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Weddings

Pricing information

Reception
$7,000 starting price
Ceremony
$2,000 starting price
Bar service
$15 per person
Reception
$7,000 starting price
Ceremony
$2,000 starting price
Bar service
$15 per person

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Attributes highlighted by couples

Unique aesthetic style
Quality catering
Guests comfort
Amenities

About

On WeddingWire since 2011

Zoo Knoxville is a wildlife park wedding venue in Knoxville, Tennessee. Providing an intimate and exclusive setting, all wedding events are held after the zoo’s operating hours are over.

Facilities and Capacities
The venue can accommodate up to 300 guests. Shaded with towering trees and surrounded with rock formations, it has several indoor and outdoor event spaces. With wonderful lighting effects, a charming waterfall, and a carousel, this venue provides unique backdrops.

Services Offered
Zoo Knoxville offers certified wedding planners and an expert event staff to help couples achieve a stress-free, flawless event. The venue provides event spaces for wedding ceremonies, receptions, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, and engagement parties. The venue offers various services including:

  • Set up and break down
  • Wedding party dressing rooms
  • Complimentary cake cutting
  • Event rentals
  • On Site Coordinator


Other Services
Couples and guests can see zoo animals such as Malayan Tigers, Reticulated Giraffes, and our world famous Red Pandas. Ask us how we can incorporarte your favorite zoo animal into your wildly fun wedding day!

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?

$7,000

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

$7,000

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?

$2,000

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

$2,000

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Bridal Suite
Chairs
Clean Up
Linens
Parking
Set Up
Tables

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

Cake Cutting

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$15

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

Bartender(s)
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Limited Bar
Open Bar
Signature Drink

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

2

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

20

Describe your venue:

Garden
Historic Building
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
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Bar Services
Catering Services
Clean Up
Event Planner
Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms
Wifi

What catering services do you offer?

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

What bar services do you provide?

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

What event items are available?

Altar/Arch
Centerpieces
Chairs
Tables
Tents

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Shuttle
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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Message vendor
4.9 out of 5 rating
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
93 Reviews
  • Quality of service
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.9 out of 5 rating
84% Recommended by couples
L
Lily S. Sent on 10/23/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Better Than My Wildest Dreams

Being a less-than-traditional couple, deciding to have our wedding at Zoo Knoxville was a no-brainer. Animals at our wedding?! Duh.

The customization of the wedding packages is fantastic, and the Zoo's event management staff went above and beyond during a stressful COVID-wedding planning process. Suzi and Miranda were gems, answering all of our questions and catering to our sometimes ridiculous whims (look, we really needed that personal shrimp tower for our sweetheart table!). The rest of the staff that helped make our special day possible were kind, gracious, and very well-prepared.

What I'd consider to be the coolest part of the day was the fact that Suzi and company drove our bridal party around the zoo on golf carts to take photos before the ceremony. And after the ceremony, we were whisked away to take photos together as husband and wife throughout the zoo. It was fun, goofy, and just plain magical.

I can't recommend Zoo Knoxville for your wedding enough. This team knows how to do it right!
M
Megan W. Sent on 12/26/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Wildly fun - and wildly easy!

We eloped at Zoo Knoxville and it was everything we could have wanted and more!

Price: For an elopement I would say the price is extremely reasonable, especially considering what is included. For our price we got access to the Zoo after hours for our event, access early for ourselves and our guests and vendors, two private areas to get ready, a golf cart tour for photos, a walk through before hand to map our photos and the event plan, an arch (we brought in a few flowers to decorate), chairs, a table and linens for cake and cards, several dedicated event staff who coordinated locations and timelines and music, and access to the carousel after hours for the most incredible photos. We were able to add on Champagne for a toast for a very reasonable cost too! We didn’t add on an animal encounter package but they were a bit more expensive. Since this venue is a non-profit, we felt good about our money going back into the Zoo and animals.

Venue/Location: we got engaged at this location, so it was an easy choice for us. I will say the animals are animals so some were more active and willing to show off for photos than others - but we counted on none of them and were pleasantly surprised by anyone who did show up. There were so many beautiful spots around the zoo for photos (bamboo forests, wooden covered bridges, caves, rock formations, a waterfall, a tree house, the carousel, and more!) so even without the animals we loved the space. There was more than enough parking and it was easy to get downtown immediately after for our dinner and reception.

Events Team/Coordinator: Truly the best group of people on the events team to work with! We worked primarily with Marie - and she was INCREDIBLE!!! Even though our event was relatively small, pulled together within ~6 weeks, and right before Christmas/the end of the year, Marie and the team treated it like it was their number one priority and the most important event they could possibly be working on. We appreciated their responsiveness - especially to my many lists of questions - so much as we pulled together an event in a short time frame. They helped us customize the event to exactly what we wanted/needed and were so flexible in terms of our timeline and accommodating of all of our preferences. Marie gave us a walkthrough and showed us all the best photo spots and personally drove around our golf cart for photos on the day of. She also set up the arch with the florals we brought. The laptop we brought for music died and they immediately adapted and pulled up their own music that fit the vibe of the playlist we had made and covered it so seamlessly that I never even knew that our playlist wasn’t the one that was played! They truly made the day an easy and smooth dream for us.

We would choose this venue again in a heartbeat, and we would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested!
T
Tayler M. Sent on 10/11/2023
5 out of 5 rating

8/26 Wedding

If you are considering booking the zoo for your wedding, this is your sign to do it. Every single aspect exceeded our expectations! I honestly can't emphasize enough how accommodating they were. They truly listened to everything we wanted, and even then went above and beyond what we asked for to make our day perfect. I was honestly surprised in the best way at how much they did for us. On our wedding day, they had an event that morning that more people showed up for than they had accounted for, and even still, they made us priority. Everyone was so friendly and helpful, the catering was top notch, and the set up and breakdown were effortless. For a day that everyone warned me was chaotic and stressful, that was just simply not the case at the zoo. Miranda was our coordinator and I will forever be grateful for her and how she made our special day (and the months leading up to it) the best way we could've asked for.
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Awards

93
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2022 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner

Real Weddings

Nichole & Jonathan
26 photos · 01/17/2021

Professional Network & Endorsements

5 Endorsements
ST Photography ST Photography Wedding Photographers

The zoo is such a fun place to get married!! Not only do you get unique photos but the guest have so much to do and see. They have a great tented area for a reception and several locations around the ground to have the ceremony. It is truly a blast!!

CASEY & KRISTIN CASEY & KRISTIN Wedding Videographers

We love the Knoxville Zoo! It's absolutely a great place for a wedding!

Tonya Damron Photography Tonya Damron Photography Wedding Photographers

We love them they take such good care of our brides!!!

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