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Blank Park Zoo
Blank Park Zoo
Underwater Viewing
Underwater Viewing
Train
Train
Couple in Australia Exhibits
Couple in Australia Exhibits
Holmes Foster Event Center
Holmes Foster Event Center
Holmes Foster Event Center
Holmes Foster Event Center
Reception in Event Center
Reception in Event Center
Decor by Something Chic
Decor by Something Chic
Reception in Event Center
Reception in Event Center
Reception in Event Center
Reception in Event Center
Decor by Something Chic
Decor by Something Chic
Pavilion Ceremony
Pavilion Ceremony
Head Table in Event Center
Head Table in Event Center
Outdoor Pavilion
Outdoor Pavilion
Bridge in rainforest
Bridge in rainforest
Nighttime Carousel
Nighttime Carousel
Indoor waterfall
Indoor waterfall
Giraffe Feeding Deck
Giraffe Feeding Deck
Outdoor Ceremony setup
Outdoor Ceremony setup
Couple's portrait
Couple's portrait
Giraffe Feeding
Giraffe Feeding
Table set-up
Table set-up
Africa Pavilion Ceremony
Africa Pavilion Ceremony
Africa Boardwalk
Africa Boardwalk
Couple's portrait Aquarium
Couple's portrait Aquarium
Indoor Rainforest
Indoor Rainforest
Daytime Carousel
Daytime Carousel
Couple kissing
Couple kissing
Cocktail hour in the Aquairum.
Cocktail hour in the Aquairum.
Pavilion Reception
Pavilion Reception
Discovery Center Reception
Discovery Center Reception

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Giraffe Feeding Deck
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About this vendor

Mo Marks
Mo Marks
Rental and Sales Supervisor

No business details yet

60 years in business

We speak English

Small team (2-10 members)

Blank Park Zoo is an exotic wedding venue located in Des Moines, Iowa, that provides a unique and exciting setting for weddings. Nestled on 22 acres of land, this wildlife park allows guests to be entertained by zoo animals during the cocktail hour, offering an out-of-the-ordinary wedding experience.

Facilities and Capacity
This venue provides five outdoor and indoor facilities that can host up to 400 guests. The Discovery Center ballroom is best suited for weddings of 120 people or less and overlooks our indoor rainforest. The brand new Holmes Foster Event Center can accomodate up to 350 guests banquet style for larger wedding parties.

Services Offered
Blank Park Zoo offers spaces for hosting wedding ceremonies, receptions, baby showers, birthday parties, rehearsal dinners, and other special events. It has a friendly, attentive staff to choreograph and ensure that the event will be a complete success. They will help provide the following services:

  • Set up
  • Bride & Groom suites
  • Event planning
  • Sound/AV
  • Linens
  • Clean up


Other Services
Aside from being a wedding venue, Blank Park Zoo also offers educational and fun classes, educating young children and even adults on how to take care of the animals. The park also accommodates fun, educational field trips and camping, exhibiting the park’s rainforest and zoo animals.

Take a 360° Virtual Tour and enjoy an exclusive sneak peek today!

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Contact Blank Park Zoo and their preferred vendors

  • Blank Park Zoo
  • Baratta's Restaurant & Italian Catering
  • Something Chic Floral
  • Bella Flora Event Design

FAQ

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$3,000

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$3,000

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$1,000

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$1,000

Which of the following are included in the starting site fee?

Bridal Suite
Chairs
Clean Up
Event Planning
Linens
Parking
Set Up
Tables

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Server(s)

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$8

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

1

Describe your venue:

Zoo

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Covered Outdoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

May
June
July
August
September
October

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March
April
November
December

Still have questions?

Reach out about anything you didn't see answered here—no question is too small!

Wedding couple

Reviews of Blank Park Zoo

Write a review
Write a review
Blank Park Zoo - 1
Blank Park Zoo - 2
Blank Park Zoo - 3
Weddingwire
4.6/5 8 reviews
Google
4.5/5 6531 reviews
R
Reid Sent on 01/08/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Fantastic throughout the whole process

This was our second wedding we had to plan due to Covid. The Blank Park Zoo was so helpful and accommodating every step of the way. They really provided a great experience.
August
August Sent on 12/06/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Unbeatable

Mo made our wedding a dream! BPZ is unique, affordable & a joy to work with
  • Blank Park Zoo - 4
  • Blank Park Zoo - 5
  • Blank Park Zoo - 6
U
User2648814 Sent on 06/15/2016
5 out of 5 rating
After first, it was a little rocky, because we ended up working with 3 coordinators, but once we got in contact with Gavin, it was smooth sailing. He was very accommodating and made things stress free during the big day. I was definitely happy we ended up having our wedding at the zoo, it's different and super easy to entertain your guests with. I would recommend this venue 100 times, they were truly amazing! :)
A
Ashli Sent on 09/01/2014
5 out of 5 rating
The Zoo was by far the greatest venue I could have anticipated! Caitlin, the events coordinator at the zoo, was absolutely fantastic, and working with the staff at Johnny's (Audrey) was amazing! The day went so smoothly! A large part of that was meeting with Caitlin early on and being on the same page from the beginning. Everyone knew what was going on and where things needed to be. Caitlin has a ton of experience, and she was able to ask questions you might not typically think about, as well as give ideas of what other brides have done with the venue. It was a beautiful day, our pictures were stunning, and we are so thankful we had our wedding at the zoo!
B
Brooke Sent on 06/04/2014
5 out of 5 rating
We had our wedding at blank park zoo. It was a gorgeous setting and amazing place for unique pictures. Caitlin was wonderful with helping us plan and get ready for the big day! She responded very quickly to all of our questions, and let us in the zoo for free with an appointment whenever we needed to check out the space. I would recommend getting a zoo membership before booking the space, as it saves you money on the rental itself and you can get into the zoo whenever you want for free and to most of the events like zoo brew are included! Great unique place for any event!
T
Trinity Sent on 08/24/2017
4.7 out of 5 rating
It was amazing and everybody was very friendly and when my cake melted the poor security guy helped us put it together enough to take a cute photo. Deuce even posed with me(ok, I just got lucky)! Honestly the only problem we had was that there were three separate coordinators in the span of one year that handled our wedding but as long as they all three did a good job I guess I can't complain too much. On the day of everything went wonderfully. I would definitely suggest considering this is a predominantly outdoor venue, and we had our wedding date early August it was much harder than I had predicted it would be in the zoo Plex.
N
Natalie Sent on 07/24/2017
4 out of 5 rating
We had an amazing wedding, the new events coordinators just have some kinks to work out. From the time we initially reserved our space (January 2016) to our wedding (July 2017) they changed their events coordinator as well as their exclusive caterer and didn't do anything to make up for the fact that our original caterer would've been less expensive. The day of they also didn't know that they had the linens there already so when we got there we couldn't set up the tables right away- but it was eventually discovered. Other than that the experience was great and many of our guests told us that it was the most fun wedding they'd ever been to!
A
Ashley Sent on 07/07/2017
2.9 out of 5 rating
The venue itself was well worth the money, I loved that my guests had the Zoo to themselves, and we went all out so they could also have train and carousel rides. The event coordinator position kept turning over throughout the year and a half of our reservation and planning, and the one we ended up with was scatterbrained at best. They only work with Baratta's as a caterer, which was changed from Johnny's Italian Steakhouse 6 months before my wedding without any notice or warning. I only found out when I hadn't heard from anyone 4 months before and I reached out to request a walkthrough. I never once had anyone at the Zoo reach out to me for anything- my MOH and I had to initiate all contact. I also had a lot of promises of "I'll get back to you on.." and "I'll email you.." that were never fulfilled.
Overall, the venue was beautiful and I'm glad I went with it, but I felt like I had to do way too much work for the amount of money I paid.
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

8
illustration message review

Are you interested?

Team

Mo Marks
Mo Marks
Rental and Sales Supervisor
Kristen Reynolds
Kristen Reynolds
Events Coordinator

Professional Network & Endorsements

Lauren Campbell Photography Lauren Campbell Photography Wedding Photographers

The staff at the Blank Park Zoo goes above and beyond to make every wedding and event perfect. Every request my most recent bride made during her event was met with an upbeat, positive response. Great staff to work with, great catering from Johnny's, and a fantastic venue!

A Special Event DJ & Photobooth A Special Event DJ & Photobooth Wedding DJs

If you are looking for a unique venue, and a great team to help you plan your event - look no further than Blank Park Zoo! They work hard to make sure you are thrilled with your ceremony & reception!

Absolute Music DJ Service Absolute Music DJ Service Wedding DJs

A wildly different place to have your reception and ceremony, if you like. Very friendly and easy to work with.

Baratta's Restaurant & Italian Catering
Baratta's Restaurant & Italian Catering
4.9 out of 5 rating , 46 reviews
· Wedding Caterers
Something Chic Floral
Something Chic Floral
4.9 out of 5 rating , 45 reviews
· Wedding Florists
Bella Flora Event Design
Bella Flora Event Design
4.9 out of 5 rating , 76 reviews
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Puttin' on the Hitz
Puttin' on the Hitz
4.9 out of 5 rating , 271 reviews
· Wedding DJs
Crème Cupcake + Dessert
Crème Cupcake + Dessert
4.9 out of 5 rating , 12 reviews
· Wedding Cakes
Burkett Entertainment
Burkett Entertainment
5.0 out of 5 rating , 2 reviews
· Wedding DJs

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Blank Park Zoo frequently asked questions

Blank Park Zoo includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Bridal Suite
  • Chairs
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planning
  • Linens
  • Parking
  • Set Up
  • Tables
Blank Park Zoo includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Server(s)
The space offered by Blank Park Zoo for wedding events is known for:
  • Zoo
Blank Park Zoo offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
Blank Park Zoo offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
Blank Park Zoo offers their wedding reception services for a maximum of 500 guests.
Blank Park Zoo is recommended by 92% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.6 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.9 in value, 4.6 in quality of service, 4.5 in flexibility, 4.4 in average response time and 4.4 in professionalism.
Blank Park Zoo currently offers 1 discount promotion for wedding services.
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