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Weddings

Pricing information

Reception
$3,000 starting price
Ceremony
$3,000 starting price
Bar service
$18 per person
Bar service
$18 per person
These prices are available for the months of September through May. These prices are available for the months of June through August.

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Attributes highlighted by couples

Unique aesthetic style
Quality catering
Guests comfort
Amenities

About

The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens is a unique and fun wedding event venue located in Palm Desert, California. The truly young at heart will enjoy celebrating their special day amidst swaying palm trees, desert breezes and, of course, a fun zoo for all ages.

Facilities and Capacity
The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens has a number of venues including six beautiful ceremony sites and seven reception venues. Each venue offers specific services and features. The Palm Garden Patio, a lush oasis encircled with beautiful palm trees, is where you can dance the night away free from distractions of the outside world. The District Commissioner’s House, filled with early 20th century antiques, is where you and your guests will be complemented by an Amur leopard.

Services Offered
The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens offers unique services and features. Services provided include:

  • Bridal showers
  • Engagement parties
  • Rehearsal dinners
  • Ceremonies
  • Receptions
  • Setup and cleanup
  • Event planning
  • In-house catering
  • Lighting and sound
  • Chairs and tables
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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

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?

$3,000

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Clean Up
Parking
Set Up

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$18

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Bartender(s)
Open Bar

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

25

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

12

Describe your venue:

Art Gallery
Park
Zoo

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
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Catering Services
Clean Up
Event Rentals

What event items are available?

Chairs
Lighting
Tables

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Shuttle
Valet
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

January
February
March
April
May
September
October
November
December

What months are included in your off-peak season?

June
July
August
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4.6 out of 5 rating
12 Reviews
  • Quality of service
    4.6 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.7 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.7 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.6 out of 5 rating
91% Recommended by couples
Grace
Grace M. Sent on 01/10/2024
5 out of 5 rating

So much fun!!

We had THE BEST experience working with The Living Desert as our wedding venue! Nicole and the entire staff were professional and communicative, accommodating and flexible to our vision as well as our budget, and overall just a joy to be around throughout the planning process as well as the day of. We were floored how they were able to transform our reception space to look as magical as it did! Our guests had a blast from start to finish! And of course, the giraffes were the star of the show!
Jackie
Jackie S. Sent on 01/19/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Best wedding venue hands down!!

Wow! This venue exceeded our expectations! Jared and the events team went above and beyond to make our wedding perfect. Our guests can not stop talking about our wedding. Every step was thoughtful,professional, and they made the entire wedding planning process enjoyable. Paul the catering manager was also a true professional and delight to work with. The food was delicious and beautiful. Setup was easy for the guests to navigate and his team made the experience so special. All the staff were top notch, and the animal keepers were over the top amazing! They spent so much time talking with the guests about the giraffes and making sure the feeding experience was awesome for both the animals and the guests. I can’t say enough about this group! I consider them all family and I look forward to using this venue again in the future and recommending them highly for any event, but if you want the most memorable wedding this venue has it ALL!
Thank you Jared!!
Shannon
Shannon D. Sent on 04/26/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Breathtakingly beautiful,outdoor desert venue. Highly Recommended

We loved every minute of planning and hosting our wedding here! The staff were amazing. They care so much about the amnimals, the venue, and about our event! They had many many reccomendations, which we greatly appriciated. The prices was reasonable and lower than almost any venue we found in the area, but no a thing about the evening felt cheap. I read in someone else's review 'the venue was so beautiful, all we had to do was bring chairs'. That was SO TRUE. Don't waste your time, energy, and money trying to beautify the venue, it's already AMAZING!!
We used Savannah's landing for the ceremony, the cactus garden for the happy hour, and the Palm Garden for the reception. Our guests had so much fun traveling around the zoo for different events all night.
Recommendations:
1) Do the animal encounter. We almost cut it because we didn't think our guests would care or like it, but they LOVED it!!
2) Give yourself more time than you think to do photos, there are photo opts EVERYWHERE!!!
3) The house caterer was great and really easy to coordinate with - no need to pay to bring someone else in.
4) We rented a bus to get guests to and from Palm Springs. The drive is further than it seems.
5) Really, don't worry too much about the decorations, they will get lost in the beauty of the zoo & desert.

I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS VENUE TO ANYONE LOOKING FOR A FUN FILLED, BEAUTIFUL, OUTDOOR WEDDING!!
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Awards

12

Professional Network & Endorsements

1 Endorsement
Jennifer Yount Photography Jennifer Yount Photography Wedding Photographers

What can I say, The Living Desert will always be special to us. Luke and I chose The Living Desert for our own wedding! Working with them has been a great experience. AND Who can ever complain or compare to guest interactions with a high-fiving porcupine, a hawk and an armadillo at your cocktail hour?!

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