300+ guest capacity
This venue can host 300+ guests
About this vendor
Brookfield Zoo is a unique and beautiful place to host a wedding and reception guests will talk about for a lifetime. Extraordinary experiences, such as cocktails among exotic animals, elegant dining, and exceptional culinary delights, will provide an unforgettable setting for your special day.
Amenities + details
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
On-Site Accommodations
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
- Second Wedding
Guest Capacity
- 300+
Settings
- Backyard
- Barn
- Farm & Ranch
- Beach
- Waterfront
- Garden
Venue Service Offerings
- Bar & Drinks
- Cakes & Desserts
- Food & Catering
- Planning
- Rentals & Equipment
- Tents
Awards and Affiliations
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.8
out of 5.053 reviews
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I will start with I LOVE this zoo. However all the staff you will work with were a mess. Events are planned by SSA group. Immediately after I paid the deposit our contact quit and no one contacted us for 2 months. We left emails and voicemails and no one got back to us until my husband finally freaked out until he talked to a manager. They offered nothing to make up for their disorganization. In contrast a very similar thing happened with our rehearsal dinner space and they upgraded our event to have free signature cocktails and added on several foods because they realized what a big error it was.
Next we were put in contact with Millie who made it clear from the beginning that she would not be taking one step out of her way to make the day special. The reason weddings are so expensive tends to be because they go out of their way to make sure the day is memorable. Millie was constantly dismissive of my concerns which should have been a red flag.
Day of the event the zoo staff refused to let us in at the contracted time. When I brought this up they denied that they agreed to that time. Luckily we had it in writing. Lesson learned: GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING. Then they refused to set up the event space until 5:30 for a 6:00 ceremony, leaving my planners and DOC to rush. Luckily they flipped out enough that the zoo staff finally agreed to set up early. Lesson learned: hire a separate DOC. Their people are a mess.
They instructed us to wait in the admin building for next steps before the ceremony and then went incommunicado. Because we were worried to leave all of our family pictures ended up taking place inside this ugly building instead of any of the beautiful spots at the zoo because of their utter lack or communication.
They didn’t provide enough power sources for the ceremony so we only had one mic and it was kind of a mess. Once again Millie did absolutely nothing to try to fix this, just threw up her hands and left. Because of the chaos in set up with timing our unity ceremony wasn’t even set up so we couldn’t do it during the ceremony.
They had the space for our cocktail hour locked up so we couldn’t see the wallaby’s which was the thing I had been MOST excited for. When I asked Millie she threw up her hands and refused to help. I later asked her boss and he said had she just asked it would have been opened so she didn’t even try. Honestly I’m not sure why she even showed up that day. She mostly served to be rude to the people I hired to help that day.
My DOC asked to be allowed to take down the handmade arch that my husband crafted. The zoo staff took it upon themselves to take it down by breaking it into pieces. They refuse to accept responsibility for this and are blaming my DOC who I know well and know would not have done it.
The zoo has accepted some responsibility for the disaster and refunded some money, but significantly less than I (and a lawyer I inquired with) believe they should have. At this point though I’m tired of fighting about it.
All in all, if you get everything in writing and go in knowing their team is disorganized and poor at communicating I’d say go for it. If you want a smooth day I’d try the Lincoln zoo Insread.
We loved getting married at Brookfield Zoo, it’s a unique and beautiful venue that offered experiences we’ll remember forever. The team did a fantastic job and cared about making our wedding the best.
Our first contact, Kate, was pleasant but difficult to get a hold of. Weeks before the wedding, Kate was no longer working for SSA/Brookfield Zoo and our new contact was Tim. We were worried since the wedding date was close but Tim quickly alleviated concerns. Tim was professional, quick to respond, and made the process run smoothly.
Wedding day, we were chauffeured by Zoo staff in a golf cart and treated like celebrities. Pre-wedding photos included feeding the giraffes and Lucia the porcupine. When preparing for our ceremony we were hit with unexpected pouring rain. Tim and team got umbrellas for our guests, brought trams up to keep our guests covered, and handed out towels. Tim was even outside mopping up the puddles while letting himself get soaked in the process - he’s so kind! Afterwards we had cocktails in the bear exhibit and reception at the swan gazebo. We received so many compliments from guests on the beautiful venue and incredible food.
Thank you Brookfield Zoo for making our wedding so memorable!
Brookfield Zoo has always been a special place for my husband and I, and now, it is even more special. We were supposed to get married there in June of 2020...obviously, that did not happen. They worked with is immediately to reschedule and try to make a different day our special day instead. So we waited a year. Our big day came...with even more challenges. There was a tornado warning that morning and the zoo flooded in various spots forcing our reception and cocktail locations to chnge for our safety. Our coordinator, Caitlyn, was so upset she could not give us what we had been planning for 2 years. It really moved us to see how much she cared about our day. They were able to still make the day memorable and amazing. When Tyler took over that night for the reception, he was so attentive and did everything he could to make the day amazing as well. The food and servers were the best I have ever had at any wedding. I cannot thank Brookfield Zoo's staff enough for giving my husband and I even more amazing memories.
Due to Covid we were planning a very atypical wedding reception. At first we thought we would have around 80 people come with us to go through the Zoo lights. However, this quickly just became our parent's, planner, and photographers. Benjamin with the zoo event team was so beyond wonderful! He adapted to our changing plans and was able to make our trip as perfect as it could be!
We had our wedding reception at Brookfield zoo August 10th, 2019, and it was absolutely perfect and everything we wanted! Luis was our wedding coordinator, and from day one, he made it so easy to communicate and work through wedding tasks even though I live out of state. He was so flexible with us, from payment plans to dropping off all our table and venue decorations. He's incredibly experienced, and he made the whole process as stress free as possible. Whatever it is you want, Luis will do his best to accommodate you.
In terms of the actual reception itself, it was so beautiful! I grew up going to the Brookfield Zoo, and it was just so magical to have our cocktail hour by the giraffees and African wild dogs. The weather, the setting, and the service were impeccable, and I know all my guests, from the youngest cousin to my nana, felt the magic. My husband and I don't love being the center of attention, and we're not big on tradition either, so it was perfect to have a more relaxed cocktail hour. Our dinner was absolutely delicious, very fresh and beautifully prepared. We danced the night away, and our guests loved every minute. Everything was so well timed, I honestly never had to worry about anything. The restaurant staff were so polite and professional, and they were a huge help in breaking down all the decorations.
I cannot recommend Brookfield Zoo enough! It was the best decision we could have made for a venue. We were very budget conscious as well, and with its inclusive packages, the zoo provided a beautiful, unique experience that was reasonably priced.
This was our dream wedding, and it went above and beyond. What can I say, if you are going to get married do it at Brookfield zoo. Prices are reasonable, and the staff is amazing
Wedding planner - Carly was our wedding planner that made this all come true. She met with us early, gave us amazing recommendations, and kept us sane in all this crazy wedding planning. Just a few days before the wedding, I called her because I was freaking out about some minor detail. She calmed me down and talked me through it. Carly was there through our wedding making sure we were well taking care of
The place - the zoo is a perfect place to get married. With multiple choices to have a ceremony and reception you cannot go wrong. The prices are affordable, and what you get you can't beat. Cocktail hour at the monkey house anyone? Pictures with the animals? It was out dream wedding come true.
We had our reception at the Swan pavilion and it was gorgeous. It looked like a reception hall!
The food - was phenomenal. I don't know what else to say about that. Brookfield zoo has an in-house chef, so everything is done on site. We got to meet the chef at our tasting, and he was more than happy to answer any questions. We chose the duel plate of chicken and beef, and the vegetarian option of butternut squash ravioli, and everyone said it was the best they ever had
The staff - was professional and amazing. We were taken care of our whole night. From Carly driving the wedding party to the ceremony and the reception to the trams taking our guests everywhere, no one got lost or was late! During the reception, the staff made sure everyone had enough food and no one was rushed.
My favorite thing was, during the cocktail hour, I expressed my love for the mini beef wellington. Someone in the staff decided to bring me a whole tray. I love it.
Anyway to wrap up, you can't go wrong selecting Brookfield zoo for your wedding. You are taken care of, food is phenomenal, and prices are reasonable.
Our daughter married the love of her life at Brookfield Zoo in May of 2018. From our initial booking of her event right up to her big day, Luis Heidt-Alvarez, the sales manager was with my daughter every step of the way. He took care of all the details and made sure that her special day would be memorable, not only for her, but for all of our guests. Luis listened to everything my daughter envisioned and helped create her dream wedding. We had the ceremony at Swan Lake which was an absolutely beautiful setting and her pictures were stunning. From there she and her groom were whisked away by golf cart to the dolphins for our cocktail hour and for the newlyweds to have a few moments to themselves. The guests were also shuttled to Seven Seas for cocktail hour. They were treated to seeing some of the other animal residents on the way. From cocktail hour we chose to have her reception at the Discovery Center. This was the perfect venue for our sized event. Luis made sure that every detail was to my daughter’s liking. Getting from one side of the zoo to the other, plus coordinating all of our vendors...DJ, photographers, etc...was no small feat. The rest of the staff that worked with us were also very attentive and definitely took care of us. I should add that the food was amazing and the bar was top notch! My daughter and son-in-law couldn’t have been happier with their wedding and still talk about how beautiful it was and how they will always cherish that day. We have guests who still tell us that it was the best wedding they have ever attended. Brookfield Zoo has my highest recommendation of wedding venues which exceeded all expectations.
We had the most unforgettable wedding at BZ! It was absolutely magical, pretty much a fairy tale wedding. Everything was organized so well that I didn't have to worry about anything on my wedding day except getting married and enjoying the moment.
The whole planning process was equally as easy going and smooth thanks to Luis Heldt-Alvarez. From the first email interaction until the day of the wedding, he was nothing but professional, patient, and fun to work with. I highly recommend working with him and this venue. The BZ staff are great and work to make sure your dream wedding becomes a reality.
From the first day meeting Luis Heldt-Alvarez to the day of our wedding, everything was precise and exactly what my husband and I asked for! Luis is extremely accommodating and reassuring for our many, many questions. He is incredibly knowledgable and gives great suggestions that will make your day amazing.
Besides being a beautifully unique venue, Brookfield Zoo provides almost everything you'll need. And the food is DELICIOUS! They also provide a list of vendors who have worked at the Zoo for weddings previously that offer incredible service!
My husband and I think of our wedding often and would suggest Brookfield Zoo to everyone! We suggest booking as far in advance as you can so that you can have all the options and choose exactly what exhibits you want for your special day!
In addition to the Zoo's many offerings, we decided to book a sloth at our cocktail hour and it was so worth it! My husband and I got to pet and meet the sloth prior to our guests and those pictures are some of my favorites! Our guests were so surprised and still talk about our special guest to this day!
Get married at Brookfield Zoo. Ask for Luis. You won't be disappointed!
Brookfield Zoo is a fantastic and unique wedding venue! I highly suggest working with Luis Heldt-Alvarez. His kindness, patience, professionalism and genuine desire to make your wedding day special is one of the many perks BZ has to offer. Luis and the BZ staff have weddings down to a science and truly make you and your guest feel like royalty. Ceremony site at underwater dolphin is as beautiful as it is unique. The dolphins dance in the background for the attention of you and your guests. Cocktail hour with the giraffes makes great picture opportunities and compliments to be had. (We we’re still getting compliments at other friends’ own weddings.) Bocaditos was a great location for the reception (130 guests) especially if you want to get away from the traditional banquet hall look as I did. BZ is the best value for your money. Highly recommend.
Brookfield Zoo made our special day magical! Everything from beginning to end was well coordinated. Luis, our coordinator, was amazing, and made planning so easy! The whole day ran so smoothly thanks to the wonderful staff. The venues are breath taking, and the food was delicious. Our wedding there was a real life dream. The animals were out, and made for breathtaking pictures. I really can't say enough or find enough compliments to describe how wonderful the zoo was.
Our wedding at the Zoo was wonderful!! And everything was so simple and stress free.
We had our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all at the zoo and at 3 locations within the zoo. Our guests loved it. The food was phenomenal and our guests raved about it!
It was so stress free. We dropped our decorations off at the zoo the day before and the zoo staff handled all setup themselves.
Thanks to all the zoo staff that made our day magical, especially Luis and Caitlyn, working with them made everything go so smoothly.
Amazing and so detail oriented!!! Everything was truly perfect and it made our special day so enjoyable!! Thank you Brookfield Zoo!!
Perfect is the only word I could use to describe our wedding reception at Brookfield Zoo.
Our salesperson, Luis, was communicative and professional when communicating in the months leading up to our wedding. He went above and beyond to make our day special, and we are forever grateful to him and the rest of the staff.
The service was excellent. There's too many individuals to thank. Many of my guests came and personally told me how much they enjoyed everything, and how good the staff members were. I have several individual stories of people all around the zoo doing their very best to make the experience of all guests excellent.
Furthermore, the food was excellent. Brookfield provides in-house catering and open bar. Everybody raved about how delicious the food was, and the bar service was great.
I am so happy we chose them!
Working with Luis and the Catered Events staff at Brookfield Zoo was absolutely wonderful! The staff were always responsive, were willing to make any of our wedding day desires a reality, and even helped guide us along as we were making decisions for our big day. We felt we got an incredible value for our wedding and would definitely go with the Zoo if we had to do it again. We would even like to celebrate future life events at the Zoo again!
As my husband and I approach our two year anniversary, I realized we didn't write a review! In May 2016, Brookfield Zoo helped us have an AMAZING wedding. We had so many people during and after say what a unique and fun wedding we had. Many of our guests came early and checked out the zoo prior to the start. Our wedding was less than 60 people which was the perfect size for Wild Encounters, where we had our ceremony and cocktail hour, and Bramsen Animal Ambassador Pavilion where we had our reception. During our cocktail hour, the zoo staff make sure guests could go into all the animal areas, including the bird room where we were all supplied with seed sticks! My dream came true when we arranged for one of the animal ambassadors came to our cocktail hour (Elsie the sloth). We were the first wedding that had been held in Wild Encounters/Bramsen Animal Ambassador Pavilion and it was so perfect. The food was amazing, the staff (before and during the wedding) were amazing, and we could not have had a better day. I still can't believe how reasonably priced and well coordinated Brookfield Zoo was for a wedding venue. Highly recommended!
My husband and I couldn't be happier that we made the choice to get married at Brookfield Zoo. Despite the unseasonably cold weather, we had so many choices of beautiful spots for photos - we can't wait to see them! The staff was so professional and experienced, they ran our whole wedding like a tight ship, despite the three different locations for our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception.
Finally, if you do decide to have a wedding here at the zoo, consider a face painter. We had one present at the reception and our guests absolutely loved it!
The bottom line is that our wedding was perfect - all the professionalism and amenities you expect from a full service wedding banquet venue, but with the uniqueness of the zoo and the animals themselves.
Such a fun reception spot for our wedding! Guest LOVED hanging out with the bears during cocktail hour! Food was amazing and guest couldn't stop talking about the tomato bisque soup! Everything was on time and the set up was just perfect! The only issue we had for the night was the staff did not tell the guest where to park. But once we heard this was happening, the staff were able to call them to let them know the correct location to park. Carly help us along the way and was very helpful to address all questions we had along the way. Overall, this was the most perfect/rememberable place to get married
Brookfield Zoo was an amazingly unique wedding ceremony, cocktail hour & reception venue. The food was delicious at the tasting as well as at the wedding. However, some of our guests noticed that the staff was eating our hor d'oeuvres as we were getting shooed out of our cocktail hour 10 minutes early (I held my ground as the bride since we still had the bar as well as our String Trio for an additional 10 minutes, so told them I wasn't leaving until the music was over) & the reception dinner buffet was set-up late (which is why it was also frustrating that they kicked everyone out of the cocktail hour early and then the reception wasn't even ready). The Zoo staff did work well with our vendors. However, they didn't give clear instructions to our guests on where to take the shuttle to the ceremony site & the majority of them ended up having to walk. The Zoo did have to provide a backup ceremony location due to inclement weather, but they changed it from the backup pavilion & ended up keeping us in the same location as our cocktail hour at the Seven Seas Dolphin exhibit, which worked out fine but was stressful the day before because they kept giving us multiple backup options only to let us know that none of them would "really work". Also, through the planning process, we were getting delayed responses regarding the Bocaditos reception venue layout, which did cause quite a bit of stress while trying to decide if there would be room for a Photo Booth (there was). Also, for the First Look & Pictures in the Park with our wedding party, we felt rushed around (almost falling off the golf cart into a few puddles) which added to a lot of the pre-ceremony stress. Zoo staff did misplace our custom made cake topper, but has offered to replace it.
All in all, there were a number of hiccups throughout wedding planning & we learned of some "oddities" from our guests after the wedding. However, the wedding itself went off without a hitch - EVEREYONE loved the food & bar as well as watching the dolphins swim behind us as we said, "I Do!" So even though there were some downsides, we would highly recommend Brookfield Zoo as a unique venue that you & your guests will always remember!
We absolutely loved having our wedding at the Brookfield Zoo in November 2016! From the very start, Kathy was exceptional to work with to help us plan our menu, choosing our sites for the ceremony in the Underwater Dolphin Area cocktail hour in The Swamp, and reception at the Discovery Center. She was extremely professional and organized with communicating with us. Our day exceeded our expectations: the food was incredible, experience with the animals throughout the zoo was exciting, and the service was outstanding - we felt so special throughout the day and evening! It was the best decision we made to have our wedding at zoo - it was perfect! We HIGHLY recommend the Brookfield Zoo for a truly unique and amazing wedding experience!
The Brookfield Zoo is a great location for a wedding! Your guests will be delighted by the unique setting and the staff is so experienced at weddings and catered events that everything comes together seamlessly. With 3 different ceremony locations, 4 reception locations, and 9 different exhibits for cocktail hour, they can accommodate almost any size wedding and animal preference. The Zoo offers a great value if you want to have your wedding at an iconic Chicago landmark without paying the premium (looking at you, Museum Campus). Since the Zoo hosts multiple events per week, there are no additional rental fees for the reception and their packages come with most everything included and the option to customize as needed.
However, because Brookfield Zoo hosts hundreds of events per year, you will learn quickly that you are a number and probably won't get the caliber of customer service you would expect from a venue that only handles weddings. Hire a wedding coordinator to fill in the gaps and everything will work out. Also, don't underestimate the crowds if you have nice weather; they will have a significant impact on your wedding day timeline so factor that in accordingly. That aside, we really enjoyed our wedding at the Zoo and appreciated the work of the staff to ensure we had a fantastic day.
Our wedding last May was truly one of a kind! We love every details of it and how our coordinator Kathy Seybold helped us make it the best wedding. We had our ceremony at Seven Seas with the Dolphins, cocktails at Great Bear Wilderness and Reception at Discovery Center. They were so accommodating to our event stylist/florist and set up our each venue so incredible. Everything we envisioned about our we wedding truly happened. Thank you Brookfield Zoo!
Our wedding at the Brookfield Zoo was beautiful! The zoo coordinated all of our vendors. The tasting was excellent! The food at the wedding was still very good and all guest loved it, but it did not compare to the tasting. Everyone couldn't stop talking about the country chicken soup. They were also great about allergies and adjusted the plates for them. As the Bride and Groom, we were treated excellent! We had our own capitan that constantly made sure all of our needs were met. They even transported us to our vehicles with the gifts and flowers. We did have two issues. One was a lack of clarity when guest can arrive. We were told that guest could come and enjoy the zoo during the day. The day before when we questioned how it works. We were told it was only an hour before. The zoo had excellent customer service and worked with us on this communication error. The other issue was much more concerning. Our guest were to have the option to walk or have transportation to the ceremony location. On arrival, our guests were told they would be no transportation (we have many elderly and disabled guests). My mother had to correct it with a manager. The assistant at the gate just said their would be no transportation and was no help. With the manager, it was quickly resolved. I recommend having someone fully understanding the wedding package available for your guests because as the bride and groom, you will be off taking photos.
Our wedding at Brookfield Zoo was amazing! We had our ceremony at Formal Pond, cocktail hour at the Great Bear Wilderness and Reception at the Swan Pavilion. Henry Garbers worked with us the day of and made sure that everything went perfectly and anticipated any potential hiccups. The Great Bear Wildnerness was a huge hit with guests for the cocktail hour! We had several people tell us that our wedding was the best wedding they'd ever been to. Would highly recommend to any bride who wants a unique venue and wants to avoid the big city premium.
The zoo staff could not have made our wedding day any more perfect!
My husband and I are so glad we had our wedding at Brookfield Zoo! Many guests have told us this was the best wedding they've ever attended (which we take with a grain of salt, although we agree).
Henry, our wedding coordinator, was amazing. I felt like I didn't need to worry as much because Henry was on top of it. The zoo were also able to accommodate our quest to make our wedding sustainable and found antibiotic-free meat for us for dinner!
We had our ceremony at the formal pond and the reception at Bocaditos. Worth noting: the original plan had the dancing area in the hallway at Bocaditos, but we were able to use some of the dining area instead, which was much better.
I had my ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all at Brookfield Zoo, and I couldn't have imagined a more perfect venue for my animal-loving husband and I! The venue was so unique and fun, but was still elegant and beautiful from start to finish. I can't even count the number of guests that commented on the unique venue and on how pretty the grounds and reception space were. Ceremony at Roosevelt Fountain, cocktail hour with the primates in Tropic World Africa, and reception in the intimate Bocaditos were all better than I could have dreamed.
From the first meeting with Kathy at Catered Events at Brookfield Zoo, I knew that the staff was a well-oiled machine. They thought of everything, and the entire planning process and wedding went so smoothly. Kathy anticipated my every need, and was more than happy to accommodate every unusual or quirky request I had to make sure that my wedding was EXACTLY how I pictured it in my head for so long. Kathy was always available to answer questions and give suggestions during the planning process; she was an email or phone call away whenever I had a panic moment as the date got closer; and she took care of every issue that came up during the wedding so flawlessly that I didn't even know about any hiccups or catastrophes until the follow day. I was so comforted knowing that Kathy was so skilled and experienced, and she and the rest of the staff really did go above and beyond to ensure my day was as perfect as every bride dreams.
If you're looking for a unique and stunning venue that all your guests will be talking about for a long time after your wedding, Brookfield Zoo is worth a visit. They are a great one-stop-shop, and they cover everything from the overall planning of the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, to the catering and even the cake! As a wedding novice, I was thrilled to have an entire team on my side that could field all my questions and lead me on what turned out to be a painless process of planning my wedding. Very reasonably pricing too!
Loved, loved, loved Brookfield Zoo!
The Brookfield Zoo helped us to have our dream wedding! From the start our zoo wedding coordinator Terry was like family. He was professional, understanding, and guided us in the process of throwing a big wedding that was fun, memorable, affordable, and stylish. Our guests loved the cocktail hour with the Gorillas in Tropic World! The food was fantastic and a suprise to many guests who thought "zoo food" was not the way to go (4 course meal, awesome chef...delish!!!). Everything was taken care of, set up, food, open bar, uplighting, waiters and bar tenders...all part of the package deal. A staff member took us around on a golf cart with our photographers, capturing amazing wedding photos with fountains, flowers, and animals. Our reception in the swan pavillion had ample room, had a cool breeze comming off of the fountain and is shaped in an intimate way that everyone present feels part of the event. I cannot say enough wonderful things about our experience at the Brookfield Zoo!!! Many of our guests said it was the coolest wedding they have ever been to. All guests had free access to the zoo before our events. As the bride, I had so much fun! The Brookfield Zoo staff treated us so well and even helped pack everything up at the end of the night so we didn't have to do it. Thank you Terry and staff!! You gave us memories for a lifetime!!
We had a small wedding (45 people) at the Brookfield Zoo in October 2014. It was incredible. The event staff was very accommodating. They essentially took care of everything, even helping us decide to move the ceremony from an outdoor area to indoors. We had cocktails in the Great Bear Wilderness, which was the most magical and amazing experience, and our reception was in the Bocaditos restaurant. They have a great bakery that they work with to do the cake as a part of the package, and the food was very good; the guests couldn't stop raving about the soup.
The one issue that we had was with guests arriving at the North gate, which is where the directions and the address generally take you - the people manning the gates made no effort to tell the guests to drive around to the south gate where they were supposed to go, they just told them that they didn't know anything, and turned them away, which meant that my husbands grandparents almost missed the entire thing. We waited for them, and the event staff allowed us to switch around our cocktail hour and ceremony, but it was a real disappointment. Despite this, our wedding was amazing, and we haven't stopped hearing that it was the best wedding that our guests have ever been to!
Having our wedding at the Brookfield Zoo meant the world to us as our first date was here 6 years prior, and with the last name of "Bear" we just couldn't resist.
We held our ceremony and reception in the Pavilions as it felt more intimate especially for our ceremony. Our ceremony was in the dolphin pavilion, and reception in the beautiful swan pavilion. For cocktail hour we chose The Great Bear Wilderness.
Planning a wedding, they always tell you to expect at least a 10% decline for RSVPs, but having your wedding at a Zoo is not counted into that factor! Everyone had such a great time and could not wait to be taken by Motor Safari between locations.
Terry Rothamer, our event coordinator fulfilled our every wish and made the day absolutely perfect.
If you are looking to do something more than just the "regular" wedding, this is the place to do it!
Getting married at Brookfield Zoo was the best decision we made for the wedding. We had our ceremony at the Formal Fountain, cocktail hour in the Great Bear Wilderness and reception at Bocaditos. The entire staff was so helpful and accommodating. All of our guests loved the location and that it was different from a typical banquet hall type wedding. The food was great - we still have people telling us they get cravings for the Tomato Bisque soup we served. All in all, it was a great day at a fun location!
My wedding at the Brookfield Zoo Swan Pavilion was beautiful. The cocktail hour was in the bear wilderness exhibit and was great. They fed the bears while my guests ate appetizers and drank cocktails. The reception was outdoor and the ambiance was absolutely beautiful. As for the mishaps...my cocktail hour ended up being almost 2 hours. Therefor my dinner started extremely late and there was not much time left at the end of the night for dancing. I hired a 6 piece band and was very unhappy that there time to play was cut so drastically. I expressed my concern to the zoo and they did compensate me with a financial portion of what I paid the band, so they did try to make it right. The experience they give is quite different, classy, and memorable. Was just a little disappointed with the shortened period of music/dancing.
We can't thank Terry enough for being an amazing wedding coordinator. He helped us through every step of the way and always had answers when problems or questions came up. It rained on our wedding day, which caused a lot of changes, but Terry was on top of it so that I did not have to worry about anything.
Our guests raved about our cocktail hour with the bears. The food is amazing (you have to get the tomato soup!!!). All of the staff at the zoo is friendly and so helpful.
I wanted a wedding where I wouldn't have to worry about anything on the actual day of the wedding and I definitely got that.
Brookfield Zoo is a great place to have a wedding. While sometimes the prices look high, you get a lot for your money! We were in the Swan Pavilion and it was beautiful! Kathy was our coordinator and she was extremely sweet and attentive. Every e-mail was answered within 24 hours and her responses were always kind. Our meetings with her were so much fun. The day of the wedding I said multiple times "I don't know why everyone doesn't get married at the zoo?" because it was such an incredible experience and so much fun! The motor safaris take guests to cocktail hour in one of the exhibits, ours was with the polar bears and grizzly bears, and then takes them back to the reception. The wedding coordinator also takes the bride and groom around on a golf cart for pictures which make for really unique wedding photos. The food was delicious and the bartenders were far from stingy with the drinks. Our guests are still talking about how they watched a polar bear eat at our cocktail hour. The room captain and day of manager were so attentive to our needs to the point where they thought of things I hadn't even thought of. The waiters were so kind and one even stopped to say congratulations despite being busy serving drinks. I would recommend the zoo to anyone who wants a unique wedding venue that your guests will talk about long after the wedding!
4 1/2 years prior to our wedding, my sister and brother in law got married at Brookfield Zoo. Despite the weather that day (pouring rain) the wedding was amazing!
When it came to our wedding plans, we looked around at a few places but nothing looked to come close to what my sister's wedding was like so we decided to go into the zoo, and talk to Terry, just like my sister did.
My wife was not with me at the time of my sister's wedding, so she didnt know how great everything was run until we did that first meeting. Terry is a master at his job, he is fun to talk to and is very accommodating. It was obvious it got the soon-to-be wife's approval, so we booked it. Everything went smoothly with the zoo, and having the entire package together at one price also helped and cut down on the planning.
Our wedding day went wonderfully! It was a beautiful day outside and everything flowed the way I came to expect after being at my sisters wedding. We made the wedding our own, choosing a different theme, music selection, and locations where we could. I dont think we could have asked for anything better! I highly recommend Brookfield Zoo to anyone looking for a unique, fun venue for your wedding and at a reasonable price too compared to everything else in the area. Call now and ask for Terry!
Our wedding at the Brookfield Zoo was absolutely magical - despite monsoon-like rain and a flash flood warning.
We worked mainly with Terry Rothamer who is fantastic. However, a year before our wedding (we booked 18 months before and had been in contact with Terry about using the zoo for two years before the wedding) he informed us his son was getting married the same day. He continued to work with us up through our final appointment alongside Henry who was our day-of coordinator. Both were absolutely fantastic to work with. Terry helped us add craft beer to the bar and two types of sweets instead of a full sweets table as the package information offers.
We were supposed to have cocktail hour in the underwater bear exhibit, however due to the flash flood warning and extreme rain we ended up having cocktails in the lobby of the Discovery Center where the reception was. During this time Henry was very organized and communicated with us and our parents so we knew what was going on. Because the rain came down so quickly the entrance had flooded slightly. We had many older guests including a few using walkers so this was the best plan for us.
Despite all of this everybody kept commenting that it was one of the best weddings they had ever attended. The food was fantastic (we gave a choice of steak or trout) and everybody loved the zoo. Even though we didn't get to go to the exhibit for cocktail hour most of our guests came between the ceremony and reception and spent time exploring the zoo.
I highly recommend the Brookfield Zoo to anybody, especially if you are an animal lover like my husband and I. Working with Terry was like having a wedding planner included and everything turned out fantastic!
We had an amazing wedding reception at Brookfield Zoo! We had our cocktail hour at Habitat Africa and reception at the Discovery Center in the Savannah Room.
Terry was our event coordinator and he is truly AMAZING! From the moment we met him at our first visit to the zoo (over a year before our wedding) Terry was very accommodating. He made us feel like royalty from that first day. He allowed us to come back to the zoo several times during the planning process. The entire planning process with Terry was great and we had no hassles.
During the actual day of the wedding, all of the staff working the wedding was very professional and on top of things whenever we had a question or needed anything at all. Terry and his staff made sure we had everything we needed throughout the evening. They were also very accommodating during take down at the end of the night. During cocktail hour the waitstaff was very responsive and came up to the bride and groom each time a new tray of appetizers came out before serving any of the other guests. The waitstaff was so friendly...I am still getting compliments from guests about them!
The pricing is reasonable and packaged at a per head rate which includes your reception, catering, some linens, silverware, some decorations, the cake, cocktail hour at one of the exhibits, guest entrance fee, parking, and open bar. Our guests LOVED being able to come to the zoo early and explore, as well as watch the animals during cocktail hour. Our guests were transported to and from the discovery center for cocktail hour and our reception.
Our guests were blown away by the beauty and elegance of the Savannah Room at the Discovery Center. They are still talking about the uniqueness and beauty of our wedding! We are VERY happy with our venue choice and I would recommend Brookfield Zoo to any bride.
The staff at the zoo is very helpful in figuring out every detail of your wedding. The prices are very comparable to other venues in the Chicago area. You have the opportunity to select your cocktail hour in one area of the zoo and your dinner reception in another area. They take the guests on a tour of the zoo before the cocktail hour as well. I would highly recommend this venue for your wedding if you want a unique reception venue and an opportunity to have your wedding pictures with the animals.
Who needs a wedding planner when Terry is there! The venue is unique and the attention is unbelievable! We are so happy we picked the zoo! Couldn't have imagined a better venue or wedding!
I wanted something different for my wedding and the Brookfield Zoo definitely delivered. Everything from the planning to the big day was made so easy with the help of Terry at the zoo! Would definitely recommend this venue if you are looking for something other then a banquet hall in the Chicago area!
Also known as the Chicago Zoological Society, my full review is under that name. The long and short of it was:
Professional, experienced, excellent execution, delights at every turn. Terry can make any wedding request happen. I had an outdoor ceremony (though I see that is not listed in the vendor information on this site) but they very much offer them and the pictures are spectacular.
Every detail was magnificent. People have been raving about the wedding to me non-stop, our guests had the most magical night imaginable.
Truly perfect, and staff with the experience and know how to get everything down to the last detail right. 100% seamless night.
We didn't think of the zoo right away, but once we got there, met with Kathy the coordinator, and saw the spaces, we were sold! Extremely affordable considering what you're getting, and Kathy was absolutely a dream to work with! The staff was incredible, accomodating, fun, and could not have made the planning any easier.
Food was terrific, locations were picturesque, and we are still getting compliments on how incredible everything was!
Our wedding reception was beautiful. We had a fantastic experience. The staff was helpful and available to all our guests. The food was delicious! Everyone had a wonderful time. If only the weather was better so our guests could walk around before the cocktail hour.
We booked Brookfield Zoo within 2 weeks of our original visit. We worked with Terry Rothamer who was nothing short of spectacular in all aspects of planning and executing. The entire staff - banquet and bar servers, shuttle driver and all zoo employees were polite and energetic. The food was outstanding with a special recommendation to the stuffed pork chop. The zoo staff did not miss a beat in setting up all of the personal touches that we included. From the first look photo (must do), to ceremony (Roosevelt Fountain), to cocktails (The Swamp), to reception (Discovery Center) it was an amazing event. Thank you Brookfield Zoo!
The zoo is very experienced in planning weddings and they definitely know what they are doing. Very attentive and organized and made sure I got exactly what I wanted (not always at additional cost hehe). Terry was our coordinator and he was absolutely perfect, such a joy to work with.
this is the best zoo. it's always a different experience and I could go back again and again.
I was planning my wedding at the zoo from DC and it could not have been easier. I worked with Terry in Catered Events who is amazing to make my day great. He handled every request and helped make it a perfect ceremony in the Seven Seas dolphin area, cocktail hour in the Giraffe habitat and dinner reception in the Discovery Center. My guests loved the entire event, including the delicious food. They include a lot for the price and it's especially convenient to plan for someone who is not local.
We had our wedding reception at the Brookfield Zoo, we chose to have cocktail hour in the Great Bear Wilderness and our dinner and dancing at the Discovery Center. It was amazing and all of our guests had an awesome time! People are still talking about the experience. The bears were hilarious going after the food the keepers tossed in the water for them. The food at both the cocktail hour and dinner was awesome and the zoo event staff went above and beyond to hang our decorations and put our table scapes together. They liked our orange lanterns we hung over the dance floor so much that they kept them up for their staff Halloween party the next night :). Stephanie was awesome to work with, she was responsive, knowledgable and informative!!
My wedding food was very good. The service was very speedy and my guests were pleased.
nice zoo. Many animals and family friendly
Everyone was super friendly too!
The wedding was perfect and unique! We had the ceremony by the fountain, cocktail hour in the giraffe house, and a reception with very very good food! My guests and I now have wedding pictures with animals in the background. It was worth every penny! The price includes a wedding planner and operations team. The staff is very accommodating! There are a few different animal houses and reception areas to choose from. Your guests are driven to each location in the zoo trams. It was very cool. Everyone had a great time!
I looked at over 100 locations for our wedding reception, trying to find a fun place that still provided great food and a good value. The Brookfield Zoo was amazing. They provide a tram for you and your wedding party to take around to wherever you want to take pictures -- in the exhibits, at the fountain, on the carousel, etc.
Your cocktail hour can be at one of five exhibits - ours was at the Living Coast, and our guests were floored by this! The zoo takes your guests via tram or bus (depending on weather) around the zoo to see animals to the cocktail hour and then to the reception hall. We had ours in the Bocaditos Restaurant, and the food was amazing. I got so many compliments and rave reviews.
Terry, our catering manager, as well as our captain and head server were all AMAZING. I literally did not have to worry about a single detail. Nothing went wrong, and everything was planned for. I could not have been happier!!
The only two cons: It is pricey, and the cake vendor they use isn't the best -- the cake was great, but they were kind of a pain in the butt.
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3300 Golf Rd., Brookfield, IL
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