$4,050 starting price
151-200 guest capacity
This venue can host up to 200 guests
About this vendor
Where Distinctive Weddings Are Made
Discover the elegance of one of Pittsburgh’s most unique venues. Your guests will cherish an evening spent amidst our historic rose garden, peering at the stars through the glass-domed Atrium, and strolling through the lush free-flight exhibits while mingling with our fine, feathered friends.
Book now at Pittsburgh’s most exciting new venue: The Garden Room at the National Aviary!
This new, elegant 9,000 square-foot space includes open air access to beautiful outdoor amenities and stunning views of the garden, scenic park and lake. This dazzling venue is perfect for events year round including weddings, events, and education programs!
Enjoy the feeling of an outdoor fete with all the comforts of a brand new space beautifully crafted out of brick, stone, and glass with a bird-safe pattern! The Garden Room construction includes a beautiful new entryway, The Charity Randall Foundation Eagle Hall, which will transform the National Aviary’s west entrance and offer interior connectivity between National Aviary habitats and The Garden Room.
Whether casual or formal, The Garden Room is the perfect place to host a:
Wedding
Bridal Shower
Rehearsal Dinner
Corporate Event
Company Picnic
Client Happy Hour
Awards Banquet
Lecture
Any meeting or celebration!
Included with your event rental:
A team of event experts including an on-site special events coordinator, custodial staff, and security will ensure your event is seamless.
Complimentary onsite parking for evening events on a first-come, first-served basis.
The National Aviary’s tables and chairs are available at no additional fee.
Audiovisual equipment is available at no additional fee.
Celebrate at a venue you can feel good about and support the National Aviary’s mission to inspire respect for nature
For inquiries and to book today, contact our event experts at 412-258-9463 or myevent@aviary.org
Pricing details
Starting prices
Reception:
Contact for price
Ceremony:
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Bar services:
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Catering:
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Starting prices don't include service fees, taxes, gratuity, and rental fees. Guest count and seasonality may also affect prices.
Amenities + details
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
On-Site Accommodations
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
Guest Capacity
- Up to 200
Settings
- Garden
- Historic Venue
- Museum
- Park
Venue Service Offerings
- Food & Catering
- Rentals & Equipment
- Service Staff
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 5.097 reviews
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
The National Aviary is highly praised by numerous reviewers for its beautiful space, accommodating staff, and exceptional service. Guests appreciated the unique experience of touring the aviary during cocktail hour and engaging with the birds up close, adding to the magic of the wedding day. The Atrias catering team received high compliments for their delicious food, with the customizable packages being a standout feature. The software for table and seating arrangements, along with attentive staff members like Yvette, Jordyn, and Jena, contributed to smooth event planning and execution, making the National Aviary a highly recommended wedding venue favored for its individuality and affordability.Review photos
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This venue was so beautiful on its own, and provided such a unique experience for our guests. We compared a few options but we are so happy we went with the National Aviary. Our day was so beautiful, and adding the penguin encounter was so much fun for us and our guests. Beautiful space and all team members were so pleasant to work with.
Response from the Vendor on 08/12/2024
Kelsie,
Thank you for your kind words and the opportunity to host your big day! We're so glad that Patrik the penguin was such a big hit with your guests. Best wishes to the two of you from our entire team!
Best,
Victoria Grace
Director of Even...
ts and Corporate Partnerships
National Aviary
We absolutely LOVED the Garden Room at the National Aviary, the rose garden out back where we had our ceremony, and the whole vibe of the day was just beautiful! We paid to have the Aviary open for guests during cocktail hour, and we had a penguin and an owl come to the cocktail hour as well - it was SO incredible. The only hiccups were that some staff at the Aviary were not as communicative as they could've been with some policies that left us scrambling to make some decisions last minute, and we had issues with the program they used for seating charts which we had to fix. I would highly recommend working with at least a partial wedding planner if you want to go with the Aviary - overall I loved having my wedding here, but we really benefited from having a professional planner in our corner to help the wedding day go smoothly.
The National Aviary was so great to work with for our wedding. They were with us every step of the way and made adjusting our floor plan super easy with the software they use. The space itself is also so beautiful! We kept receiving compliments on how nice the venue was.
Any questions?
When we toured the Aviary, we left knowing it was the venue we were going to choose. It is a beautiful space and we loved that you were able to have your guests tour the aviary during cocktail hour (with an additional cost). They work exclusively with Atrias for catering and it did not disappoint. We worked with Yvette who took great care of us and answered our numerous questions. We highly recommend the National Aviary!!
Our experience at The National Aviary was perfect. From the moment we toured The Aviary until the day after our wedding when we picked up our items, everything was amazing. The staff really catered to us and made every step of the process go smoothly. The tools they provide for how to set up the tables and stay organized were wonderful. The day off they helped keep me focused and kept everything flowing perfectly. The building is beautiful and getting married in the garden in the fall was everything I pictured for our big day. The food was also incredible. Every one of my friends who had attended multiple weddings that year said the food at ours was by far the best. Atrias made everything perfect! I cannot recommend The National Aviary enough!!!!
The Pittsburgh Aviary was an amazing venue, absolutely beautiful event hall that easily accommodated 200 guests. The event staff was superb and were an absolute pleasure to work with. Thank you for everything, our wedding was perfect!
The venue was great! I’m happy that we picked this venue because it was one of few that rolled so many perks into one for a reasonable price in the downtown Pittsburgh area. Plus, I appreciate how customizable the packages are and the details that the events team covers. Jordyn was our event day coordinator but we also worked with Yvette, who was very helpful.
Also, EVERYONE, even our pickiest guests, loved the food provided by Atria’s. Their head chef is incredibly thoughtful, detail-oriented, and proud of the kind of service and staff they have. We are also very thank to Natalie, the events coordinator, from Atria’s because she was always incredibly responsive and had helpful recommendations to streamline things and to alleviate potential issues.
Response from the Vendor on 11/03/2023
Kendal,
Thank you for your kind words about Jordyn and Yvette, as well as Natalie, chef Josef, the rest of the Atria's team. We are glad to hear that you and all of your guests were so well taken care of. Best wishes to the two of you from our...
entire team.
Best,
Victoria Grace
Director of Events and Corporate Partnerships
National Aviary
Absolutely amazing venue and team! We picked the Aviary because it was a beautiful space that offered a unique experience for guests (touring the exhibits, bird encounters) and they did not disappoint. Also, the Atria's team is fabulous!
Response from the Vendor on 11/03/2023
Thank you for your kind words. We are so grateful you chose the National Aviary to help celebrate your big day. Best wishes to the two of you from our team!
I cannot write enough to express how much I ENJOYED having my wedding at the Aviary! Everything was amazing! Yvette, Jordyn, and Jena were tremendous to work with throughout the planning process and made everything so easy. They were so accommodating with showing the venue to us various times with our families. If you are looking at them for your wedding.. just do it!! Honestly so worth it.
Response from the Vendor on 10/23/2023
We are so grateful you chose the National Aviary to celebrate your big day. Congratulations again!
Space - 5/5. They use software for table placement and seating placement so you can visualize where everything will be. We had 110 people and had plenty of extra space.
Food - 5/5. The aviary partners with Atria's. The taste and price were better than anywhere else we looked. Top notch service.
Individuality 5/5. The aviary brought out a penguin (not Crosby but still) and a falcon for the guests to see from just a few feet away and and everyone was able to stroll through the exits after hours without other visitors being there.
Thank you Aviary events team!
~Mathias
Response from the Vendor on 10/23/2023
We are so grateful you chose the National Aviary to celebrate your big day. Congratulations again!
Everything was amazing! We live out of town and the staff communicated very well with us and worked with our schedule. The options to add a ceremony was perfect in the garden area. It even rained about an hour before our ceremony and staff members were out there wiping off all the chairs. The day of our event the staff helped us with whatever we needed, opening up the glass doors to the outside terrace was fabulous, and our guests loved visiting the birds during cocktail hour. It was a wedding, an experience, and a good time.
Response from the Vendor on 10/23/2023
We are so grateful you chose the National Aviary to celebrate your big day. Congratulations again!
I don't know what to say other than wow. This venue was amazing and exceeded expectations with their staff that were there to help. Everyone in attendance kept saying how great the venue was.
Response from the Vendor on 10/23/2023
We are so grateful you chose the National Aviary to celebrate your big day. Congratulations again!
We just had our wedding this past Friday at the Aviary and it was absolutely perfect.
We worked with Jordyn & Jena and Yvette helped us along the way.
They were professional, kind, helpful and great during the wedding and leading up to it! They were quick to respond and accommodating.
All of our guests also raved about the food catered through Atrias- it was delicious! Natalie- the catering manager was great and all of the servers and bartenders were so nice and helpful.
We had a bit of rain in the forecast (although it didn’t end up raining!!) and so we decided last minute to do an indoor ceremony- they opened up the windows and it was still a stunning backdrop for our ceremony.
Highly recommend and we are so so happy with our decision to have our wedding here.
Response from the Vendor on 06/27/2023
Congratulations again Lindsay and Colin! Your wedding was beautiful in every way and we are so glad you chose to spend it with us at the National Aviary.
The Aviary is a fabulous place to host a wedding! Their event space is just beautiful with the patio, garden area and accordion doors. With half of the guest list being from out of town, the habitats being open during cocktail hour and up close encounter were such a treat for guests! They really turn the place over after they close to the public to make it an elegant event. There are endless options for how to set up your event and have the option of an outdoor or indoor ceremony. The event staff is great to work with ! They were communicative, responsive and helpful in so many ways: when we had outside vendor issues or even deciding last minute to move the ceremony inside due to rain. Their main caterer Atrias was a hit! We’ve been hearing raving reviews about the food since. This was a very affordable venue in the city. Atrias has many food packages and their bar package was very reasonable. I looked at many venues in the city and this was by far the most affordable and very unique ! With all venues there are limits as to what their staff can/can’t do so just read the contract and plan on getting outside help to set up or have a family member assist.
Response from the Vendor on 06/24/2023
Thank you for this kind review! Your wedding was beautiful and these photos look amazing. Thank you for spending your special day with us at the National Aviary and congratulations again!
The Aviary made everything so easy! Their All Seated program was easy to use and they were always available if we had questions. Plus, our guests loved being able to explore the Aviary during cocktail hour!
Response from the Vendor on 06/17/2023
We are so grateful you chose the National Aviary to celebrate your big day. Congratulations again!
Pricing was very reasonable for a modern wedding, all the beauty of the garden room, great staff, the amazing food and drink from Atria’s, and the exhibits. Everything was clean and the process was made very easy for a person working full time whilst wedding planning. Atrias and the aviary also gave us a gift even though we paid them to have our wedding there. It was truly above and beyond
Response from the Vendor on 06/14/2023
Thank you for your kind words Tricia! Your wedding was beautiful and we are so thankful you were able to celebrate with us at the National Aviary!
The events team was so great to work with. We had our ceremony at the National Aviary out in the rose garden and it was absolutely perfect. The rose garden was gorgeous and the perfect size for a small intimate ceremony. The bird encounters we did after the ceremony were so cool! We surprised my mom with the penguin encounter and the owl was a huge hit as well. It was such a neat feature that made our day that much more unique and special.
Response from the Vendor on 05/25/2023
Thank you for your kind review Amy! Your intimate ceremony out in the Rose Garden was beautiful and you had the perfect weather! Congratulations again.
We had our wedding this Saturday at The National Aviary and it was absolutely perfect. We had to move our wedding up by a year due to family health issues, and working with their events team, Yvette, Jena, and Jordyn, made this an absolute success. They were so great to work with and incredibly organized and so very nice. The venue is absolutely stunning. The catering staff was amazing. The food was incredible. There is not a single thing that we would have done different. It is by far the nicest venue I have ever been in for a wedding.
Everything turned out beautifully at the Aviary! My only wish is that the amount of hours the venue is available could be longer because it felt like everything went by so fast (I think thats how most weddings feel though lol). And that the Bridal suite was available sooner so my bridal party and I could've gotten ready there instead. At the same time it all turned out better than I could've hoped.
I highly recommend an Aviary wedding. The venue is beautiful, especially if you are lucky enough to have a Rose Garden ceremony. The events staff are so attentive and helpful. Jordyn ensured the whole night went smoothly. The food was delicious and all the servers were so friendly. So happy with our wedding there!
Response from the Vendor on 10/10/2022
Thank you Nikki! Your wedding was beautiful and the Rose Garden Ceremony was perfect for the weather that day. We wish you nothing but the best!
- National Aviary Events Team
We had our wedding at the Aviary, it was great and the staff helped everything go smoothly. The garden room, garden and bird exhibit made a very nice atmosphere. Would highly recommend for anyone looking for wedding venues!
Response from the Vendor on 10/10/2022
Thank you so much for these kind words! We loved hosting you all for your big day it was truly beautiful!
-National Aviary Events Team
I had always wanted to get married here and even though weather didn’t permit us to have our ceremony in the garden it was still beautiful with the open air garden room.
Response from the Vendor on 10/10/2022
We agree the ceremony was still gorgeous in the Garden Room and seemed like the perfect wedding! Thank you for spending it with us.
-National Aviary Events Team
I am above and beyond satisfied with my experience of having a wedding at the National Aviary! I might be biased but it was the best wedding ever! Jena, Jordyn and Yvette were incredible the entire time. Everything was so organized and these ladies were always available to talk and answer any questions. The facility is gorgeous and I got so many compliments from my guests! We had a Penguin encounter which was a huge hit! It also was so unique to our wedding. Thank you all so much for making my dream wedding come to life!
Response from the Vendor on 10/10/2022
Thank you for spending your big day with us! You all were lovely to work with and the day was absolutely perfect!
-National Aviary Events Team
Overall the experience at the Aviary was wonderful. The food was amazing (chefs kiss) I would 100% recommend this to anyone. From the moment we arrived for the wedding until the night ended, it was spectacular! Now the only reason I would give the aviary a 4 and not a 5 was because Yvette Fox was flat out difficult to work with. 100% do not recommend working with her. Everyone else at the national aviary that we encountered was great. She was difficult and any small detail we asked about, she got upset. Luckily, because everything else went smoothly, our night was perfect.
The National Aviary is an absolutely GORGEOUS space for your wedding. The Garden Room is absolutely stunning and it is a modern space that really allows you to customize. During your cocktail hour, the Aviary can bring out birds to meet your guests. Sunshine the penguin was the true star of our wedding! The Aviary is obviously an Aviary FIRST and a wedding venue SECOND, so keep that in mind when booking this space. It's worth it, but note, you won't be able to set up early and you have limitations within the space.
I will say that the staff was awesome, it was a lot of moving parts, and they did their best to make everything run smoothly. The forecast on the day of my wedding was low for rain, but about 2 hours beforehand, it looked grim. The Aviary did the herculean task of moving the ceremony indoors with limited time. They set up in the lobby, which I'm told was the first wedding to do so and it was absolutely gorgeous. Brides I highly recommend you use this as the rain plan moving forward.
The most magical space and my guests had so much fun in penguin point.
Response from the Vendor on 10/10/2022
Hi Rachel,
Thank you so much for your kind words! Your wedding was absolutely beautiful and we loved that you chose to spend your special day with us.
- National Aviary Events Team
The Aviary was an AMAZING venue for our wedding. The garden room was so gorgeous - our ceremony ended up inside due to weather, and it ended up looking amazing with the big glass windows overlooking the garden and the park. And the birds! Our guests loved getting to see a penguin up close, and we were able to get photos throughout the venue - truly unforgettable. The food was great, the staff were amazing, and every little detail was absolutely wonderful. If you're reading this looking for venues, congratulations, you're done - the Aviary is spectacular!
Response from the Vendor on 08/11/2022
We are so glad you chose to spend your wedding with us at the National Aviary! We love hearing all of the great photographs you were able to capture of your big day. Congratulations again.
- National Aviary Events Team
My wife and I got married here in the summer of 2022. We used the Rose Garden for our ceremony, the Aviary itself for the cocktail hour and the new Garden Room for our reception. The planning team was extremely accommodating, giving us regular updates and checking in for any of our needs. On the day of the wedding, everything was in place at the right time, and our bridal parties were led to where they needed to be when without any hiccups. It was truly a spectacular day, and I'd absolutely recommend the space to anyone getting married soon!
Response from the Vendor on 08/11/2022
Thank you for your kind review! Your wedding was truly beautiful and we wish you all the best, congratulations again!
Warm Regards,
National Aviary Events Team
Amazing venue! Fit our friends & family perfectly! The ceremony / reception went VERY WELL! Food was excellent as well as service & staff. Thank you again to everyone who made our day so special!
Response from the Vendor on 07/28/2022
Thank YOU Morgan for your kind words! We appreicate you choosing to spend your wedding with us at the National Aviary.
All the best,
The Events Team
"BEST WEDDING EVER!" That was the quote of the night from our guests. Jena, Yvette, and Jordyn were incredibly easy to work with. I've never been great with planning, so it was so helpful to me that they would just ask me questions to get everything set up since I really didn't have a whole lot of ideas of what I wanted. They were amazing from start to finish. There was a festival in the park behind the Aviary the day of our wedding and due to the noise it seemed like it would be better to have the ceremony indoors. With the beauty of the Rose Garden though, I just knew I wanted to get married there and they made it happen. We aren't big into decorations and that made the Aviary a great choice for us. With the beauty of the Rose Garden combined with all the stunning birds on exhibit, decorations weren't even needed. Our guests loved getting to check out all the exhibits and getting to take pictures with a penguin and an owl were huge hits. The entire staff was amazing all night and kept making sure we had everything we needed, including a purse that was left behind by one of our guests. They deserve more than five stars. They helped give us the wedding of our dreams. So many thanks to the Aviary Events Staff!
Response from the Vendor on 06/09/2022
Hi Sandi,
Thank you so much for your kinds words! We are so thankful we were able to make your dream wedding come true at our venue! We wish you nothing but the best in your marriage!
Best Wishes,
National Aviary Events Team
I would give 100 stars if I could. THEY ARE AMAZING. Jordyn, Yvette and Jena are super helpful and with you every step of the way. I planned our Pittsburgh wedding from Hawaii and they helped work with me around time changes and multiple viewings, planning changes. They were so patient with every question we had and gave great recommendations and ideas. The day of the wedding, they helped make sure everything wedding smoothly with the wedding, timeline and guests. The venue itself is spectacular and our guests LOVED walking through and viewing the birds. Everything was beautiful, our wedding was perfect and a big thanks goes to the Aviary and their staff. A dream night at a dream venue! THANK YOU!
Response from the Vendor on 03/16/2022
Hello Alyssa,
Thank you so much for your kind words and review of the Garden Room at the National Aviary! Your wedding was beautiful and we are so appreciative you chose to spend your special day here. We wish you all the best for your marriag...
e together.
Warm Regards,
The National Aviary Special Events Team
Everyone at the Aviary was super pleasant to work with! They answered questions and responded to concerns very quickly and I could tell they were really putting thought into making our day perfect. They coordinated the rehearsal and helped us work through all the details, which eased our minds for the next day. On the day of our wedding, they made sure everything was perfect and we didn't have to worry about anything. The space was beautiful and we wouldn't change anything about that night, all thanks to the Aviary and their wonderful staff!
What is not to love about the National Aviary? Their new garden room is an absolute dream and it turned out to be the most perfect venue we could have ever imagined. Everyone was SO extremely helpful, prompt and knowledgeable about how to run a wedding. I did not have a single worry the entire day. They made sure everything was perfect and ran smoothly without a single bump in the road. I cannot emphasize enough how beautiful this new space is!!
Having our wedding ceremony and reception at The National Aviary was absolutely amazing. The staff were so helpful and kind and we planned our wedding over the span of two years. The Garden Room was a dream to host our guests and have our ceremony/reception. Having 2 animal encounters during our cocktail hour was a HUGE hit with our guests and the food catering by Atria’s was phenomenal. We continue to get rave reviews from our guests about their experience and my husband and I recommend this venue a million times over; you will not be disappointed!!!
National Aviary is absolutely an extraordinary venue for wedding/reception. We had our reception there in October. It was very classy. Guest had an amazing time there. Food catered through Atria’s exclusive catering was outstanding. We were thrilled to work with events coordinators. All of the staff was extremely helpful. I can’t thank everyone enough for making our big day extremely special.
We did not have our wedding here, but we did tour the facility. It was incredibly hard to get in touch with this venue and the coordinator was pretty rude. The entire time we were there I felt rushed out the door.
We loved having our wedding at the National Aviary! It is one of our favorite places, and we loved that our money could go to support such amazing animals. The new Garden Room is gorgeous! All of our guests thought our venue was so unique and special. Our penguin guest just made it that much better. The staff were all wonderful to work with, and we couldn't have asked for a better day. Thank you!!!
The National Aviary was an absolutely incredible venue! Their new Garden Room is an exceptional reception space and the Rose Garden is beautiful for an outdoor ceremony. Yvette was so helpful in planning everything, and Jena was there for us at our rehearsal and day of. They work great as a team. Such a unique wedding place and a great Pittsburgh venue!
The Aviary’s new garden room is BEAUTIFUL, and is essentially a blank canvas which was great. Ashley Duncan, who unfortunately is no longer there, answered all of my questions (and I had a lot of them) so quickly! She was wonderful to work with, and so organized, I was so sad to see her go a few months before our wedding day.
When Ashely left we got passed off to Sam Moore and Yvette. We first met them over zoom when we had a COVID guideline zoom meeting to go over COVID restrictions and answer all of our questions. However, Yvette was harder to get a hold of than Ashley was, she was a little slower getting back to my emails, and I sometimes had to send them multiple times to get an response. She seemed unorganized and it got frustrating. I didn’t have too much interaction with Sam Moore as he also left the Aviary shortly after that zoom call meeting we had with him, which kind of made me question why everyone was leaving and it was a little frustrating to keep getting passed off to new people. He gave me Kate’s information when he left - I sent her two emails to which she never replied.
We then got passed to the new events manager, Jena, who replaced Ashley. We met her at our last meeting 6 days before our wedding. Yvette informed me that she would be the new point of contact, but did not give me her contact information – I got that at our first meeting with Jena from Jena.
I do wish there hadn’t been so much turn over, and I really wish Ashley hadn’t left because she was just so great. There seemed to be a lack of communication between the staff who left and the staff who stayed/replaced them, but also between the old staff (Yvette) and new staff (Jena). The Aviary does have a good relationship with Atria’s (their exclusive caterer) which is nice, and they worked well together to make sure everything ran smoothly the day of. I would recommend the Aviary because it’s an absolutely beautiful space, as long as their new staff stays – otherwise, it was kind of a headache to get passed around and not know the people you’re working with, especially with the lack of communication (i.e. having to do my seating chart THREE times on their program because Yvette did not give me proper instructions the first time and then also took it upon herself to go in and change things incorrectly). I’m hopeful now that Jena is there future brides that book this beautiful space (I could not have been happier with the venue space!) will not be passed around and will be given direct and correct information. Even with the frustration of working with some of the people at the Aviary, I would not have chosen anywhere else to have our wedding because the garden and garden room were so, so perfect, Atria’s was amazing, our guests being able to see the birds during cocktail hour was so nice, and the penguin encounter was AWSEOME - my recommendation though would be to work with Jena SOLELY.
Amazing venue. We loved everything about it.
Gorgeous and fun venue! Our ceremony was in the rose garden and reception was in the new garden room. We were able to add on bird encounters for the guests and they were a hit!!! The only hiccup we had was dealing with the changes in event planners and some miscommunication with them.
We absolutely loved having the Aviary as our wedding venue. Ashley (one of the wedding coordinators) deserves a 10/5 stars because she really went above and beyond for us throughout the entire process. We were the first wedding in the new event room they build this year and it is so beautiful. It was perfect for a COVID-safe wedding because the side of the room facing the rose garden can be completely opened up to allow fresh air in and guests can easily flow in and out of the room onto the patio and into the rose garden. They also altered our buffet service so that Atria’s staff served the food rather than guests serving themselves for no additional cost.
The reason we are giving 4/5 stars is for a few minor things. First, there are 2 large beautiful fireplaces in the room but neither was working the night of our wedding which was disappointing. 2nd, you are required to use Atria’s catering if you get married at the Aviary but they won’t tray your cookies or arrange them whatsoever (not even for an additional fee). We had to tray cookies ourselves the night before the wedding and find someone to set them up for us which was super stressful. Atria’s was wonderful but I think if you force couples to use a caterer they should tray cookies since it’s such an integral part of Pittsburgh weddings.
Overall though we were very pleased with the Aviary and the venue is definitely all we wanted it to be!
We are so happy we chose the Aviary for our ceremony and reception venue. From the beginning, everyone we talked to was responsive and helpful with each one of our questions. Yvette, Ashley, and Laura were on top of everything! The food is catered by Atria's, but there's nothing wrong with that because all night long, guests were commenting on how delicious the food was. Everyone involved did a great job helping us out with every detail, including the coordinators, the chef, and other workers. We had a cute penguin visitor to our wedding during cocktail hour, and the guests loved that. Guests keep telling us how much they loved the unique venue that is the Aviary. We were supposed to have our ceremony in the Rose Garden, but it rained, and Yvette was prepared to move everything inside to the theater. It turned out beautifully! :) We still had the reception outside under a heated covered tent. It was a beautiful and fun wedding. We would HIGHLY recommend the Aviary if you are looking for a unique venue to hold your wedding, and you will not be disappointed! :)
The staff of the National Aviary were absolutely amazing! When a problem came up with part of my dress missing, the event coordinator didn’t miss a beat and flipped cocktail and ceremony times! My guest didn’t even know there was a problem because it was so seamless. The rose garden and tent were both gorgeous for my wedding, and if I had to plan it all again I’d do it the same way.
It was AMAZING! They helped take most of the stress off of me and helped me through the whole wedding! So kind and sweet and beyond helpful. They are also so very accommodating and Everyone had the best time!! I would recommend this place to everyone getting married! They took on the challenge of having a big family of half of the people being dairy and gluten free and thanks to them my family could actually eat and enjoy themselves for once!
I cannot say enough about Yvette and Ashley. they were on it. They were always there for a question email or phone call. The reception was stunning. People had rave reviews for the location, the three birds we 'rented' for the reception were great, the owl was beautiful and the penguin was so much fun. the kids at our wedding had a ball, and the venue has such beautiful foliage and birds there was no need to decorate, anything (that was our personal preference). Our guests commented on how unique a venue it was, and it was wonderful that the parking lot was free and that our guests had free reign of the entire Aviary throughout our wedding. Thank you so much for a beautiful experience, my wife and I shall always remember it fondly!
I was skeptical at first because National Aviary was not my first choice venue. HOWEVER, our wedding turned out to be absolutely perfect here. Granted we were lucky the weather cooperated and the garden ceremony was STUNNING. oh AND we get some cool birds' appearances too? Perfect. The rose garden tent might seem a little smaller at first when you first tour it but trust me, after everything is set up its a lot larger than what it looks like when its empty. The wedding coordinators (Ashley and Yvette) are very helpful and will not hesitate to help with whatever they can. All and all, a great team. Our guests had a wonderful time.
Wonderful venue for our August wedding! Everything was perfect. I feel very lucky to have found a venue that made everything so easy at such a reasonable price. My guests loved visiting the exhibits. Couldn’t be happier.
The National Aviary event coordinators and staff were welcoming, friendly and efficient. When the weather turned bad just before our daughter’s wedding ceremony, they quickly worked with our event day coordinator to move both the ceremony and the reception indoors and everything went beautifully. And their exclusive food and beverage vendor, Atria’s, was awesome, with the chef and his staff serving delicious buffet food to our 135 guests. We added a visit from Pumpkin the Owl to the reception, and our guests thoroughly enjoyed access to the Aviary’s wide variety of birds, plants and exhibits. All in all a perfect night.
The Aviary was the perfect place for our wedding! We wanted an outdoor ceremony and the rose garden was the perfect place for this! In our opinion, it was also reasonably priced, especially since our wedding was on a Friday. It was so beautiful and having the park next door was wonderful for our first look pictures. I loved the idea of having a tented area for our dinner and dancing. The strings of lights made it so pretty! The guests loved the "bird guests" that made an appearance throughout the evening and everyone had a blast walking throughout the Aviary. I was not worried one bit during my wedding day. Ashley and Yvette had everything organized and prepared and were in constant communication with me during the whole planning process. I couldn't have asked for a better team at the Aviary for our special day. Thank you again!
I feel so fortunate to have had my wedding at the Aviary. The event staff and in-house catering through Atria's made the planning process smooth, and the venue itself accommodates either indoor or outdoor ceremonies and receptions. Guests from around the world got a unique experience, and my husband and I got to support an organization with a mission that aligns with our values. Thank you to Laura, Ashley, Yvette, and the entire staff for your professionalism, flexibility, and coolness under pressure (aka last-minute weather changes!). This is a special place!
The Aviary was very helpful with everything. They gave us such an amazing experience, and everything went so smoothly. Ashley and her team were just truly AMAZING. The food and everything was delicious and being able to have Pumpkin for pictures was perfect!
I had my daughter's bridal shower at the Aviary. It was a great experience. The venue was perfect and the staff were very wonderful. Also the food was great and the staff from the catering company was also great. Everyone had a great time and love the penguin experience. I would recommend this site to anyone for any type of event. Loved it.
This is the ABSOLUTE perfect wedding venue for anyone who wants to give their guests an amazing experience! To begin, it is such a gorgeous space, and it is located next to a park which is another amazing spot for photos. The events planning staff is amazing. Ashley and Laura were so helpful, quick to respond, and go above and beyond to make sure you are comfortable. There was supposed to be an event happening in the park the day of my wedding, and they reached out to the organization to make sure their music and events did not disrupt the wedding. (the event ended up cancelled). The food is also made on site and is one of the best meals I have had! For everything this space provides, it is a steal cost wise!
It was a perfect venue for us! Ashley, Yvette and Laura were so helpful and available whenever we had questions. All our guests at the reception just raved about how much fun it was with the exhibits and the birds, how good the food was from Atria's, and how nice the staff was. So glad we chose this venue, it was a wonderful celebration none of us will ever forget!
Couldn't have been more perfect! The space is beautiful and all of the guests raved over the unique venue. Pictures inside the rainforest came out great. Ashley was spectacular: took care of everything for us, reached out to vendors, answered our questions quickly, and was always available for an email or phone call. Atria's was equally as wonderful and the food was fantastic. Cannot recommend this venue enough for folks seeking something beautiful, unique, and well-run.
The National Aviary was an absolute DREAM to work with. There was literally no stress added to our plate when working with them. They took care of the set up and I didn't have to worry at all. The caterer is Atria's and that is AMAZING. People are raving about the food still! Thank you all so much for your hard work!
So easy to work with and very responsive. Atrias is the caterer and my photographer said it was the best food she has had at a wedding.
This is the perfect wedding venue for bird lovers! We had our ceremony out in the Rose Garden and the reception under the tent. The Rose Garden is absolutely beautiful in September and filled our wedding pictures with many vibrant colors and great textures. It was very convenient to have everything in one venue and was especially great for out of town and elderly guests. Also, the bridesmaids and I dressed and finished getting ready in the Igloo and the guys and some of our parents dressed in the restrooms inside the main building. The tent had more than enough space for 100+ people but it also didn't feel like it was too big for that amount as well. Because of all the flowers and greenery we didn't have to worry about buying as many decorations as I would have for other venues. Our guests loved the 3 birds from our bird encounters (sun conure-before the ceremony, penguin-during cocktail hour, eastern screech owl-during dinner). They also enjoyed walking throughout The National Aviary and seeing so many other unique birds. There were quite a few kids at our wedding and their parents mentioned how much fun their kids had and how they were able to stay entertained the entire night. Atrias handled our catering and bar services and they have worked so much with the venue that we didn't have to do much coordinating between the two. We had a little weather scare the week leading up to the wedding and they did give us alternate options for an indoor ceremony and reception if it did rain. Luckily it was a very sunny day so everything remained outdoors but we felt so much better knowing there was a back up plan. The staff was very helpful and eased a lot of our nerves throughout the entire process. If you're interested in doing first look pictures I highly recommend taking photos in the park behind the Rose Garden/parking lot. There's a bridge and pond back there that make for great photos as well! I really can't recommend The National Aviary enough!
The National Aviary was everything we wanted for our big day, and more - highly recommended! The top-notch events team was wonderful to work with throughout the entire planning process to ensure our event was smooth-sailing. They were extremely attentive and quick to respond to any questions we had along the way. We chose the tented rose garden area for an informal Friday night reception, and with the space being so beautiful in itself, we kept the decor to a minimum.
I would reccomend EVERYONE to get married here. We got married on October 20th and the weather was far from perfect and I was freaking out. the aviary took care of EVERYTHING for me and took all of the stress off my shoulders. It is beautiful and we were able to have our wedding and reception there!
We had our ceremony and reception at the National Aviary, which is already such a beautiful and unique space, and the events staff, especially Yvette, were incredible to work with. She was highly responsive to all of my emails and questions (and there were A LOT) and was available all day of the wedding to ensure everything ran smoothly. The built-in caterer for the Aviary is Atria's, which really separated our wedding from others. You can tell they take pride in being a restaurant, rather than a catering company. Chef Josef made sure to check in with us during the dinner to ensure everything was perfect and also accommodated several guests with dietary restrictions without issue. We heard nothing but good things about the food from all of our guests!
We recently were married at the National Aviary. Everything was amazing! We had our ceremony in the rose garden, cocktail hour in the atrium, and reception in the rose garden tent. Everything flowed very nicely for ourselves and guests to make for an easy transition from ceremony to reception. The preferred caterer for the aviary is Atria's, which we were very pleased with in terms of cost and quality. The dinner and appetizers were absolutely delicious, our guests are still raving over how much they loved the food. We were able to have bird encounters throughout the night and guests had access to the exhibits until 9pm, which everyone really enjoyed. The whole day was beautiful from start to finish and we couldn't imagine celebrating the start of our marriage at any other venue!
The National Aviary was absolutely the right choice for us. We wanted something out of the ordinary, and this is certainly the place to do it!
There were children in attendance at our wedding, and the parents really enjoyed being able to take them around the different exhibits and have a fun activity to do during cocktail hour and dinner. I will say, the adults had a LOT of fun checking out the penguin during cocktail hour!
Our ceremony and reception were outside, while the happy hour was indoors. We loved the fact that there are multiple options available to couples depending on the weather (sunny vs. sprinkling vs. pouring), it really put our minds at ease when signing the contract.
The Coordinators at the Aviary are very easy to work with, are timely with their responses, and made our entire day such a breeze. I would highly, highly recommend this venue if you're looking for an interesting, memorable event!
The wedding of my dreams! The national aviary was an amazing venue with indoor and outdoor options! Which made the day of much less stressful knowing that we had options if the weather didn’t cooperate. The staff was awesome to work with. I was an out of town bride so email was my go to communication and they were very responsive and helpful through the whole process.
Could not recommend The Aviary enough! We had a small reception (35 people) in Penguin Point, with access to the whole facility for our guests to walk around. It was incredibly affordable (on a Sunday, with a small group) and offered such a fun, unique experience for our guests, who all raved about it. The Aviary was responsive, organized, and even though we were nervous about not being able to pick our caterer (they have a mandatory contract with Atria's) the food was wonderful.
The Aviary was truly a miracle. They made our day absolutely beautiful and memorable! We are so glad Atria’s was the vendor to cater since EVERY ONE loved the food! The Tropical Rainforest was going to be under construction during our wedding day, but they were very accommodating to our concerns and made sure it was open for our guests to see. Truly a blessing. If we could give 10 stars we would!
Absolutely loved having our reception at the Aviary - the tent, location, lighting, EVERYTHING was beautiful and absolutely perfect. The Aviary staff was excellent to work with and was very accommodating. Our guests loved the penguin encounter and being able to visit the exhibits after hours. Thank you, Aviary, for helping us pull of the perfect day!
YOU CAN GET AN ANIMAL ENCOUNTER!!
Seriously, though, the event team at the Aviary was great to work with. They were very attentive and accommodating for our wedding. Our guests loved the venue and they especially loved the penguin that we had for our cocktail hour! The outdoor tent was perfect for the 155 or so guests we had, with enough space for the buffet, dance floor, and seating.
Its a unique venue and also with it being coupled with Atria's catering, it takes a lot of the guesswork out of getting things organized.
The Aviary was an excellent venue for our September wedding!! We love animals and were looking for a unique, reasonably priced, somewhat non-traditional venue, and the Aviary fit the bill perfectly!!
We chose to have our ceremony in the Rose Garden, which was absolutely gorgeous, and the reception in the adjacent tent. We had a small wedding of about 65 guests, and, while the space could certainly accommodate more people, it didn't feel too large for our smaller group.
Working with Karin was a delight. She was very easy to talk to and was always prompt with responding to any emails or phone calls. Karin and the Aviary staff were extremely helpful throughout the evening and we really appreciated all of their hard work! The only slight negative to the venue was that setup cannot start until after 3 pm, which made logistics a little trickier. It wasn't really a problem, but is something to consider as you plan your day.
Catering and bar services are provided by Atria's. Pricing was very reasonable and Laura and Chef Josef were a pleasure to work with.
The food was definitely a highlight of the night - our guests have been raving about how delicious everything was ever since!
Of course the birds are the highlight of the Aviary! Our guests enjoyed being able to walk through the exhibits and learning from the staff, and we loved having our photo taken with a penguin!!
If you're looking for a fun, unique venue in Pittsburgh, we'd highly recommend checking out the Aviary!
The National Aviary was the perfect wedding venue for us. It is such a unique place to get married and all our guests were very impressed. We had our wedding in the rose garden and luckily the weather was perfect. The reception was under the tent, which was made to look beautiful as well. Karin was very helpful and answered all our questions quickly. The entire Aviary staff the day of our wedding were helpful and very nice. And the food...you have to use Atria's, and the food was amazing, as was their staff. Chef Josef came and talked to my husband and I at the reception, to make sure we were pleased, which we were. All our guests said the food was amazing. The Aviary also includes a lot in your rental, like tables and chairs which is nice so you don't have to go elsewhere to rent them. Also, I got to pet a penguin, which was amazing. Overall I would recommend this place to anyone.
We cannot say enough about this venue! The Aviary was very accomodating and attentive months before and up to the day of the wedding. There wad so much attention to detail and our wedding truly was a dream come true at the Aviary. The staff did not leave one stone untirned throughout the whole process! The wedding went off without a hitch!we were very please with the staff and service from the Aviary and would highly recommend the Aviary as a venue for your wedding whether big or small!
We loved our Aviary wedding!!!!!! It turned out better than we could have ever imagined. The rose garden looked beautiful at the end of August, and it even rained that day but the tent was still beautiful. Karin was a joy to work with and answered all of our questions very quickly. We were able to personalize a lot of details of our wedding. Our guests loved visiting the exhibits, especially the sloth. Atria's was GREAT. The price for this venue was extremely reasonable, we actually came under budget. We had 130 guests and it was a perfect size. We did not rent a dance floor, but it didn't matter because everyone was dancing all night. The DJ put lights up on the ceiling of the tent, which was really cool. I could go on and on about all of the great details that made our wedding perfect. Overall, I had a lot of hesitations booking the Aviary (outdoors can go badly, nontraditional) but everything turned out ten times better than I ever imagined. The only issues I had were that it was little difficult decorating because you are not allowed in the Aviary until 3:30 to decorate, and we were getting married in a church at that time. We had to hire outside people to set up, but it worked out in the end. I Would definitely recommend the Aviary to anyone that wants a unique Pittsburgh venue for a reasonable price.
We had our wedding on Friday, June 30th, 2017 and it was absolutely wonderful. Our cocktail reception was held in the atrium with dinner and dancing held in the rose garden tent. The staff were all wonderful and the venue is beautiful, so much so that you don't need a ton of extra decorations. I would definitely recommend this venue!
I am a local event DJ and just had my third event at The Aviary on June 30th. As a vendor, I have to say the staff is amazing to work with. Karin and Yvette are so on top of things with an effortless flow. Anything I asked for was immediately addressed with kindness and calmness. The catering staff was so polite and thorough as well, not to mention the food was DELICIOUS! It makes an event so much better to work when the staff is organized, yet laid back, and kind. I would recommend the Aviary to all of my couples as a wedding venue! Nice job everyone! -DJ Jess
The reception we held at the Aviary was more than we ever imagined. We had cocktails and a penguin encounter in the Atrium, followed by dinner and dancing in the Rose Garden Tent. Every detail exceeded our expectations, and we've had so many compliments on every aspect of the evening from so many of our guests. The set up , atmosphere, and food were absolutely amazing. No one in attendance (including ourselves) had ever been to a function at the Aviary and were quite impressed. Karin from the Aviary and Laura , along with Chef Josef from Atrias, were wonderful to work with. Every staff member was incredibly friendly, helpful and professional throughout the entire evening. They do a wonderful job at creating a memorable event!
My husband and I highly recommend the national aviary for your upcoming wedding! The staff at the national aviary made our planning easy and our big day perfect. The caterer is Atrias and all of our guests said it was the best food they have ever had at a wedding and that the open bar had great choices. Karin the event coordinator at the aviary is organized and on top of any of your needs, she really made the process a piece of cake. The rose garden tent was beautiful and the cocktail hour inside the atrium was a great way for our guests to see all the exhibits. It really was the best day ever, a big thanks to the national aviary and atrias!
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