Wedding Blog
So, I did it! I bought our honeymoon tickets! I’ve been monitoring ticket prices to Sydney for a few weeks now and they slowly have been going up a few bucks everyday. Mr. Joey and I were talking about it last night and he suggested that I just buy the tickets now. We know we’re going and we know the dates, so what was stopping us? So I did it. I bought the tickets.
Actually, I think I got a pretty good deal. I was told tickets to Sydney from Seattle usually run about $1300-$1400 each for a round trip ticket. I found a great deal on Expedia that will get us there for a little more than $1300 each and includes a 3-night stay at a 5 star hotel in Sydney. It’s going to be winter when we’re there in August, but it shouldn’t be colder than 50 degrees in Sydney, and up north it will be in the 80s.
Now that I got the big purchase out of the way, I can just sit on the honeymoon planning until April/May or until I’m sent away on another work trip and need something to do as I pass time in the airport.
We are on a budget, but I don’t want to scrimp too much on the trip. We’ve been doing a little creative money making to pay for the trip. We’ve been making all our online purchases through ebates. I know other bees have mentioned it before, but they have dozens of stores they work with, and if you enter a store’s website through the ebates site, you get a certain percentage of your purchase back in cash every quarter. It’s only a few dollars here and there, but it adds up. We have almost $200 already.
We’re also selling stuff we don’t need on eBay and craigslist, and are putting that money towards the trip. It’s amazing how much stuff we’ve found laying around our apartment that we no longer use, or have never even taken out of the packaging.
The last place I’ve been earning money is through my per diems. I travel a lot for work, and on average, don’t spend all the per diem I’ve given. I usually have about $100-200 left over after every trip. Last year I went on 4 trips for work. That could add up to $400-800 towards the honeymoon.
How are you raising extra funds for the wedding and honeymoon?
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Share this post: The Land Down Under
Oooo… what an exciting honeymoon location! Seems like you got a reasonable price on the tickets, and now you can just sit back and plan the fun stuff to do on your trip 
That trip is going to be so awesome!! I don’t think $1300 is too bad of a price… seems like a good deal, escpecially with the hotel included.
oh, I love ebates. I’ve been using it for a few years now. You’re right, the few dollars here and there DO add up over time. Congrats on buying your tickets!
Yay, Sydney. I had a great time there, but I can hardly remember the first couple of days because I was so knocked out with jetlag … it was awful!
If you can, I’d definitely recommend a seaplane trip. My fiance booked one as a surprise, so I don’t know the details, but it took us all around the harbour, and then to lunch in a really secluded restaurant that you can only get to by boat or plane … heaven!
I’ve never heard of ebates…I’ll have to look into it. Thanks!
and way to go on finding deals and ways to save up money!
AMAZING!! I really want to go there one day. You’ll have to do a write up of all your favorite places.
OMG my FI is talking about down unda. He studied abroad there
This might sound crazy but the way we’re trying to get extra $ is whenever we go away for the weekend visiting Boston (wedding location) we sublet his apt for the weekend. It’s not a lot of $ but it’s helping!
I’ve just booked my tickets to Sydney too - but for my wedding! I’m Australian and living in the States - we are flying back in August so we might cross paths while we’re there Let me know if you have any questions about Sydney specifically.
(The tickets are actually very good at the moment. I’ve been checking them since September last year! We bought some in November, but the prices dropped so much since then that, even with a $200 cancellation fee per ticket, we saved a lot of money by cancelling and rebooking. The economy does suck, but it actually makes it a good time to travel, as airlines are really dropping their prices!)
Yay! Congrats! I’m so jealous — Sydney is amazing and, though I’ve been once, we can’t wait to be able to go together. I’m sure your honeymoon will be amazing — what a great thing to look forward to!
We just booked our tickets to Virgina… we’re going to French Canada but discovered it was cheaper to fly it VA and drive across the border. FH works for a Co. that get Marriott benefits so 2 out of 4 of the hotels we’re staying in will only cost us about $40/night. So while we haven’t found interesting ways to make extra money for the honeymoon, we’ve found way to save on the honeymoon
How exciting!! Australia and New Zealand are two of the places on our “Must See” list of places… Thanks for the ebates tip, too!!
So exciting! I lived in Sydney for 4 months a few years back, and traveled around Australia during that time.
I’m planning to come to the Seattle meet-up next weekend - I’m happy to give you all sorts of ideas on where to go!
Hey, we’re going to Australia too! And we’re going just a month after you. I bought the tickets last month because I couldn’t BELIEVE how cheap they were. We’re also doing 5 days in Vanuatu — figured we were already in the right hemisphere, so why not tack on a trip to the South Pacific too?!
My finance and I love to do fun active stuff, so we were considering of paying for our honeymoon but ask people to buy us “adventures or night out on the town”. I love the thought of doing a honeymoon fund since most of our guest are young and wouldn’t even know what some of the fancy kitchenware functionality is.
Instead of craigslist/ebay, we’re going to have a garage sale to get rid of our junk that we no longer use before we move and for extra cash.
Congrats Miss Joey! I am super siked you guys picked Sydney. That is where I honeymooned too and it was great. Make sure to climb the bridge. Are you flying Quantas? If you are, they feed you like every hour 
word of mouth with family and friends is the best resource for funding your honeymoon.
I can’t wait to hear about your wedding and trip!
I got onto ebay and was selling a PDF file for a couple weeks. Man I made a TON of money!! (And the best part is it’s electronic, so you’re not spending money to make money!)
I’m working on making another one, but it takes a lot of time in Adobe Pro and a heck of a lot of effort to make just one page, so for now I’m just resting on my laurels waiting for the pages to make themselves…maybe I should open an Etsy shop instead?
I just canceled my trip and re-booked it. We saved over $400 even after the change fee and we still got to keep our hotel part!
Hope you’re going to enjoy my hometown Miss Joey! Sydney is beautiful..and you’re right..in August it’s not going to be that cold..even if it’s in the middle of winter. Second the suggestion from Karen to climb the Harbour Bridge. It’s a bit expensive but it’s worth it for the view. If possible go for the sunset/sunrise session. Gorgeous! Let me know if you need any ideas on where to go/eat!
G’day from oz,
Sydney is a great place - if the budget reach try the bridge climb,( http://www.bridgeclimb.com/
By the way - There snow down here in winter,
check out Perisher Blue Ski Resort
The blue mountain are a must too, don’t know if you plan on travel around if you are try the following: Cradle mountain, Kings cayon.
These great beach, yummy food but not the cheepest place to stay in.
P.S travelling around Sydney cost a lot
Hi Miss Joey,
I am another Sydney girl! I have lived here all my life and love it! It you are going to be catching public transport around the city I recommend getting a Day Tripper, you can go on all buses, trains and ferries with the 1 ticket (costs AU$15 - ish).
A must do is catching the Ferry across to Manly and having a swim or Lunch at Manly beach. (my hubby proposed on the Ferry to Manly!)
Another of my Favourite places in The Rocks, especially the Rocks Markets which are on each weekend!
The Bridge Climb is awesome, the views are amazing!
I hope you have a wonderful and stress-free lead up to your wedding!
Thanks everyone! We’re so excited to go down under! I’d love suggestions of where to go. If you have any, please comment in the boards here.
http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/honeymoon-in-australia-need-advice
okay had NO IDEA about ebates. signed up RIGHT NOW. where has this been all my life!
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Mrs. Joey, Seattle
Age and Occupation: 28, Project Administrator for Public Health NGO
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 30, High School History Teacher
Engagement Date: June 24, 2008
Wedding Date: August 2009
Venue: Eastside Catholic Chapel and Lake Union Cafe
About Me: I'm a Seattle girl through and through except for the fact that I don't drink coffee. I love my job most of the time because I get to travel and work with brilliant people who are trying to prevent Malaria. I love DIY projects of all sorts, cooking, and watching sports. I'd wear anything at Anthropologie and could spend all day on Etsy. I love to travel but shouldn't because I always get myself into unbelievable situations!
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