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Weddings

About

Weddings are a wonderful occasion to celebrate, and Lehigh Valley Zoo offers a beautiful, unique setting for you and your guests. Nestled in the heart of the Trexler Nature Preserve, the Lehigh Valley Zoo is home to more than 300 animals representing over 125 species.Lehigh Valley Zoo offers your guests an unforgettable backdrop amongst wildlife and nature to celebrate your special day! By utilizing our picuresque location options, you can transport your guests to the beaches of South Africa, to the outback of Australia, along the great North American plains or to a farm in our own backyard.

When you rent the Zoo, not only are you giving your guests a day to remember, but you are providing wildlife species from around the world an opportunity to thrive. Lehigh Valley Zoo’s core purpose – to save species from extinction and engage people – inspires our work, our conservation education programs, and our leadership in wildlife conservation. The Lehigh Valley Zoological Society, a nonprofit organization, is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the international organization that sets the highest standards for zoos and aquariums. The revenue generated through rentals, catering and event enhancements helps support the daily cost to feed and care for the Zoo’s animal ambassadors, a cost of $2,500 each day. At Lehigh Valley Zoo, you will hear the wildlife success story of America’s National Bird, learn about the most endangered wolves in the world and learn how your local Zoo is helping conserve an animal species already extinct in the wild. Renting the Zoo helps enhance the lives of these animals and helps us do our part to engage and educate Zoo guests year-round.

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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?

$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?

Chairs
Clean Up
Parking
Tables

What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?

2

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

3

Describe your venue:

Farm/Ranch
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
Elopements

What event services do you offer?

Clean Up
Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms
Outside Vendors

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Dessert
Family Style
French Service
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside Cake
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
Tastings

What event items are available?

Altar/Arch
Chairs
Tables

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

April
May
June
July
August
September
October

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March
November
December

Reviews of Lehigh Valley Zoo

Kayla
Kayla Sent on 11/05/2020
5 out of 5 rating

COVID Can't Stop Love

My now-husband and I had our very first date at the Lehigh Valley Zoo. When it came time to pick a wedding venue, we just knew we had to go full circle and hold our ceremony and reception here! When we originally booked our date for October of 2020, we did not yet know that there would be a global pandemic. Their wedding/event coordinator, Julia, kept in touch with us as she was updated regarding the zoo's policies throughout the pandemic and how we could safely proceed with having our wedding at the Lehigh Valley Zoo. We opted to have a small ceremony in October and have a full reception at a later date. The family and friends that were able to join us for the ceremony are still talking about it! We had the privilege of saying our vows in front of the African Penguin exhibit - one of the penguins was even right behind us throughout the whole event. What made our special day even more memorable was knowing that every dollar we spent went straight back to taking care of all the animals that call the Lehigh Valley Zoo home. Many nonprofits faced great financial loss this year and we were so grateful to be able to give back to an organization we were both passionate about. Thank you to Julia and the staff of Lehigh Valley Zoo for all of your hard work throughout the year - and for making our wedding day one no one will ever forget!
AshleyA090818
Ashley Sent on 12/07/2018
5 out of 5 rating

Penguins for the win!

LV zoo attended our wedding with penguins in tow! They were so adorable and the perfect touch to our special day. Guests got to take photos with them and their handlers got to share some fun information about them and how to help their habitats.
C
Chelsea Sent on 08/30/2015
5 out of 5 rating
I had a wedding at the Lehigh Valley Zoo in July and had a FANTASTIC experience. Alan Raisman was very helpful and incredibly accommodating the entire time. Whenever we had any question or issue, he answered or resolved it quickly. This was especially helpful as I planned the wedding in just a few months! During the wedding he and his staff were always there to help make the wedding run smoothly (and he helped make it better than I could have done alone).

We decided to actually get married on the little island in the otter arena and not only was it really, really, really neat to look back at all of our loved ones in the amphitheater, but it made for some amazing photos. This was actually my favorite part of the we
K
Katherine Sent on 09/05/2014
5 out of 5 rating
My husband and I chose to have our reception at the Lehigh Valley Zoo after we realized our guest list was going way over what my parents yard could handle. Alan, the event coordinator, was my favorite vendor to work with. Anything (and I mean ANYTHING) you needed, Alan and his staff were happy to assist with. The zoo also doesn’t charge you an arm and a leg to rent like most venues would, the cost is equal to what it takes to feed the animals for one day! We were fortunate to have a beautiful day but indoor accommodations are available. We were even able to choose two interactive exhibits that we could open up to our guests during cocktail hour (feeding the rainbow Lorikeets nectar out of our hands was a crowd favorite). Also, while you may need to book other venues a year or more in advance, the zoo has most weekends open. We booked our date a few months before our big day. So, if you’re looking for something a little bit different for your wedding day, I highly recommend the Lehigh Valley Zoo. Our day was perfect.
A
Alyx Sent on 05/18/2014
5 out of 5 rating
If I could rate them on a 6/5 for Flexibility and Quality of Service I totally would. Alan was absolutely amazing! I wish we could get married all over again so we could work with him again! He made our wedding so fun and relaxed just by helping to plan out the logistics with me. The day of our wedding was beautiful at the Zoo but down pours every where else. They set up space in the bison room just in case our ceremony got rained out, and when the reception did get rained out we easily moved everything inside with zoo staff help. If you are looking for a non traditional, unique, and most importantly FUN wedding, I highly recommend the zoo!
C
Cassie Sent on 09/25/2013
5 out of 5 rating
I could not have asked for a more perfect wedding day or venue. The zoo staff was fantastic and really catered to our needs. Alan was with us every step of the way and really helped make our day special. I can not express enough how great this venue is for a wedding. It was so much fun and beautiful.
S
Sarah Sent on 01/12/2013
5 out of 5 rating
The Lehigh Valley Zoo was absolutely amazing. If you have never though about getting married at a zoo, you should! And I highly recommend the zoo to anyone! We got the entire zoo to ourselves and there were penguins at my ceremony! It is probably only reasonable for weddings under 100 and the "in door" options are not stellar, but if you have good to "okay" weather, the zoo is an amazing place for a wedding. Also, you are supporting animal conservation with you wedding dollars instead of consumerism.
T
Tara Sent on 06/17/2015
4.6 out of 5 rating
Alan Raisman was the coordinator for our event at the zoo. He was always very thorough and courteous. He consistently provided us with information and asked questions to ensure everything was organized and meeting our expectations. The zoo staff was helpful on the day of the event and were willing to assist us with last minute requests by making services at the zoo available to guests.
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

8

Professional Network & Endorsements

1 Endorsement
Sunshine Symphony Sunshine Symphony Wedding Bands

We were fortunate enough to work with Alan and the gang at the Lehigh Valley Zoo when we performed at a wedding last August. The venue is great! Ample dance floor room, ample seating and staging area, and a myriad of creative locations for your ceremony. Where else can you have peacocks strolling around your reception? An added bonus was being able to stroll around the reception and check out the animals. A really fun yet lovely location. Alan was a true professional! We hope to work with the Lehigh Valley Zoo again.

Map

Lehigh Valley Zoo frequently asked questions

Lehigh Valley Zoo includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Chairs
  • Clean Up
  • Parking
  • Tables
The space offered by Lehigh Valley Zoo for wedding events is known for:
  • Farm/Ranch
  • Park
  • Zoo
Lehigh Valley Zoo offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
Lehigh Valley Zoo offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
Lehigh Valley Zoo offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Clean Up
  • Event Rentals
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Outside Vendors
Lehigh Valley Zoo offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Altar/Arch
  • Chairs
  • Tables
Lehigh Valley Zoo is recommended by 100% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 5.0, with the same score awarded for quality of service, flexibility, value, professionalism and average response time.
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