the UK to get an SPG AMEX? FWIW I don't have a US SSN, but do have an ITIN.

TIA :)

Hi

I wonder myslef! Also live in the UK and am really frustrated at the lack of opportunities to earn extra Starpoints. When I lived in US it was so easy to earn pts - here, unless you stay in London (which can bankrupt you!) it's hard to earn starpoints in the UK...

By the way, I have US SSN ...

SPG AMEX and Paypal
 

Hello all,

I searched the forums but couldn't find what I was looking for. Does anyone know if a Paypal charge to the SPG AMEX is eligible for points? My insurance company accepts Visa/MC and Paypal for payments, so I was hoping to use Paypal/SPG AMEX to rack up some Starpoints.

I've paid for items using my SPG amex (using Paypal) and have received the points.

paypal=points
 

i have put 10s of thousand of dollars on my spg amex via paypal.
just out of curiosity what insurance company takes paypal?