Adventure Aquarium Reviews
Reviews
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Weddingwire
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![Stephanie]()
Stephanie Sent on 11/29/2025Highly Recommend This Venue!
If you're looking for a unique wedding venue in the Philadelphia/Camden area, I highly recommend checking out Adventure Aquarium! We enjoyed working with Megan throughout the planning process. She was patient with us and our many questions throuhgout the process. She was also flexible when we had to make changes to our seating chart the weekend before our wedding. We loved that the venue was able to accommodate our guests' various dietary restrictions. The venue had a wide variety of options to choose from for entrees, appetizers, and desserts.
The day itself went off without a hitch and we loved seeing our vision come to life! The food was amazing, especially the roasted acorn squash! Our bridal attendant, Darlene, was so helpful. She made sure that we had what we needed throughout the whole night, including making sure that the two of us were able to eat during the cocktail hour and the reception. We were so thankful for her help throughout the whole event. The biggest highlights of the night were having our first look in the shark tunnel and the cocktail hour penguin! Our guests seemed like they had just as much fun as we did -
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![Erin]()
Erin Sent on 11/10/2025The cooolest wedding
This was the only venue we toured, and it was the only one we needed to see! Megan was INCREADIBLY helpful throughout the year-and-a-half long process, and Sammy and the rest of the catering staff were a well oiled machine. Getting decorations and photos done in the aquarium was a snap! I would love to hold another event here, if given the chance!
Plus, how can you beat getting married with sharks swimming by? Or enjoying cocktail hour with a penguin?
It was a blast, and I wish I could do it all over again!Adventure Aquarium's reply:
Thank you, Erin and Kyle! It was an absolute pleasure working with you. I loved everything about the decor you created- you are so crafty. I can't wait to see more photos and to hear about your honeymoon!
Megan -
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![Alex]()
Alex Sent on 12/01/2024We Couldn't Have Asked for a Better Place to Have Our Wedding
I cannot recommend this venue enough! If you want somewhere unique that is beautiful and all-inclusive, this is the place for you. We had our wedding in the Currents Ballroom which was such an amazing space. We and especially our guests loved the view of the shark tank the whole night. They were mesmerized and it's just such a nice space that felt so perfect for the vibe we were going for.
Terry helped us from start to finish. She was incredibly responsive, so sweet and helpful and worked with us to create the day we wanted. She's an absolute gem.
The food was delicious, even my dad (who is a bit of a food snob, loved it). The cake from Sunflour Bakeshop was beautiful and delicious. We also did the sundae station which was also a hit with the guests and really good.
Our bartender was great, the staff were great as was the service, and our bridal attendant Darlene was incredible. She was so attentive to us and made sure we had our hors d'oeuvres during cocktail hour, that we were hydrated, and that we were fed and taken care of throughout the night.
As far as experiences, we highly recommend the penguin cocktail hour encounter! We had Marina the penguin, she was adorable and a big hit with our guests. She was precious. Take advantage of the photos in the shark tunnel as well! It's such a cool spot and you get some incredible shots there.
Our guests are still talking about the wedding and how much they loved it and how much fun they had and we still are so happy with our experience and they day and we cannot thank Terry and the team at the Aquarium enough for making our day so memorable! -
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![Will]()
Will Sent on 10/30/2024Could Not Recommend Getting Married At The Aquarium Enough!
We are not usually ones to give reviews but felt that we had to in this case. Megan and her staff were fabulous from start to finish. our wedding was absolutely gorgeous and loved by all. If we had any issues along the way, Megan made sure that all were made right. Her, Sammy, and Darlene were GREAT. Will add more photos when we get our professional pictures back but wanted to make sure we gave a shout out to Megan and her team right away! -
![Casey]()
Casey Sent on 06/12/2024Wedding venue of our dreams!!!!
Beautiful space, incredible staff, DELICIOUS food - I cannot recommend enough hosting your wedding at Adventure Aquarium!! Every step of the planning process was a wonderful experience, and Megan Aldrich and her team are FANTASTIC and such a joy to work with!!
Our wedding was on April 13, 2024 with about 130 guests, and Currents Ballroom was the PERFECT space! The room is stunning and so elegant, and our wedding guests were all so surprised and in awe of the floor-to-ceiling height shark/underwater view. Upon meeting Megan and seeing the venue for the first time, we knew immediately that this was going to be the venue for us (we also proceeded to cancel all of our other venue visits and book right away)! Being able to add the "Meet a Penguin" was such a fun and memorable opportunity that made our wedding extra fun for our guests (and for us!!). Our guests didn't know what to expect with an aquarium wedding venue, but were pleasantly surprised by how beautiful the space was, and had so much fun taking pictures against the underwater backdrop.
Even more importantly than the stunning space - I cannot rave enough about what a joy it was to work with Megan and her team!!! From day one, Megan was very communicative and accommodating with helping us make our wedding vision come true. The private food tasting experience was so much fun, and Megan helped us so much with thinking through some of the day-of details during our food tasting. Leading up to the day of our wedding, Megan also handled coordinating with all of the vendors we had booked regarding set up/tear down, and other day of details. She and her team were also FANTASTIC on the day of our wedding as well!!! The night ran so smoothly and the set up/transition of the space from the ceremony to the cocktail hour to the reception was absolutely flawless. The staff truly went above and beyond to make sure our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception spaces were decorated beautifully, and we are extremely grateful for all that they did to make our day so perfect. The team is extremely detail-oriented, accommodating, and kind. The bridal attendant Darlene was also so wonderful and made sure that my husband and I always had food and drinks!
THE FOOD: The in-house food provider for Adventure Aquarium (Aramark) truly knocked it out of the park!!! We were so excited about how delicious everything was at the food tasting, and the food was equally delicious the day of our wedding as well! We opted to go with the buffet-style dinner and ended up choosing to pay a little bit extra to add a 4th entree because everything tasted so good!! The open bar was also fantastic - staff were super friendly and attentive. For the bar we were able to customize a signature drink, and they also did not skimp on the champagne toast provided! A wedding cake provided by Sunflour Bakery was also included in our package and the cake was SO delicious our guests didn't leave a single piece leftover!
We are incredibly grateful to Megan and her team for helping us make our wedding day so special and so memorable. Everything was exactly as we envisioned it and we had the absolute most perfect wedding day at Adventure Aquarium. Our guests kept raving to us that this was one of the most memorable weddings they had been to and that the food, drinks, and event space were amazing! We HIGHLY, highly recommend booking your wedding here for an experience that you and your guests will never forget!
The photos attached to this review are taken by Olga Hinchman from United Elite Photography.
Website: https://www.unitedelitephotography.com/Olga/
Instagram: @olga_united_eliteAdventure Aquarium's reply:
Thank you so much for your review! Casey, it was an absolute pleasure working with you and Bertram. I will share your kind words with the staff. We wish you all the best!
Megan -
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![Maria]()
Maria Sent on 08/12/2023A Venue to WOW Your Guests!
I cannot share enough great things about having my wedding at Adventure Aquarium. It was an all-around great experience from planning all the way through to the actual event.
The event coordinator, Terry, is very communicative and accommodating. She was detail oriented and never made me feel like my questions or requests were a burden.
The venue itself is FABULOUS. Being able to add things like touch-a-stingray or meeting a penguin to the cocktail hour truly made this wedding one of a kind for the guests. Not only that, but the Currents Ballroom event room is incredibly gorgeous. Your guests will likely not know what to expect when they find out your wedding is at an aquarium. They will expect fish and fun but when they walk into that ballroom they will be stunned with how gorgeous and elegant it is.
The AAQ has their own in-house food provider with Aramark. Oh my word - the food was delicious. Our tasting was such a great time and I was blown away by how yummy everything was - even things I normally wouldn't eat. We wound up paying extra for a fourth option because everything was just so good. They have a signature cocktail called the Shark Bite which is also just perfect for any wedding. A wedding cake, provided by Sunflour Bakery, is also included in their package and the cake at Sunflour is super delicious as well.
The staff on the night of was fabulous! Our bridal assistant, Darlene, was a super woman! She kept an eye on my husband and I all night and helped with everything from keeping an eye on my elderly father, to making sure we had food from cocktail hour, to even providing us with Adventure Aquarium tumblers when my husband said he wanted a cold soda in the biggest cup they had! The servers and bartenders were personable and attentive.
I always wanted to get married at the Aquarium and I am happy to say that the night was a dream - exactly the way I envisioned it. It was worth every penny spent and aside from having the night of your life, you will be giving your guests an experience they too will never forget!Adventure Aquarium's reply:
Dear Maria & Frank,
You both were a delight. We are so happy we helped you realize your vision. We wish you both many happy years ahead.
(Don't forget to share your photo link - we can't wait to see all your pictures.
Terry -
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![Heather]()
Heather Sent on 07/04/2023Fun and unique venue
I can not rave about them enough! The venue was so much fun and beautiful! The staff was so helpful, everyone was professional and knew exactly what they were doing. From planning, to taste testing, to the actual day of, I was never stressed. I knew I was in good hands. It truly was the perfect day! -
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Kate Sent on 04/30/2023
Magical Wedding
We had our ceremony and reception at the aquarium on 4/14/2023 and had the best evening! It's amazing how the aquarium transforms perfectly to host a wedding. Their was a great variety of food to chose from and it was all good. Terry was easy to work with and very responsive. She gave opinions when requested or needed, but really worked with us to make sure the day was our vision and was never pushy. Our only critique is that it would be easier if there was communication between catering and the main aquarium staff, as we had some difficulty when we went to pick up decorations after the wedding. But overall, our wedding was unique and totally us, we couldn't be happier! -
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![Tiehna]()
Tiehna Sent on 10/14/2022Speechless
Everything was wonderful! Everyone's still talking about this beautiful, unique venue. The food and the service were excellent. Had a problem and Megan handled everything quickly and professionally. We had the wedding in the Ocean Realm Theater and the reception in the Currents Ballroom. This venue is whimsical and elegant, the best of both worlds. I would highly recommend them. Worth every dime. -
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![Alexis]()
Alexis Sent on 06/15/2022A "fairytail" experience
We had a true "fairytail" experience at the Adventure aquarium! We worked with Terry Hall for the most part and she was so amazing and helpful, she steered us in all the right directions with her experience and she always responded so quickly to any questions. They were so accommodating to any requests they let us bring a lift recliner and put in the the ballroom for my mom who has MS. The current ballroom was so breathtakingly beautiful, we were blown away. Our guests could not stop talking about how pretty everything was. We got so many compliments on every aspect of the event from the food to the views to the friendliness of all the staff. The food was fantastic and the cocktails were delicious. I had a wonderful experience here and would 100% recommend this venue to anyone! I'm already wondering how long I have to wait to have an anniversary party here 😂 -
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![Kelci]()
Kelci Sent on 05/30/2022Best day ever.
Absolutely PERFECT, my guests can’t stop talking about how amazing of a time they had. I couldn’t be happier with our decision. The staff was amazing, so polite, and helpful in ever aspect.
If I could do it again, I would in a heartbeat.Adventure Aquarium's reply:
Thank you so much. We loved having you with us.
Share some of your photos when you get them.
Terry -
![Marie]()
Marie Sent on 03/12/2022Awesome, friendly, understanding
Easy planning process, good food, amazing team and coordinator -
![C Dart]()
C Dart Sent on 02/06/2022A wedding to remember
First let me say from beginning to end Terry and her team were amazing! With the covid we were so concerned about everything but she delivered a most rememberable wedding. Our guest loved the food and seeing some of the exhibits as they came to our ceremony added that flare. Everyone said they had a wonderful time! I guess having open bar helped a little too! The staff was awesome, on point with everything we asked for. Who ever thinks of getting married at an aquarium. We can honestly say this was the best experience and We would do it again. -
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Jane Sent on 01/20/2022
Perfect and Memorable Wedding!
Adventure Aquarium was everything we wanted and more. Terry was amazing to work with and my now-husband always says she was actually our deciding factor in choosing the aquarium for our wedding venue! She never pitched a sales presentation like other vendors, she worked alongside of us to make it the perfect day. Her creativity knows no bounds. Our guests were able to enjoy the touch a sting a ray exhibit, meeting a penguin during cocktail hour and have aquarium themed cocktails! The views of the Philadelphia Skyline right outside was the icing on the cake! She was able to give us so many options and help us stay within budget. A month later, we still hear from our guests how "epic" and 'one of a kind" experience our wedding was! We honestly would not change anything about our wedding and that is thanks to her! -
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![Samantha]()
Samantha Sent on 01/15/2022Best night ever
I cannot say enough good things about our choice to have our reception at the aquarium! We started our planning during Covid and the entire event team did a great job of keeping us up to date on any changes in rules for the event. From start to finish they made the entire thing so simple for us by taking care of everything. We had a lot of kids and they all had so much fun getting to watch all the fish and the sharks swimming around. The food was absolutely amazing and they did a great job of helping us incorporate some traditional Filipino food to highlight my husband's heritage. Even now, almost three months later I still have friends and family that it was the most fun they've ever had at a wedding. If you are at all on the fence seriously, take the leap and pick Adventure Aquarium, they are amazing!Adventure Aquarium's reply:
We were delighted to be a part of your celebration. We wish you a lifetime of health and happiness.
Adventure Aquarium Events & Catering -
![Amanda]()
Amanda Sent on 12/29/2021Different and Unique
Our Wedding at the Aquarium was everything I dreamt it to be. My husband and I wanted something different than the normal catering hall and when we saw the aquarium had a hall we knew (before we were even engaged lol) that would be it. We originally planned for a Nov 2020 wedding but due to the Pandemic we rescheduled to April and than finally November 2021. During that time there was a change in event managers. Megan helped us through all the little hiccups that came along with rescheduling your wedding two times. She was knowledgeable and thorough. There are so many little things I can mention with how awesome she is but the one that sticks out the most was how the night of the wedding one of the vendors (separate from the aquarium) was not there. Megan went out of her way to reach out to the vendor to get them there. Taking all the stress off of me so that I could enjoy the night. Secondly, we were given a bridal attendant Ms. Darlene. Again I could go on and on about how wonderful she was. We have a 5 year old son and Ms. Darlene was so helpful with him. Even getting him a snack while we took pictures. She was so sweet and professional. Thank you Megan, Ms. Darlene, and the whole catering staff for making our wedding an unforgettable experience! And always Hire the PENGUIN! She was the hit of the party! -
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![Bailey]()
Bailey Sent on 11/03/2021worth every penny!
They were absolutely amazing. Did everything for us were great with working with us and I couldnt imagine a better venue for a wedding. The team was amazing and I never had a complaint -
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![Regina]()
Regina Sent on 11/03/2021Awesome wedding venue!
Our daughter had her wedding at the Adventure Aquarium in the South Seas exhibit area. It was fantastic! The food was delicious, wait staff courteous and professional. The venue itself was wonderfully arranged to invite guests to wander through the exhibits to the ceremony and then to the reception. Those who wanted to get away from the music for a bit could go back into the exhibits and sit and chat, and the kids (and adults) got to visit the Touch a Shark tank. We would highly recommend the Adventure Aquarium to anyone who wants a unique wedding experience! -
![Frank]()
Frank Sent on 08/20/2021Mr & Mrs Daniels - Always To Gether.
I got married there June 1, 2021. Theresa was great from the beginning to the end. She gave awesome customer service. The day of the wedding my host was amazing as well. They had one lady that just there for the Bride & Groom. She catered to us from the beginning to the end. The seven horsderves got rave reviews from my guests. The food as well, even the cake. I only had 25 ppl. Very intermitt . The theater area up stairs was perfect and my reception was place in a u shape around us. The dance area was perfect for the u shape lay out. The outside back ground made wedding pictures excellent.
I would recommend to anyone
Thanks to everyone who helped make my day so special for me. -
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Keshina Sent on 08/07/2021
Best night of my life
In a word our experience was wonderful. Theresa Hall is a pro and a ray of sunshine. The staff was amazing and extremely helpful. Especially Laura our bridal attendant. The food was amazing and our guest are still talking about. Having the fish tanks as walls was sooo pretty. I honesty cant say anything bad about our experience. We had to move our date twice due to covid and everyone still knew our details as if nothing happened. I would not only have another event here but I highly recommend this venue to anyone wanting a beautiful space with great staff and food! Thank you for making our day amazing! -
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![Kym]()
Kym F. Sent on 06/15/2021Have. Your. Wedding. Here.
We just had our wedding at Adventure Aquarium this past Saturday (after a COVID delay from last year) and I honestly could not recommend it more. The venue is stunning, the animals and experiences you can add are worth every cent and will keep your guests entertained all night, the food is SO MUCH BETTER than most wedding food, and it’s incredibly affordable for what you get.
But the number 1 reason I recommend Adventure aquarium for a wedding is the STAFF! Terry Hall and her team are like a well oiled machine AND they are so much fun to work with. We had a lot of changes and questions about our wedding because of COVID and the changing rules and yet Terry made sure we were taken care of and I never doubted that she had our interests in mind. She is PHENOMENAL and she will make sure your dream wedding happens how you envisioned it. Darlene, our bridal attendant, kept us fed and with drinks on hand, and she made sure we had time to just enjoy ourselves. Jimmy, our maitre d’, kept the show going all night and kept us informed with how the schedule was progressing.
Highly recommend doing your ceremony in Ocean Realm theatre, holding a smaller reception in the rotunda (we had 50 people and it was perfect), having a penguin for your cocktail hour and opting for Stingray Beach. Our guests had so much fun interacting with the animals!!
Honestly, just hold your event here if you want people to tell you what our friends and family told us- it was the BEST wedding ever!!! -
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Becca Sent on 02/28/2020
Blown Away!
I can’t say enough good things about the staff at the Adventure Aquarium. Not only was the venue absolutely stunning, but the way Peter, Terry, Jimmy, and Cassandra helped make sure the day went smoothly shocked us both. This day was everything the two of us could have hoped for and more. Seeing my vision brought to life was more magical than anything a girl ever dreams of for her wedding. I’d recommend this venue to absolutely anyone!Adventure Aquarium's reply:
Dear Becca,
It was our pleasure. We can't wait to see the wedding on Say Yes to the Dress.
Peter, Cassandra & Terry -
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Anna Sent on 01/09/2020
Our wedding was beautiful and everything ran perfectly. I couldn’t be happier with Terry and her team.
From the first time talking to Terry, I was impressed. She always responded fast and professionally. The food was not run of the mill and was so good. As for the bar, the wine was very good and I know they made the mixed drinks perfectly. They were not too weak or too strong. -
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![Brian]()
Brian Sent on 08/30/2019Dream Wedding
What an awesome experience. Everyone involved with the process was absolutely amazing. I recommend this venue that is looking for a unique event space. From the food to the staff you will not be disappointed at all. We received so many compliments oh how great everything was. Thank you so very much. -
Caroline Sent on 08/21/2019
Delicious Food, Beautiful Environment
The food is very delicious. The currents ballroom is very beautiful. I didn't hire a florist and just bought my DIY decorations, and the staff helped me arrange them beautifully. But I hope they can improve the guests' parking experience. We were told that parking is free for wedding guests but they still charge us money, and we have to wait for 30 minutes for the staff to come out to solve this issue. -
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![BROOKE]()
Brooke Sent on 07/10/2019Beautiful Wedding Venue
We had the best time at our aquarium wedding!! Thanks to the wonderful staff, we were able to actually enjoy our day, including our fun, signature drink, our wonderful buffet dinner, and the cake! Everything was perfect! -
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![Sarah]()
Sarah Sent on 06/27/2019Get married at the Adventure Aquarium!
Besides picking each other to get married to, picking the Adventure Aquarium as our venue was the best decision we made for our wedding! Peter was great to work with and always answered our emails quickly. We were pleasantly surprised at all of the menu options we had and they were all delicious. Darlene, the bridal attendant, and Rose, the catering manager, were both lovely to work with the day of and took great care of us. The Ocean Realm Theater was a stunning backdrop to our ceremony, and the South Seas was a unique space for our cocktail hour and reception. We lucked out and had good weather, so our guests were able to enjoy the views of the Philly skyline from the balconies. Shout-out to Liberty the penguin, who delighted our guests during cocktail hour too! -
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![Monica]()
Monica Sent on 06/20/2019Exceptional
I just got married at the Adventure Aquarium and let me tell you... they were able to pull off the absolute best day of my life. Not only that, but my main contact, Peter Patane, made everything so seamless. He was patient, kind, attentive, and flexible to say the least. The food was incredible, the experience was unforgettable, and the coordination was spot on. Do your self a favor, and get married here!!! -
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![Steve]()
Steve Sent on 06/19/2019Awesome venue professionally done
My daughter just had her wedding there. I was so impressed with how professional everyone was. It made my life so much easier. They pay attention to detail including an amazing attendant who was there the whole time. If a lot of out of area guests I would strongly encourage getting a bus. Luanne Bohen from Tulip Hill weddings helped tremendously in navigating the whole process. The food was amazing -
![Gabe]()
Gabe Sent on 05/22/2019Everything was Perfect
We had an INCREDIBLE time at our wedding on Saturday. Everything was so beautiful! The staff was excellent, the food was delicious, the penguin was a hit, and the view of the sharks all night long made for a perfect wedding day! So many of our guests commented on how much fun they had and how amazing the whole event turned out. Little details, personal touches, general layout, and overall setup made it all come together so beautifully.
Jimmy was really great. In between outside photos and shark tunnel photos, he loaded us up with hors d'oeuvres so we wouldn’t miss out on trying the tasty bites we picked! It was very nice to have that little break to ourselves and have a good snack. At the end of the night, he came over to check up on us and offered assistance for whatever we needed. It was all very professional and organized, but still had a personal touch that made us feel very welcome for the entire day.
Our attendant, Darlene, was a ROCKSTAR! She was really top notch. Whatever we needed…Darlene was there! It was so awesome to have someone help us throughout the night so that we didn’t have to worry about ANYTHING. We could tell that she really cared about making sure our day was incredibly special and that we just needed to enjoy ourselves. We know she did A LOT of big things to make it go smoothly, but we are especially grateful for all of the little things she did to add something extra! She even (cery professionally!) stood up to someone when he was becoming too demanding of our time. She just wanted us to be able to relax and have fun with our guests! Adventure Aquarium’s future sweetheart table residents will be in for a real treat if they get her!
Terry Hall, the coordinator, was absolutely amazing and we could not have asked for anyone better. It was so much fun to work with her throughout the entire process. Every question we had was answered. Every concern we had was eased. Adventure Aquarium is very lucky to have her working on their big events. She really knows how to make people feel like they belong and that they are in the right place to celebrate their special moments!
The Currents Ballroom at Adventure Aquarium was truly the greatest choice we could have made in deciding our wedding venue! -
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![Emily]()
Emily Sent on 11/07/2018A hidden gem, and a magical night
With the backdrop of the skyline at night, and the spectacular ballroom, this venue is a true gem in disguise. With the right decor, it is a unique venue, and the pictures and experience is one no one will forget. Heard from several guests it was the best wedding they have been to, and the venue was for sure a major factor. -
![User841109]()
User841109 Sent on 06/25/2012Thank you Stacy Steffen, event coordinator, for making our wedding exactly the way we wanted it. Every little thing or change I wanted, Stacy took care of it. The food was delicious, especially the salmon and the service was exceptional. Ada and Matt, our banquet managers, worked all night to make sure everything went as we planned. They made sure bride and groom were taken care of all night. I received many compliments on the venue, food and service. There is only one thing I would recommend for future events, and that is not to place a food station during cocktail hour underneath the ramp. One of our guests layed his glass on the ledgel and it fell down into the hor' d vours table so they had to be taken away. -
![lisaf353]()
Lisa Sent on 11/09/2009Everything was perfect. Even more then I expected. The service was exceptional and the food delicious! -
![Rachael]()
Rachael Sent on 03/11/2018What an amazing experience we had for our wedding! The Aquarium staff was incredible and attentive to us through the entire process of planning as well as on our big day. My bridal attendant was wonderful and made sure that the night went off without a hitch. She even managed to keep people away from me and my husband while we were eating so we could actually enjoy the delicious food the venue had for us! I would hold another event here without question. We loved our day! -
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Kathryn Sent on 10/08/2024
Diabetic/elderly
Overall the venue and food were absolutely amazing 10/10 recommend Theresa as well. There were however some issues with our older guests, they were not told about using the elevator so getting upstairs to the cocktail hour was difficult and there was not enough water for them to stay hydrated. Many of our guests have Diabetes and need that constant flow. -
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![Mrs.Spitz]()
Jamie Sent on 10/08/2013I had so much to write that it wouldn't all fit. So I'll try and summarize
my final bill didn't match what I was quoted and I never
received an explanation even after asking multiple times, I got so frustrated that I just paid it since my wedding was only 4 days away at this point and I didn't have any more time to worry about it.
my ceremony was outside I was promised that staff would be outside to direct my guest, more then half my guest ended up wandering inside lost so in my pictures my seats look empty since everyone was aimlessly wandering around. Your charged top dollar for outside because they tell you your paying for the extra staff, I paid but I didn't get any staff. The first row you would think would have been reserved for the parents and immediate family, no the catering manager told people to just sit wherever so my mother and sister didn't even have prime seating for my wedding.
The bartender was extremely ignorant to my guest to the point people where afraid to order drinks and they were asking me to order their drinks and I had no idea why until after the wedding was over and my mom finally decided to tell me that if people weren't tipping him on every round or ordering something he couldn't make he was giving them an attitude.
The bathrooms were a disgrace, no soap, no toilet paper someone decided to clean them 2 hours into my event .
my nephew had chicken fingers ordered, they never came.
That's just some of the highlights...theres more but you get the picture. I regret that I chose this venue. My pictures are beautiful but all the time, effort and money you spend on a wedding its heart breaking to watch 18 months of planning and saving be thrown away on an event that didn't meet your expectations.
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![Priscilla]()
Priscilla Sent on 10/06/2010I am the mother of the bride. I have taken several months to think about this review. I finally decided to write it as a word to the wise for future brides choosing to use this venue. While my daughter's wedding was beautiful, and most guests did not know about the problems, we encountered such a lack of professionalism and outright confusion that in the end Aramark (the company that runs the food service portion of the Aquarium) ended up refunding a substantial amount of money to us, thereby admitting culpability for the problems that made the wedding less than perfect. I am just thankful that while the entire ordeal was very stressful to me, most guests were not aware of all the mistakes that occurred.
First of all, what went right? The Aquarium is a beautiful facility, the location on the waterfront is awesome and Currents ballroom with the wall of fish tanks is spectacular.
For the purposes of simplicity I will list what went wrong. 1. The aquarium did not lock doors to the facility, so guests were wandering in and out while set up was occurring, totally unprofessional and really ruined the "wow" factor of seeing the tanks for the first time. 2. The maitre d' DID NOT SHOW UP, so NO ONE was in charge of our event. 3. Guests were supposed to be greeted at the door by staff with trays of wine, hors d'overes and signature cocktails. We paid extra for 3 additional "wine stewards" to perform this service. At 6PM when the guests arrived no servers were in sight. At 6:05 I had to go into the kitchen where the wait staff was HAVING A MEETING to tell them to come out. It was almost 6:15 before the trays were being passed. The mother of the bride should not have to track down the wait staff. 4. Table wine service was supposed to start as soon as the guests sat down. I had to flag a waiter down to ask them to start serving. Guests had to help themselves from tables set against the wall. My husband had to make his toast with a glass of water that I snatched off a table for him during his speech. 5. The food was not as presented at the tasting. In particular the caesar salad was horrible, lettuce from a bag with the dressing squirted (yes squirted) on the top, looking like it came from Eatin' Park, 6. The blinds in the cocktail area were not raised once the sun set, thereby blocking the view. I had to flag a waiter to get someone to raise them. We had specifically asked for them to be raised after the sunset, as what you are paying $150/person for is mainly the view. 7. The wedding cake was NEVER SERVED. The kitchen staff cut up a sheet cake we had as an "extra" cake in case we needed more than the wedding cake and grooms cake to serve the guests. I realized this at the end of the night when an entire wedding cake ($600) minus the one piece the bridal couple cut from it, and an entire grooms cake ($350) were loaded back into my car by the staff. I had to throw almost $1,000 worth of cake in the trash. And the guests were served tiny slivers of cake that looked like it came from the grocery store. 8. The three children (flower girls) were accidently served the appetizer of shrimp cocktail. When the servers realized the mistake they came to TAKE AWAY the shrimp cocktail as the children were eating them. The chicken fingers and fries that were the children's meals did not come with capsup. When it was requested, catsup packets were thrown, yes, thrown, on the table in front of them. Nice presentation.
There were other problems, but these were the main ones. I would advise anyone using this facility to make sure you know who will be the Aramark respresentative overseeing your event. The coordinator who went over all our plans was not present that night, and the replacement just never showed up. These kinds of mistakes are not acceptable in a facility that holds weddings/events every weekend. So while many of the reviews about the aquarium are quite good, just be aware that mistakes happen and you need to be very careful about who is going to be responsible for the success or failure of your particular event.
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