Say “I Do” at the Zoo!
The Minnesota Zoo’s lush grounds and serene settings form an enchanting and unique backdrop for your special day. The Zoo features a number of distinctive, private locations for your ceremony, social hour and reception. By hosting your event at the Zoo, you can celebrate more and worry less.
To inquire further:
952.431.9257
Julia.Campbell@state.mn.us
Visit the Minnesota Zoo Web site at:
www.mnzoo.com
Minnesota Zoo
13000 Zoo Boulevard
Apple Valley, MN 55124
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13 Reviews for Minnesota Zoo
Recommended by 90% of couples
Marci Winer · Married on 06/22/2019
Awesome venue!
I highly recommend the MN Zoo as a wedding venue! We worked with Peter from start to finish and he is fantastic! The groom was initially weary, but after our first meeting with Peter, who did an excellent job in describing the venue options, decorations, process, and giving us a wonderful tour, he was on board with it.
Sent on 06/25/2019
We're definitely a more quirky couple and wanted a fun venue that reflected that. We really wanted our friends to have a unique experience. We had our ceremony in the tropics trail area and our reception in discovery bay-- since it was after hours, we had the areas to ourselves! We got a lot of compliments from adults and kids alike. Even the teenagers had fun!
Bonus: we didn't have to spend a ton of time or money on decorations!
Double bonus: Set up and take down are included, and the price is actually far less than a lot of other venues in the area.
Triple bonus: Because this is the Zoo, a portion of the money goes to animal conservation.
Because this is at a Zoo, there are certain things to keep in mind. 1.) There are no "dressing rooms" per se-- we utilized some of the classrooms in the back area, which are closed off to the public. Thus, everyone needed to arrive with hair/make-up/etc. already done. 2.) This is a zoo, there are animals. Sometimes animals like to make noise. They may do this during the ceremony. 3.) Because the weddings take place after hours, it's neccessary to take your pictures BEFORE the ceremony. You have 2 hours during business hours to take photos where ever you want in the zoo, but there will be people also walking about. So if you want privacy for that, this may not be the best for you. (I personally enjoyed the positive vibes from the crowd that gathered to watch our "first look". ) So, if any of those things bother you, this may not be the venue for you.
Summary: Peter is great! The Zoo is great! If you want something fun and a little quirky, definitely consider having your wedding here!
Minnesota Zoo's reply:
Thank you Marci for your kind comments. It has been a joy working with you and Alex and wish you both all the best!Acevedo · Married on 04/27/2019
Beautiful venue, great staff
Peter, our coordinator, was awesome. They were very flexible and easy to work with. They constantly checked in with us on every detail and made sure we felt comfortable and excited about our big day! The venue itself was gorgeous. We highly recommend spending the extra money for the Tropics Trail. We used it for the social hour, and it was the talk of the night. Special shout-out to Becky and Lori, who were our day-of coordinators and made the day go off without a hitch!
Sent on 05/19/2019
Trish · Married on 06/11/2018
We had our wedding reception at the Minnesota Zoo following our destination wedding. We started with a cocktail hour in the tropics where our guests got to have drinks and appetizers as well as walk the tropics trail and enjoy the animals. We moved to Discovery bay (the aquarium) for our dinner and dance to end the night. Our experience was great from the very beginning, the communication was excellent and our Coordinator, Peter was very patient and accomodating. On the day of the event we worked with Ami and Becky who were awesome. Becky went above and beyond to make sure we had the perfect day. Our guests loved the reception, everyone commented that it was one of the most unique and fun weddings they had ever been to! I would highly recommend hosting your wedding at the MN Zoo if you're looking for a venue both you and your guests will love.
Sent on 08/06/2018
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