<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-19</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000892449</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VENTURE FINANCIAL GROUP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>N/A</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001275151</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GRAVES PATRICIA A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O VENTURE BANK</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>721 COLLEGE ST SE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LACEY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>98503</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>EVP/RETAIL BANKING</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5714</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>6.99</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8814</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>9300</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN HELD BY TRUSTEES</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>STOCK OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>6.99</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5714</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>6.99</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1998-08-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-07-31</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2854</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2854</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>STOCK OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-03-24</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-03-23</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12854</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>STOCK OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>11.50</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-02-16</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-02-15</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6000</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>18854</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>STOCK OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-12-19</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-12-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3000</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>21854</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>STOCK OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.25</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-04-19</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-04-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2000</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>23854</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>STOCK OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>20.50</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2004-08-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-08-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2500</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>26354</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The option vests in five equal annual installments beginning 08/01/1998.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The option vests in five equal annual installments beginning 3/24/2000.</footnote><footnote id="F3">The option vests in five equal annual installments beginnging 02/16/2001.</footnote><footnote id="F4">The option vests in five equal annual installments beginning 12/19/2002.</footnote><footnote id="F5">The option vests in five equal annual installments beginning 04/19/2003.</footnote><footnote id="F6">The option vests in five eaqual annual installments beginning 08/01/2004.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ PATRICIA A. GRAVES</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

