TL;DR: A 100-guest wedding in Renton, WA typically runs $38,000 – $62,000 all-in, with most couples landing around $48,000 once venue, catering, photography, flowers, attire, music, and stationery are covered. Expect roughly $380–$620 per guest, driven mostly by Seattle-metro catering minimums and venue fees.
H1 with location/variant
This page covers realistic budget ranges for a 100-guest wedding in Renton, WA — a South King County market where costs track close to Seattle pricing but with slightly more venue flexibility and lower overhead at independent spaces.
Useful summary
At 100 guests, you're in the most common wedding size bracket in the Puget Sound area. That means you'll have plenty of venue and vendor options, but you'll also hit full catering minimums at most full-service venues. Here's how the math generally works:
- Per-guest spend: $380 – $620 depending on venue type and bar package.
- Non-guest-dependent costs (photography, attire, florals, music, stationery, rings): roughly $16,000 – $22,000 regardless of headcount.
- Guest-dependent costs (food, bar, rentals, cake, favors, ceremony seating): scale at about $220 – $400 per person in Renton.
If you're trying to keep the total under $40,000, the levers are venue choice, bar format (beer/wine vs. full open bar), and florals.
Variable data table
Typical allocation for a 100-guest Renton wedding:
| Category | Lean ($38K) | Typical ($48K) | Elevated ($62K) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue (site fee) | $3,500 | $6,500 | $10,000 |
| Catering + service | $12,000 | $16,000 | $20,000 |
| Bar + beverages | $2,800 | $4,500 | $6,500 |
| Photography | $3,200 | $4,500 | $6,500 |
| Videography | $1,800 | $2,800 | $4,500 |
| Flowers + décor | $3,000 | $4,500 | $7,000 |
| Attire (both partners) | $2,200 | $3,200 | $4,800 |
| Music (DJ or band) | $1,500 | $2,200 | $5,500 |
| Stationery + signage | $600 | $1,000 | $1,500 |
| Rings | $2,500 | $3,500 | $5,000 |
| Hair + makeup | $600 | $900 | $1,400 |
| Officiant | $400 | $600 | $900 |
| Transportation | $400 | $700 | $1,200 |
| Other (gifts, favors, tips, insurance, marriage license) | $3,500 | $5,100 | $7,200 |
| Total | $38,000 | $48,000 | $62,000 |
Numbers assume plated or buffet dinner, beer/wine to full open bar, and a Saturday evening in peak season (June–September).
Local context
A few things specific to Renton and the broader South Sound market:
- Venues: Options range from Cedar River-adjacent outdoor spaces and the Landing event spaces to barn-style and winery venues within 30 minutes (Maple Valley, Woodinville). Woodinville winery venues push the upper end; Renton community and hotel venues (Hyatt Regency Lake Washington, Red Lion) tend to offer more predictable per-person pricing.
- Seasonality: Peak is July–September, when Pacific Northwest weather is reliably dry. Off-peak (November–March) can shave 15–25% off venue and vendor rates, but plan for indoor ceremony backup.
- Sales tax: King County sales tax (10.1% in Renton) applies to catering, rentals, and most vendor goods — factor this into every quote.
- Service charges: Full-service venues typically add a 20–24% service charge on food and beverage. That's usually $3,000–$5,000 on top of the menu price at 100 guests.
- Permits: Outdoor ceremonies at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park or Cedar River Trail parks require a Renton parks permit ($100–$400) and sometimes a noise variance.
- Vendor travel: Most Seattle-based photographers, florists, and DJs don't charge travel fees within Renton, but Tacoma or Eastside vendors may add $100–$300.
Internal links
- Build your own number: Wedding Budget Calculator
- Full framework: Wedding Budget Guide
- Compare smaller guest counts: 25-guest budget, 50-guest budget, 75-guest budget
- Stay on track: Wedding Checklist Guide
Tool CTA
The fastest way to pressure-test these numbers against your own priorities — venue type, bar format, whether you want video, off-season vs. peak — is to run them through our calculator. It produces a Renton-specific line-item budget in under two minutes.
FAQ
How much does a 100-person wedding cost in Renton, WA?
Plan for $38,000 – $62,000, with a typical spend around $48,000. That assumes a Saturday in peak season, full-service catering, and standard photography and florals. Going off-peak or choosing a venue that allows outside catering can pull the total closer to $30,000.
What's the biggest cost driver at 100 guests in the Seattle area?
Food and beverage — typically 40–50% of the total. At 100 guests with a plated dinner and open bar at a full-service Renton venue, you'll spend $18,000–$26,000 on F&B alone after the 20–24% service charge and 10.1% sales tax.
Can we do a 100-guest Renton wedding for under $30,000?
Yes, but it takes deliberate choices: a non-traditional venue (community hall, restaurant buyout, or a friend's property), buffet or food-truck catering, beer and wine only, and an off-season or Friday/Sunday date. Couples who do this typically land at $26,000–$32,000.
How much should we budget for a venue in Renton?
Site fees for 100-guest venues in Renton run $3,000–$10,000. Hotel and winery venues often bundle the site fee into per-person catering minimums ($120–$200/person), which can be cheaper on paper but harder to negotiate.
Do we need to tip vendors, and how much?
Yes, for most. Budget 15–20% for hair/makeup, $50–$200 per person for catering staff if not included in service charge, $50–$150 for delivery drivers, and $100–$300 each for DJ, photographer, and officiant if they went above and beyond. That's typically $1,200–$2,500 at a 100-guest wedding.
How far out should we book vendors for a 100-guest Renton wedding?
Venue and photographer: 10–14 months ahead for peak season dates. Catering, florist, DJ: 8–10 months. Officiant, hair/makeup, stationery: 4–6 months. Peak Seattle-area Saturdays in July and August book 12+ months out at popular venues.
Is a wedding in Renton cheaper than Seattle proper?
Modestly — expect to save 5–15% on venue fees compared to downtown Seattle or Capitol Hill, with similar catering and vendor rates since most vendors serve the entire metro. The bigger savings come from comparing Renton to Woodinville wineries or Bainbridge Island venues.
Sources
- The Knot 2024 Real Weddings Study (regional breakdowns for Seattle metro)
- WeddingWire Cost Guide — Seattle & King County
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey
- Washington State Department of Revenue (King County / Renton sales tax rates)
Related
- Wedding Budget Calculator
- Wedding Budget Guide
- Houston, TX Wedding Budget for 25 Guests
- Houston, TX Wedding Budget for 50 Guests
- Houston, TX Wedding Budget for 75 Guests
- Wedding Checklist Guide
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