I can't even begin to describe how amazing it is. If you and your SO love the beach, fish, or just a nautical theme, then the Aquarium of the Pacific is a PERFECT venue. One of the first things my now-husband and I started talking about before we dated was aquariums we had/have. So 4 years later, when the topic of wedding venues came up, we thought of the Aquarium of the Pacific. It's unique, has a built-in entertainment for guests (they can view the exhibits between ceremony and reception), and perfectly suited to both our tastes and interests.

Cristen Flores, their catering sales manager, is professional, easy to work with, and simply amazing! I know the Aquarium is constantly busy with events, especially over the weekend, and yet she still manages to respond promptly to emails. Some weekends might take a little longer to get a response, but never long enough to be concerning. I am honestly impressed how she stays on top of everything, given how busy they are.

The main possible cons that I can see affecting others are few and far in-between. Even then, they're only drawbacks depending on your individual budget and priorities.

- One is that they do require you to at least have a wedding coordinator for the day of the wedding. Even if you plan it yourself like I did, a wedding coordinator has been a lifesaver for our wedding. I would recommend one of their preferred coordinator/planner, Monique Provance, if you can include that in the budget. Her help has been invaluable.

- You can only use their in-house catering. If you are set on a particular caterer, you would have to choose between them or this venue. For us, we really wanted this venue so we were fine with using their catering. Everything was delicious, so we have no regrets ourselves. Also because of this, I would totally recommend the venue to any of my friends getting married. None of that "I don't want them to copy my venue," since I would totally love to eat their food again!

- They only have 1 scheduled group tasting per year. If your wedding is between this year's and next year's tasting, you get scheduled to go to someone else's event and try their food. This is what we were most concerned about, since we had plated meals and everyone was asking us what we were serving, and we didn't know for the longest time. However, once we did have the food tasting, it was simply delicious! We got to try that particular event's food choice, and it did make me regret (just a little) that we couldn't do a group tasting and try other things on their menu. I kinda wish they had at least 2 tastings per year, or even a seasonal one (spring, summer, fall, winter).

- Lastly, there was a mild hiccup during my wedding when one of the volunteers almost didn't want to let me in early to take photos (as I was in full wedding dress, hair, and makeup). Thankfully it got fixed pretty quick, but I just think it shouldn't have happened. It just sucked a little that my parents couldn't get in early either, but at least we got them in before the procession started too.

So happy we chose the Aquarium for our wedding! Everything went smoothly. The food was great! Service, amazing! The staff really knows what they are doing. The Aquarium really makes wedding planning feel so easy and stress free. It really was the best night of our lives.

The perfect venue. I couldnt have asked for a better wedding. The food was simply amazing! The service was perfect. I had a smile on my face the entire night. Tamera is a pleasure to work with. I had no stress during all of the planning thanks to the amazing staff! Many guests told me it was a wedding they will never forget. I would highly recommend the aquarium for your special day.