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Quality catering
Unique aesthetic style
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Seymour Marine Discovery Center is a unique and breathtaking wedding venue in Santa Cruz, California. Couples and their loved ones can enjoy the ocean view as they bask in the marine sanctuary's beauty, surrounded by rare native plants. The tranquil setting by the ocean has been the home to numerous stunning wedding receptions and ceremonies over the years.

Facilities and Capacity

Swapping vows and saying "I do" while feeling the ocean mist on your face in front of loved ones is the perfect way to start the festivities. With the sound of the surf lapping the shore, you can tie the knot against a background of natural beauty. Sharing a cocktail hour toast with close friends and family will shake away all those wedding day nerves before stepping inside the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. The fully customizable location can comfortably accommodate up to 140 guests for an unforgettable night of wining and dining. Two outside blufftop terraces offer magnificent views of Monterey Bay as the sun begins to set. However, the party is only getting started as a DJ or band takes to the stage to play the night away.

Services Offered

Couples and their guests will have free access to the Seymour Center, Discovery Center, and aquarium on the big day. The Seymour Marine Discovery Center allows clients to bring their own vendors, meaning they can arrange their favored florists, musicians, and decorators to personalize the celebration. Ample parking for 140 people is provided on the grounds at Seymour Marine Discovery Center so guests can party all day, knowing their property is nearby, accessible, and safe.

Pricing information

Starting at $5,640
Couples usually spend $6,510
Reception
$5,640 starting price
Ceremony
$1,500 starting price
These prices are available for the months of March through November.
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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?

$5,640

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

$4,140

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?

$1,500

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

$1,500

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Chairs
Lighting/Sound
Parking
Tables

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

4

Describe your venue:

Museum
Waterfront

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Get Ready Rooms
Outside Vendors
Wifi

What event items are available?

Chairs
Furniture
Lighting
Tables

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
December

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Reviews of Seymour Marine Discovery Center

This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

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The Seymour Marine Discovery Center is highly praised for its stunning ocean views, unique indoor reception space with marine exhibits, and professional staff. Reviewers appreciated the center's affordable cost, the private touch tank experience for cocktail hour, and the funds going towards marine education. Some challenges mentioned include restrictions on set-up time, additional costs for certain features, and limited space for guest mingling. Overall, the venue is described as a memorable and beautiful location for a wedding, with positive feedback on the staff's helpfulness and the venue's mission.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

The Seymour Marine Discovery Center is highly praised for its stunning ocean views, unique indoor reception space with marine exhibits, and professional staff. Reviewers appreciated the center's affordable cost, the private touch tank experience for cocktail hour, and the funds going towards marine education. Some challenges mentioned include restrictions on set-up time, additional costs for certain features, and limited space for guest mingling. Overall, the venue is described as a memorable and beautiful location for a wedding, with positive feedback on the staff's helpfulness and the venue's mission.

Weddingwire
4.7/5 17 reviews
Google
4.7/5 1215 reviews
A
Andrew Sent on 07/18/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing Venue

The Seymour Center was absolutely perfect! The ocean view from the bluffs was an amazing backdrop to our ceremony and the exhibit hall was such a unique space for the reception. All of our guests raved about how amazing our venue was and the touch pool was a big hit with the kids. It was also meaningful to us that our money goes to fund marine outreach and education. The event staff were so accommodating, professional, and prompt when answering our hundreds of questions. Thank you Emily, Audrey, and the rest of the staff!
Allison
Allison Sent on 03/25/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Best wedding ever!

All of our guests said that our wedding was the best one they had ever attended!
The Seymour Marine Discovery Center was incredibly quick to respond to all of my questions. The events team was professional throughout the whole process and were even my personal hype team on the day of! The sea cliffs for our ceremony were perfect and everyone enjoyed the private touch tank experience for cocktail hour. Overall an amazing venue for an affordable cost!
Kelsey
Kelsey Sent on 08/17/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Stunning Ocean Views and Unique Venue - Some Flexibility Required

The Seymour Center was a fantastic venue for our wedding – it had the perfect mix of stunning ocean views for our outdoor ceremony and a unique indoor reception space featuring marine exhibits. We were lucky that between booking and the time of our wedding they renovated the La Feliz reception room and replaced the older blue carpet with a beautiful hardwood floor – a dramatically superior improvement! Important things to note: Since this center is for public education, the arrangement of the exhibit hall space can change after you book (be flexible on reception set-up) and you can’t set up for your wedding until after it closes to the public at 4pm. This would likely not be a good venue for those wanting elaborate ceremony decorations or reception set-up because of this time crunch. This rule also makes it absolutely crucial to hire vendors who are familiar with the space and its cleaning rules. However, I would’ve liked a better area for guests to mingle and wait out of the way other than the parking lot in front of the center. It would be nice if they offered a ‘buy-out’ option so that we could close it even an hour earlier to allow more time for set-up, especially since there was less than 5 people in the center during that final hour. In addition, several significant features were separate costs outside of the packages such as reception lighting, storing items at the venue in advance, and a ‘get-ready’ room – so budget accordingly. Emily and her team are very kind and accommodating with answering all of our questions throughout planning and we were able to coordinate around these constrictions with their help. Our wedding day went incredibly smoothly and we had such a positive experience, and you truly cannot beat hearing ocean waves as you walk down the aisle to your wedding. Would highly recommend the Seymour Center if you are looking for a memorable and unique venue!

Photos: By Katie & Morgan Hallas
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Awards

17

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Real Weddings

Jessica & Andrea
21 photos · 04/16/2016

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