Venue Series: Hotels
Wedding days are LONG, especially for those in the wedding party. I don’t know that I’ve ever had a morning call time as a bridesmaid later than 9am and that doesn’t even account for the night-before jitters that can sometimes prevent the happy couple from getting much sleep before their big day. One of my favorite (potentially underrated) advantages of a hotel wedding venue is that instead of a shuttle or Uber ride back to your room at the end of the night, you get to just walk to an elevator (probably barefoot if you’re me) and can be in bed 5 minutes later.
So yes, today’s venue series installment focuses on hotels in Seattle and the surrounding area. There are obviously MANY hotels with great event spaces in any city and Seattle is no exception. As always, the below list is non-exhaustive and just includes a handful of my favorites!
In my full-time career I have worked with countless hotels all over the country to book and plan events and I want to share a couple pieces of advice regarding booking hotel venues:
Collect multiple quotes. Even if you have your heart set on a specific hotel in your area, having multiple quotes can help you negotiate pricing. I can’t count the number of times I got a rental fee waived or a F&B minimum lowered for an event at a hotel because I brought up a better price at another nearby hotel.
Negotiate your room block(s). Make sure you aren’t on the hook for the cost of any blocked rooms that go unoccupied and see if you can get your suite thrown in for free or at a very low rate.
Fairmont Olympic Hotel
Seattle, WA
Capacity: 480 seated, 650 standing
Price: $1,500+ ceremony fee, $150+/person packages
A true Seattle icon, the Fairmont Olympic provides a regal, sophisticated setting for weddings of all sizes. While the hotel has been serving downtown for nearly 100 years, the lobby was recently renovated giving the Olympic a chic, modern new look without sacrificing its historic charm.
Photos (L to R): Seattle Bride Mag, Alante Photography via Seattle Bride Mag
The Arctic Club Seattle
Seattle, WA
Capacity: 350 seated, 450 standing
Price: $5,000+ rental fee
I was stunned when I first saw the Northern Lights Dome Room - a truly breathtaking setting for your wedding! Another historic venue (completed in 1917!),The Arctic Club will be the luxury venue of your dreams.
Photos (L to R): Alex Studio Photography via Seattle Bride Mag, Affinity Photography via WeddingWire
Lotte Hotel
Seattle, WA
Capacity: 240 seated, 929 standing
Another stunner of a venue, the newly opened Lotte boasts a ballroom that was once the country’s first United Methodist Church. This romantic space will transport you to another world and is one of the rare venues that provides a ceremony setting as beautiful as the reception room.
Photos: Seattle Bride Mag
The Edgewater Hotel
Seattle, WA
Capacity: 220
Price: $150+/person packages, $2,500+ F&B minimum
There are few backdrops in the city better than Elliott Bay and the Olympics, and few better places from which to enjoy those views than the Edgewater. Bonus points for your venue having played host to icons like The Beatles (you can even rent The Beatles Suite!).
Photos (L to R): Ciccarelli Photography via Seattle Bride Mag, Jerome Tso Photography
The Woodmark Hotel
Kirkland, WA
Capacity: 200 seated, 225 standing
Price: $500+ rental fee, $50+/person meals
This one holds a very special place in my heart as it was the venue for my Bat Mitzvah many, many moons ago. Lake Washington provides a beautiful setting for both indoor and outdoor events and the Woodmark has spaces that can work for welcome drinks, your ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, and farewell brunch!
Photos (L to R): Woodmark Hotel, WeddingWire
Willows Lodge
Woodinville, WA
Capacity: 200 seated, 250 standing
Price: $1,300+ package, $2,500+ F&B minimum
Willows is my favorite staycation destination (pre-COVID my mom and I went every year at the holidays!) and the grounds are gorgeous. I’m personally partial to the piglets on site but if farm animals aren’t your thing, let the wine country setting and incredible food from Barking Frog sell you instead.
Photos: Willows Lodge
Salish Lodge & Spa
Snoqualmie, WA
Capacity: 125 seated, 200 standing
Price: $750+ rental fee, $85+/person meals
Snoqualmie Falls is one of the most recognizable natural sites in Western Washington and Salish is the only venue that can offer private space overlooking the Falls. From sunny summer days to foggy winter evenings, I personally think that Salish provides a beautiful setting year round.
Photos (L to R): Studio Joe + Jill via Salish Lodge, Joe Tobiason via Salish Lodge