How to build a wedding for 100 guests
So you want a big wedding? Well, with a guestlist of 100+ you’re definitely going to have one. Go big or go home, right!
A big wedding is anything from 100-150+ guests and it certainly is more of a complex project to manage. Get your basics covered and then move on to your priorities. As always, weddings are beautifully unique and priorities will look different for each couple.
Our advice for success minus the stress is forward planning, sourcing the professional help you need (trust us, it will be worth the spend) and remembering guest management is crucial! Yes, they are your friends and family, but orchestrating 100 people with big expectations of an Italian wedding, across several days of celebrations requires attention. Want expert guidance on guest management, as well as every single other thing you need to know….head to our membership, The Club.
- Book a wedding planner - for a wedding of this size you need to be in expert hands. Set aside 10-15% of your budget for this - so 10,000 euros
- Even if you are intending on asking guests to contribute towards their accommodation, assume that you will have to pay an amount towards your venue. Set aside 5,000 euros at least.
- Decide on your ceremony as this will affect available budget and the logistics of the day...a symbolic ceremony can be free if you ask an expereienced friend/family member, from around 600 euro if you have a professional celebrant take the ceremony or could cost 2,000 euros if you go down the civil option. Also, consider the ease of having your ceremony and reception all at one venue. This will save you time and money on transport and logistics for guests. Be aware that not all venues offer ceremonies on site.
- With photographers, it is a good idea to have a team of two, especially if your wedding location is large or you’re in 2 different locations getting ready.
- Catering should be a priority in your budget however many guests you are having. For 100 people it is going to be a lot of money (around 20,000 euros). Key factors to bear in mind...good value for money is key; book a caterer experienced in big weddings; and get granular when comparing quotes i.e. spritz for aperitif might be included for one and as an addition for another quote. Want an efficient way to compare? Download our Catering Budget tool.
- 100 guests is a large number to coordinate; so, guest care and logistics should be a high priority for you. Their comfort and happiness will hugely affect the vibe of your day. This includes transport, the catering at pre & post events and provisions for self-catering guests.
- Don't make the mistake of considering transport as a bit of a last minute 'add-on', especially if your celebrations are across multiple locations. Here, budget 1,000 euros/30 people for the one wedding day.
- Music is clearly a must throughout the day but you need to consider the sound management of the day - microphones at the ceremony, especially if this is outdoors. Being a guest towards the back of the seating not being able to hear the best bits will just be miserable! You might require multiple sound systems to effectively project sound; whether that be music or speeches it is a specialist field, which you will need to invest in.
- Having a wet weather plan for the whole day is imperitive. No one wants to plan for rain, but you can’t wing it with 100+ people if it does! Have a robust plan for each moment of the day. One tent for dinner, assuming everything else could be inside, with a budget of 6000-8000 euro for this plan B.
- More people means more people sitting on chairs, longer tables for dinner and even consider more menus printed. Budget for 10,000-15,000 euro here, even when on a budget. And when 100 people hit the dancefloor, they will need to be on a proper one - so hire a dancefloor!
Photo: Emily Turner Photography
Our budget tops out at about 100,000 euros. In our series of budget episodes it’s clear to see right now that approx. 1000 euros per guest is a good budget to consider. This is for a median cost wedding; for higher end suppliers and ‘extras’ you would clearly need to budget more. So, what next?
Download the Budget Tracker
Download the Italian Wedding Tracker - this baby has everything from budgets to timings!
Make life easier when comparing Catering and download the Catering Budget tool.
Make life unbelievably easy and join The Club, our planning membership. You’ll be on your way to full on wedding planner status once you have completed all the tutorials!!
