My wedding day was magical. I have worked around weddings for over 15 years, so when it was finally time for my own wedding, I was determined to do something different. My husband and I chose 'Up' (by Disney/Pixar) as our theme because we lov...e the movie and the love story of Carl & Ellie. The zoo was the perfect location to bring Up and Paradise Falls to life.
As a wedding professional, it is not easy putting yourself in the hands of another team, but Elmwood's team made it so easy. They were so responsive and committed to making our day a huge success. Eric, Eddie, Arielle, Brian and Natalie are dedicated and enthusiastic professionals. They will be there for you every step of the way.
If you book at Elmwood, I highly recommend taking advantage of the unique offerings only the zoo can provide. It is worth every penny and more! For our first look, we did a giraffe feeding, which was fun and I am certain will make for some of the best photos EVER. We had our ceremony at the Eagles Deck, which in August, is so beautiful, green and scenic it requires minimal decor. During cocktail hour, we rented the carousel, which our guests really enjoyed. Since we had several children, including our own, in attendance, we added the animal 'meet and greet', along with a tour of zoo during cocktail hour for kids. The kids and adults LOVED meeting and learning about the owl.
If you are worried about weather don't be. We were blessed with a beautiful day, but prepared for rain (with how rainy it has been this summer.) The Elmwood team has a vendor partner that can provide tenting within 24-48 hours if you make the call for rain. The roof of the tent is clear, so you won't lose any of the beauty of the outdoor ceremony. For my favors, we had umbrellas printed with our wedding logo, which had it rained, would have been given away at the beginning, not the end, of the wedding, so guests can enjoy the park. The main reception area and several other locations with the zoo are covered & air conditioned.
My wedding was a week ago and to date, I am still receiving texts, calls and social media posts commenting about how much fun and how beautiful and unique our wedding day was.
Thank you Elmwood Park Zoo!