How Much Does a 100-Person Wedding Cost?

Weddings are full of unexpected expenses, and when working with a budget, you need to be as sure as possible about certain prices. So, how much does a 100-person wedding cost? Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to tell how much your wedding will cost you with 100 guests. It’s the decisions you make that will influence how much you spend on your special day.

Some Costs Don’t Change, No Matter the Guest List

The first thing you should know about how much a 100-person wedding costs is that some of your expenses won’t change. For example, your photographer will likely charge the same rate, whether you have 50 guests, 100 guests or 150 guests. Since some services don’t charge based on how many people attend your wedding, 

Some of the prices that will likely stay the same no matter how large or small your wedding is are:

• Photographer and videographer
• DJ or live band
• Wedding planner
• Florist

The average number of weddings has gone down since the COVID-19 pandemic. While many people still want giant weddings, some have been reduced to under 50 guests to accommodate the new micro wedding trend, ensuring only the people most important to you are in attendance. While you might be paying a bit more for a 100-person wedding, you should be able to invite everyone you want there on your special day.

How Much Does a 100-Person Wedding Cost? The Breakdown

A 100-person wedding costs between $20,000-$30,000 on average. The average cost of a wedding in the U.S. falls around $30,000, with the average guest list size around 100 to 125 people.

Whether that number fits within your budget or not, you can find ways to accommodate how much a 100-person wedding costs without breaking the bank. Here are a few categories you may want to budget for.

Food

The most significant price change you’ll see will likely be the food. If you’re ordering a whole meal for your guests, you must account for how many people plan on attending your wedding. When working with the cake baker, you’ll also have to ensure you order a cake large enough to accommodate all your guests who want to try a piece.

The average cost of catering is about $75 per person, though the price could go up or down depending on your menu. For 100 guests, you can expect to pay about $7,500 for catering on average. Small decisions, like choosing a buffet rather than a plated dinner, might knock some of the cost off.

Your catering price may increase if you want interactive food experiences to entertain your guests. Choosing locally sourced products might also be a bit more expensive, but it could make your wedding more eco-friendly and ensure you get the freshest foods possible. Work with your budget and do what feels right for you and your partner.

Alcohol

Alcohol might be included with your food and catering package, or you may need to pay separately for a bartender. You can use a handy alcohol calculator to determine how many average drinks per guest you can expect, including the famous champagne toast. Knowing how many drinks you’ll likely have to plan for can help you budget accordingly for your bar essentials.

An open bar means you’ll pay a flat fee for all the alcohol served at your wedding. A cash bar, on the other hand, means that your guests will be responsible for paying for their drinks. While this option may not be popular with everyone, it makes your guests feel more responsible for how much they drink on your special day. Alternatively, you could forego alcohol entirely and have a dry wedding, which will save you money and ensure that everyone will remember how special your big day was.

Rentals

If your venue doesn’t provide certain things, you’ll likely either have to buy them yourself or rent them from a company. On average, most couples don’t spend more than $1,000 on rentals, meaning you could easily work it into a budget with a little wiggle room. To bring down the cost even more, you could consider buying cheaper things you would have to rent, like chargers to go under plates.

Service

If the venue you chose doesn’t have built-in staffing, you may have to pay for additional service. For 100 people, you might expect to pay around $2,000, give or take who you’re going through, for the additional service. If this fee is included with your venue or catering, you may not have to pay a separate fee. Remember to make wise decisions when booking things for your special day, especially if you’re on a tight budget.

Paper

If you send out traditional wedding invitations, you’ll understand how quickly the price of paper can add up. Designing and printing your own save-the-dates can save you potentially hundreds of dollars, depending on how many households you’ll send them to. Just 20 invitations might cost a couple of hundred dollars, so you should prepare for this category to be a significant part of your budget, especially if you want elegant wedding invitations to commemorate a formal event. Luckily, you can find several options to help you stay within your budget.

Venue

Sometimes, but not always, you may encounter a different fee for the same venue based on how many guests you have in attendance. For example, some venues may offer both indoor and outdoor options. The outdoor option might allow you to fit more people than the indoor option, but it might cost more because there’s more to set up outside, and it utilizes more space than the indoor option.

The price of each individual venue will change depending on where you choose. For example, if you get married in your church or one of a family member, you might get the venue for free or a discount. Alternatively, if you choose a farm or country club, by contrast, you can expect to pay a bit more. Make sure to allot for the venue of your dreams in your budget.

How Many People Actually Come to a 100-Person Wedding?

Knowing how much a 100-person wedding will cost is only half the battle. Sometimes, you can expect a big number of people to RSVP no, depending on how far you want them to travel. As a note, you can bet around 55% of out-of-town guests to attend your wedding, and around 85% of people who don’t have to travel far will attend. Unfortunately, you may also have people who do not show up on the day who don’t tell you beforehand.

Though the numbers might feel discouraging, don’t let them get you down. The people who want to attend your wedding will be there, and you’ll be surrounded by love, even if it’s not all 100 people you thought would be there. What matters is that you and your future spouse have the time of your lives at your event.

So, How Much Does a 100-Person Wedding Cost?

Wedding price averages might vary depending on where you live and the type of vibe you want your event to have. You can still invite 100 people on a budget. A 100-person wedding costs as much as you want it to cost — you may need to make compromises to fit your budget. All in all, your day will be absolutely perfect, even if it looks a little different than you thought. You’ll be surrounded by love, and that’s what matters most.