Interested in this vendor?
Pricing information
Do you want more pricing details?
Attributes highlighted by couples
About
On WeddingWire since 2013
San Diego Zoo & Safari Park is a wedding venue situated in San Diego, California. With options for getting married to views of rhinos, giraffes, and gazelles in the distance, your day will be so special. Ideal for animal and nature lovers alike, this zoo can host your one-of-a-kind celebration.
Facilities and Capacity
Couples have three ceremony sites and three reception options for the special day, allowing each couple to find the space that reflects their wedding vision. Some highlights of the ceremony spaces include options for an African safari theme, with safari-inspired accents, trees, animals, and plains. An intimate lagoon spot with exotic plants near the water and lawn setting with sweeping branches and extraordinary animals is also a great ceremony site choice. Accommodations at the ceremony sites range from 50-180 guests. With so many reception sites, options include a beautiful African building with 35-foot vaulted ceilings and stunning lights or a lush, tropical space without walls. There are also venues featuring specific animals, like an expansive terrace overlooking the zoo’s elephants and a mystical bamboo passage into a tranquil forest with tigers, Indonesian longhouses, and a gorgeous interior with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Services Offered
The staff at San Diego Zoo & Safari Park will go above and beyond to make your day as incredible as possible. They have an experienced team who will guide you through every step of the way for stress-free planning. Included in the rental fee are chairs, clean up, linens, parking, set up, and tables. There is also in-house catering and an in-house bar for an exceptional day. Of course, your wedding at the zoo can be filled with wildlife encounters if you choose. This zoo features rare and dynamic species, from birds to reptiles to mammals, that will be an incredible, exciting addition to your day.
Cuisine
There are many catering services and menu options at the San Diego Zoo & Safari Park, ranging in offerings. Many menus include bar service with beer, wine, and soft drinks, a choice of cheese and vegetable display, or two passed hors d’oeuvres.
Bundle and save time!
Contact San Diego Zoo & Safari Park and their preferred vendors
-
San Diego Zoo & Safari Park -
Ceremonies by Bethel
Frequently asked questions
Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?
What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?
What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?
Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?
What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?
What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?
Which of the following are included in starting site fee?
Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?
What is the starting price per person for bar service?
Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?
How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?
Describe your venue:
What kind of settings are available?
Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?
What event services do you offer?
What catering services do you offer?
What bar services do you provide?
What event items are available?
What food and beverage items are available?
What transportation and access is available?
What months are included in your peak season?
What months are included in your off-peak season?
Any other questions?
Message vendorReviews of San Diego Zoo & Safari Park
Review summary
The San Diego Zoo & Safari Park is highly recommended as a wedding venue. Reviewers praised the helpful and accommodating staff, including coordinators like Delanie, Alyssa, Tommy, and Delanie Brown. The venues, such as Kijamii Overlook and Harusi Lawn, were described as stunning and picturesque, with beautiful backdrops of animals and scenery. Guests enjoyed the unique experience of the Animal Encounter, and the food received rave reviews for its deliciousness. The wedding packages were deemed reasonable and inclusive, making the planning process easy and stress-free. Overall, the San Diego Zoo & Safari Park is regarded as a fantastic and memorable location for weddings.
Amazing Venue
Tommy Gomez was our vendor coordinator and he was TOP NOTCH!! He was super communicative the entire process, always making sure we did not have any questions and answering any we had. He made working with the park a dream and I could request him if you can. He made sure all the vendors had what they needed for the day of and things seemed to run super smoothly for them. He was there for rehearsal and our wedding day too! Working with Tommy gave me full confidence and that resulted is having no stress at all. It was supposed to rain the day of our wedding but Tommy doubled down with me and we set up the ceremony for outside rather than him pushing me to move it inside. Which I am so glad because it did not rain! He was the best cheerleader along the way.
The park has so many beautiful views for wedding photos as well which is a huge plus. If you are having a wedding of 60 or less, I highly recommend the Woolshed venue area.
All Inclusive, Always Accommodating, Amazing Food
Our guests had the opportunity to explore the Safari Park prior to our reception, which comes included in any reception package. Once the reception began, we had the venue till late allowing our guests the unique experience of seeing the Safari Park at night and being treated to the majestic sight of the tiger lounging throughout the evening.
The Safari Park's venue coordinator exceeded our expectations, ensuring seamless coordination with our day-of coordinators and accommodating our requests. One special request of mine was to have the horticultural team showcase plants native to our parents' home countries, they even passed around a carnivorous plant for everyone to see up close.
The reception package includes many food services to select from. We decided on appetizers during cocktail hour, followed by a buffet-style arrangement for the main course. The efforts of the culinary staff at the Safari Park received the highest praise from our family and friends as they unanimously voted it the best wedding food they have ever had. It was heartwarming to witness the kids, and even a few adults sneak in for seconds, possibly even thirds, a true testament to the quality of food the Safari Park has to offer.
The Sambutan Longhouse at the Safari Park provided an unforgettable backdrop for our celebration, and we are so glad to have had a wonderful communicative venue coordinator from the park as well as an upbeat staff during our wedding reception.
A Dream Wedding
My husband and I knew we wanted to have as cool a venue as possible and what is cooler than having your ceremony in front of a herd of giraffes or your reception in front of the tiger enclosure?
Every single person we invited raved about our venue. Your guests get a free day pass to visit the zoo before the wedding so we got so many pictures of our friends and family having a great time with the animals in the morning.
Everything about the wedding was perfect, from the physical space to the food. We got so many comments on how good our food was, and everyone's biggest regret was that they were too stuffed to eat more of it! (As a side note, everyone who had the short ribs would not stop talking about how good they were.)
I think the best part about the Safari Park is that it isn't astronomically more expensive than any other vendor available in San Diego. If I'm being honest, I would argue that it's either on par if not cheaper than most venues we looked at. It's also an all-inclusive rental/catering/bartending service so really the only outside vendors I needed to hire were cake, florals, music, and my coordinator. It made wedding planning incredibly easy.
All in all, I highly recommend considering the Safari Park as a wedding venue and if I'm being honest I would throw another wedding there in a heartbeat.
Are you interested?
Message vendorAwards
Real Weddings
Professional Network & Endorsements
1 Endorsement
What a FUN & UNIQUE spot for special events & weddings! Nothing says ADVENTURE like a wedding setup near Tiger Trail! Such a cool place for guests, for eye candy, for exciting noises at night! We absolutely love working at both the Zoo and the Safari Park and have so much fun with the designs we can create to capture the NATURAL BEAUTY of these locations. The Catering team is amazing and offers so much in the event options and reminds you that, with so much excitement around you, there is not much else you need to do to make it a COOL EVENT!
Preferred Vendors
Map
Would you like to visit?
Request a visitSan Diego Zoo & Safari Park frequently asked questions
- Chairs
- China
- Clean Up
- Flatware
- Glassware
- Linens
- Parking
- Set Up
- Tables
- Cake Cutting
- Server(s)
- Bartender(s)
- Champagne Toast
- House Wine
- Limited Bar
- Garden
- Historic Building
- Zoo
- Indoor
- Covered Outdoor
- Uncovered Outdoor
- Ceremony
- Reception
- Bridal Shower
- Engagement Party
- Rehearsal Dinner
- Bar Services
- Catering Services
- Clean Up
- Chairs
- Tables