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Weddings

About

Detroit Zoo is a unique, nature-inspired wedding venue in Royal Oak, Michigan. This venue offers an exotic backdrop for your wedding reception that your guests are sure to love. Whether you’re looking for an out of the ordinary venue or grew up spending weekends at the zoo, this is the perfect place for any spectacular event. The Detroit Zoo staff has many years of experience putting together elegant events on the grounds. The various habitat-inspired venue spaces offer options for everyone, whether you’re planning something elegant or whimsical, casual, or formal. Work with an onsite event planner and the catering team to create an experience no guest will forget. Your wedding at the Detroit Zoo will go down in history as one of the family’s best.

Facilities and Capacity
Detroit Zoo offers six unique event venues to host weddings of every style and venue. The most popular is the Wildlife Interpretive Gallery. This historic building features a beautiful gallery, butterfly garden, and seating space for up to 250 guests. For slightly larger events, the open air Events Pavillion offers plenty of outdoor space for up to 300 guests. The Event Pavillion is lit with Italian string lighting for evening receptions. Ceremonies are typically held near Rackham Fountain, featuring a stunning statue, glistening fountain and seating space for 200 guests. For more whimsical and nature-inspired venues, you can choose one of the indoor exhibit event spaces. The Arctic Ring of Life is an underwater tunnel where guests can watch the polar bears and seals play during dinner. This tunnel offers seating space for intimate weddings of 50 people or less. Offering slightly more space, guests can watch the penguins at the Polk Penguin Conservation Center. This venue seats up to 150 guests and is both elegant and family-friendly. Finally, the Cotton Family Wetlands Boardwalk is a floating boardwalk that lets guests get up close to Michigan native amphibians, birds, and reptiles. It hosts up to 90 seated guests.

Services Offered
Detroit Zoo provides comprehensive venue rental packages to make your wedding planning hassle-free. The events coordinator will meet with you for a consultation to discuss the options and premium upgrades best suited for your event. All packages include:

  • Up to four-hour rental for the venue of your choice
  • Butler-passed hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour
  • Custom catering menu
  • Fruit garnish with your wedding cake
  • Coffee, decaffeinated coffee, tea, and water
  • Cake cutting service
  • Tables and chairs
  • Standard table linens and napkins
  • Cake table, gift table, DJ table


Cuisine
Detroit Zoo serves the finest, freshest cuisine from all corners of the world. Their wedding packages provide both buffet or plated meal options. Each includes three hors d’oeuvre selections, two entrees, two sides, and a salad. Detroit Zoo also offers premium bar service included with every venue rental.

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Frequently asked questions

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?

$500

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

$500

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?

$500

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

$500

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Chairs
China
Clean Up
Flatware
Glassware
Linens
Parking
Set Up
Tables

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

Cake Cutting
Server(s)

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

5

Describe your venue:

Park
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
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Bar Services
Catering Services
Event Planner
Event Rentals

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Dessert
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside Cake
Plated
Server(s)
Stations

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Cash Bar
Champagne Toast
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer
Specialty Wine

What event items are available?

Chairs
Tables
Tents

What food and beverage items are available?

Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Valet
Wheelchair Access

Reviews of Detroit Zoo

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.9 out of 5 rating
4.9 out of 5 rating
8 reviews
99% recommend it
  • Quality of service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.8 out of 5 rating
Sarah
Sarah H. Sent on 07/12/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Truly a WOW wedding

I just can't thank the private events manager, Logan, enough. She was so absolutely fantastic while planning my wedding. We chose to have it in the Interpretive Gallery/Butterfly exhibit with 100 guests. It was perfect size. The servers and bartenders were fantastic- so kind and helpful and our plated dinner went flawless! And OMG- the food is actually amazing!! We did the chicken marsala and filet- the filet is AWESOME. My guests were so ecstatic and could not stop talking about it. The zoo offered tons of napkins options. Set up for my event went flawless. They just remodeled the gallery with new bathrooms and HVAC which was also so nice. My wedding went literally perfect. Logan is amazing. Trust me, the reactions you get from people when you tell them you're having your wedding at the Detroit Zoo is worth it alone!! :)
T
Ty Sent on 12/21/2015
5 out of 5 rating
The Detroit Zoo was amazing at putting everything together! I couldn't be happier with the staff and how we were taken care of with every detail. Brigette was our planner and her communication, detail orientation and personality were great! Thank you for a wonderful time!
E
Erin Sent on 01/20/2015
5 out of 5 rating
If you are looking for an unique wedding venue, I highly recommend the Detroit Zoo. My husband and I decided to get married in under a month, and had it not been for the helpful staff at the Zoo, we wouldn't have been able to do it all. Brigette, the main coordinator, was amazing. She provided helpful tips along the way and made certain that the wedding went off without any issues. The staff was great and we received many compliments from guests about the courtesy of the staff, from the security professionals to the caterers.

The venue itself is gorgeous. The ceremony was in the butterfly garden, and after showing pictures to people, they thought we went to a tropical island to get married! The reception area is classic.

Lastly, the food was amazing. Again, we received several compliments about the food.

Map

Detroit Zoo frequently asked questions

Detroit Zoo includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Chairs
  • China
  • Clean Up
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Linens
  • Parking
  • Set Up
  • Tables
Detroit Zoo includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Cake Cutting
  • Server(s)
The space offered by Detroit Zoo for wedding events is known for:
  • Park
  • Zoo
Detroit Zoo offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
Detroit Zoo offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Rehearsal Dinner
Detroit Zoo offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Event Planner
  • Event Rentals
Detroit Zoo offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Chairs
  • Tables
  • Tents
Detroit Zoo is recommended by 99% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.9 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 5 in quality of service, 5 in professionalism, 4.9 in average response time, 4.9 in value and 4.8 in flexibility.

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