Aquarium of the Pacific Reviews

I can't even begin to describe how amazing it is. If you and your SO love the beach, fish, or just a nautical theme, then the Aquarium of the Pacific is a PERFECT venue. One of the first things my now-husband and I started talking about before we dated was aquariums we had/have. So 4 years later, when the topic of wedding venues came up, we thought of the Aquarium of the Pacific. It's unique, has a built-in entertainment for guests (they can view the exhibits between ceremony and reception), and perfectly suited to both our tastes and interests.

Cristen Flores, their catering sales manager, is professional, easy to work with, and simply amazing! I know the Aquarium is constantly busy with events, especially over the weekend, and yet she still manages to respond promptly to emails. Some weekends might take a little longer to get a response, but never long enough to be concerning. I am honestly impressed how she stays on top of everything, given how busy they are.

The main possible cons that I can see affecting others are few and far in-between. Even then, they're only drawbacks depending on your individual budget and priorities.

- One is that they do require you to at least have a wedding coordinator for the day of the wedding. Even if you plan it yourself like I did, a wedding coordinator has been a lifesaver for our wedding. I would recommend one of their preferred coordinator/planner, Monique Provance, if you can include that in the budget. Her help has been invaluable.

- You can only use their in-house catering. If you are set on a particular caterer, you would have to choose between them or this venue. For us, we really wanted this venue so we were fine with using their catering. Everything was delicious, so we have no regrets ourselves. Also because of this, I would totally recommend the venue to any of my friends getting married. None of that "I don't want them to copy my venue," since I would totally love to eat their food again!

- They only have 1 scheduled group tasting per year. If your wedding is between this year's and next year's tasting, you get scheduled to go to someone else's event and try their food. This is what we were most concerned about, since we had plated meals and everyone was asking us what we were serving, and we didn't know for the longest time. However, once we did have the food tasting, it was simply delicious! We got to try that particular event's food choice, and it did make me regret (just a little) that we couldn't do a group tasting and try other things on their menu. I kinda wish they had at least 2 tastings per year, or even a seasonal one (spring, summer, fall, winter).

- Lastly, there was a mild hiccup during my wedding when one of the volunteers almost didn't want to let me in early to take photos (as I was in full wedding dress, hair, and makeup). Thankfully it got fixed pretty quick, but I just think it shouldn't have happened. It just sucked a little that my parents couldn't get in early either, but at least we got them in before the procession started too.

So happy we chose the Aquarium for our wedding! Everything went smoothly. The food was great! Service, amazing! The staff really knows what they are doing. The Aquarium really makes wedding planning feel so easy and stress free. It really was the best night of our lives.

The perfect venue. I couldnt have asked for a better wedding. The food was simply amazing! The service was perfect. I had a smile on my face the entire night. Tamera is a pleasure to work with. I had no stress during all of the planning thanks to the amazing staff! Many guests told me it was a wedding they will never forget. I would highly recommend the aquarium for your special day.

We checked out a handful of venues, but when we stumbled upon the Aquarium of the Pacific we knew it was the one! It's such a unique, fun, and interactive location and the team there knows how to run events. Cristen Flores was our go to contact for everything venue and catering related-- she tends to work a random schedule due to events on weekends and late nights, but she is good about setting an automatic email reply so that you know exactly when she'll be back in the office next.

Pros: Getting married under the sea (without getting wet :D) ! Dogs are allowed inside and our dog 'Seal' came in for pre-ceremony photos. Our guests had a great time at the jelly touch tank pre-ceremony and had fun exploring the upstairs galleries and penguin visit during cocktail hour. AOP is a one stop shop for ceremony and reception venue, tables and chairs (for less than 200 people included), food and beverage (and it was delicious-- short ribs melted in your mouth and the salmon was so tasty- the chef works with you to come up with the best menu).

Cons: The earliest the ceremony can start is 6:45pm due to AOP closing to the public at 6pm-- but the event team does a fantastic job turning around the event space in a short 45 minutes. But that is why you are required to have an outside day of coordinator to handle your outside vendors, and all outside vendors are required to visit the venue ahead of time to tour the space/know where the loading dock is, where outlets are, etc.

We would highly recommend the rest of our wedding day vendors (except for our DJ/Lighting)::
Photography: https://www.oryanempire.com/
Florist: https://www.walteriaflowershop.com/
Day of Coordinator: http://klinkevents.com/
Officiant: https://www.greatofficiants.com/
Hair and Makeup: https://www.getbentbeauty.com/
Hotel: Hyatt Centric the Pike - walking distance

Great place to have a wedding. All our guest thought it was memorable and they even tell their friends about it. Christen was very helpful throughout the entire process and helped guide us through the Aquarium rules. Guest were super happy to get to see the Aquarium in a more intimate setting and it made it unforgettable.

We wanted a unique wedding that was both whimsical and elegant, and the Aquarium of the Pacific fit the bill. We wish we had been guests at our own wedding! Some of our guests said it was the best wedding they had been to! They also had an “aquarium educator” option for kids ages 5 to 11: kids had special activities and pizza. The kids had fun, the parents were child-free for two hours, and we saved money by not counting them toward adult dinners - everybody wins! Some of the parents said their kids are now spoiled and won’t understand why other weddings won’t be as much fun!

Catering, tables, chairs, linens, plates, and flatware are all included, which helps knock out a couple vendors and have less worry. Some things to note: You can only start the wedding at 7:00 p.m. (after the aquarium closes to the public) so if you are having both the ceremony and reception, it means a late dinner, which can be hard for older guests. Holding the cocktail hour upstairs was an additional fee - but well worth it. Guests raved about the cocktail hour, because they got to explore the exhibits with drinks and appetizers in hand. The appetizer options were also amazing - we received a ton of compliments on the food. Some advice: We were on the minimum end of the guest count (about 100), and they do have a food and beverage minimum. The venue seems more ideally suited for about 125 to 150, in terms of bang for the buck as well as space/intimacy. If I had to do it all over again, I might have made some minor changes to our catering order. Also, don’t be afraid to ask tons of questions! Some wording in the contract is confusing, yet there was flexibility. Some external pricing sites were also way off - after the food and beverage minimum, various fees for the exhibits and for staffing, a sizeable administrative service charge, sales tax (which is higher in Long Beach than in L.A.), costs were higher than we originally planned, which was okay for us, but might have been nicer to know going in. The fancy satin linens and chiavari chairs in sample photos? Those are from rented from outside vendors - the venue only includes basic polyester linens (albeit in a variety of colors) and brown wooden folding chairs - but who really notices these things? We made it work, and had a beautiful, memorable wedding, and a great time! Now we wish someone else could throw a wedding there so we can be the guests!

I cannot say enough good things about the quality of work and professionalism displayed by Tamera Schulz and her entire team at the Long Beach Aquarium. Cannot wait to work with them again in the future.
-Jordonna Gibbs, Event Planner

We wanted a unique wedding and I loved Jellyfish so AOP was the perfect place. Our wedding at the AOP was absolutely fabulous. One that we will never forget! I wish I was a guest at my own wedding!

We had our ceremony and reception at AOP. Our ceremony was in front of the large aquarium at the Blue Cavern. Guests arrived at the Harbor Terrace and got to touch the moon jellies at the touch tank. After the ceremony, we had a cocktail hour where our guest could explore the upper galleries while enjoying appetizers and drinks. After the cocktail hour, dinner was served in the grand hall under the blue whale.

I wanted to have children at my wedding/reception. And AOP have this awesome add-on where you could hire an educator. For the kids, they had a pizza party and then get to meet up with the educators. Some of out guests made comments that the young children will be forever spoiled by our wedding and will ask where is the fish at the next wedding.

The food was amazing though we didn't get to eat all of it at dinner. We were able to do food tasting prior to the event to try out what food we would like our guests to have. We (the couple) loved that AOP gave us food and drinks immediately after the ceremony where we had a few minutes of alone time and also food time. A lot of things were happening and there isn't much time to eat your dinner so it was really awesome they gave us time like that to get something in our tummies and relax.

I wanted to give special thanks to Tamera who supported us through this process. Tamera and our awesome vendors made this wedding rock!

For those of you thinking about having your wedding and reception at AOP, let me say it will be the most memorable and most beautiful event if you do it AOP. You won't reget it.

My husband and I had the most magical experience at the Aquarium of the Pacific on our big day! Cristen and her team at the Aquarium were amazing and I highly recommend the location and working with this all star team. Guests raved about the food and location it was perfection! Thank you Cristen and team for everything!

Our wedding at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach was a magical experience. Our expectations were met above and beyond by everyone involved. Kudos to Cristen who made things super smooth and enjoyable throughout the planning process. The food was delicious and we received so many compliments on our food choices after the wedding! This unique venue is one your guests will never forget.

Tamera and the staff at the Aquarium of the Pacific were amazing. All of our guests had a great time and consider this to be one of the best weddings they have every been too. Your wedding starts at 7 pm, after the aquarium has closed for the evening. You and your guests get private access to the aquarium. The food and service during dinner was amazing!!

We were in search of a unique wedding and reception location that fit our love for animals and to provide our wedding guests with a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach fit that perfectly! We sat with Tamera, a warm-hearted Catering Manager with Savor, and she listened to our every need and worked with us diligently to ensure that our special day was nothing less than perfect at the Aquarium.

Chef Ken, our Master Chef for our reception, is a culinary genius. We had several dietary restrictions with our guests, since our wedding was an Indian Jewish blend, and he cleverly constructed dishes that respected everyone's needs without sacrificing flavor. Food tasting was a treat with him and Tamera.

We had so much fun, as we saw the Aquarium evolve into such a beautiful and elegant space for our event. Our guests had an amazing and memorable time. The best part, my husband and I got to celebrate our love with our close family and friends and all the Sea life around of us.

Thank you Tamera, Chef Ken and the entire Aquarium of the Pacific Team for making our dream come true.

Definitely book this vendor and definitely get Cristen Flores. Getting married at the Aquarium will easily catapult you to "best wedding ever" among your friends. Cristen made everything super clear to us about how it was all put together going into it - details, price, timing, food/drink options, everything. Then when the big day came, she delivered on EVERYTHING with no hangups. We even had a few minor crises come up and she handled them with no stress to us. There were so many people running around doing things behind the scenes, but she coordinated them all. Tremendous job!

My experience with Savor catering was excellent. They make everything clear to understand about how they perform during the reception and the food is on the level of a five star restaurant. Tamera is extremely friendly and values all of her costomers. We were treated like royalty and that includes our children as well. The AOP is a very unique venue to host your wedding and Savor compliments the venue with unique cuisine choices for you to have.

Also, if you're looking for the one stop shop for a wedding/event coordinator please contact Linda Gray who is highly recommended by the AOP because as we experienced, she was a Brides best friend and made our wedding look at a million bucks.

One Happy Bride,
Christina Walker

Tamara and the entire staff are simply outstanding!!! An amazing venue completely reserved just for our ceremony, dinner, and reception. The entire Aquarium of the Pacific! Amazing beyond words! Thank you so much Tamara!

Tamera at The Aquarium of the Pacific/SAVOR was a DREAM to work with. She was incredibly accessible and available and did everything she possibly could to ensure that we had the perfect day (which we did). We can't say enough about Tamera/SAVOR/The Aquarium. Would recommend them to anyone at all!!!

WOW! Our wedding at the Aquarium of the Pacific was so amazing. Honestly, our guests say that it was one of THE BEST weddings they have ever been to. One couple said that it was high school prom experience they wish they had but never did. I mean, what is better than having the entire Aquarium to yourself?

Now, I'd like to start off by saying that Tamera, the catering sales manager, is absolutely a DOLL! She was so accommodating, attentive and positive. She was prompt with her responses and diligent about details. She really helped to personalize my wedding.

Secondly (and I think most importantly), I have to admit that I am a foodie. My husband and I love to eat out and good places and we are known by our friends and family as the ones to go to when you need a good place to eat. That being said, the food made by SAVOR was A-MAZ-ING. All of my guests were truly impressed with the food at my wedding. Now, I know that we have all been to weddings and have had "wedding food." One of my guests said to me, word for word, "The food at your wedding was amazing and the quality of a four star restaurant. It did not taste like wedding food AT ALL." Guys, this was music to my ears. They also stated that their servers were amazing.

Also, Tamera made the best suggestion for the children who attended the wedding. During the dinner, we hired two educators and the children ages 3-11 had a pizza party and gave the adults a date night break from their children. The children loved it and they didn't want to leave. They said the educators were so knowledgeable and friendly!

Lastly, I am very detail-oriented and so is my husband. We had very specific visions of how our guest books and dessert table would be set up. The staff at the Aquarium were able to execute our vision to a T!

You need to book this venue NOW. Also, you need to get the potato taco and pulled pork sliders as appetizers. You will NOT be disappointed!

We had the most fun wedding ever at the Aquarium of the Pacific. We were told my multiple guests that this was the best wedding they had ever been to. The facility is amazing, Tamera is a rock star, the food was fabulous and staff were very professional.

Tamera and the Aquarium gave us exactly the wedding we dreamed of. We're not a super-traditional couple, and they were totally cool with that, and gave us the perfect wedding.

We had our wedding at the Aquarium of the Pacific on July 19th. It was the wedding of our dreams and was absolutely perfect!!! We were the first couple to get married on the rooftop terrace overlooking the water and it was breathtaking. The guests walked through the galleries during the cocktail hour and were amazed at all the different kinds of fish and the delicious tray passed appetizers. The reception was in the great hall and the excellent staff at the Aquarium set up the venue in no time to wow the guests!!!! When I walked into the reception I couldn't believe my eyes, it was so beautiful and nothing that I would have expected. The attention to detail, friendly staff and the atmosphere itself created the wedding of our dreams. Also, the food was mouthwatering and was catered by SAVOR. My guests could not stop talking about the appetizers and the beef filet and crab cakes! None of this would have been possible without Tamera Schulz, the senior catering sales manager. She was wonderful to work with, organized and pays great attention to detail. Not to mention she takes the time to get to know you and is very friendly and personable. Any bride would be lucky to have someone like Tamera to work with and I would highly recommend getting married at the Aquarium fo the Pacific, it is so unique and will be a venue that your guests will talk about for a long time!

Thank you again Tamera and the staff at the Aquarium of the Pacific,

Lauren and Kris

We had our wedding and reception on the Roof Top Terrace (Edited to add: the review following ours made claim to be the first wedding on the RTT - Our wedding was in fact the very first on the RTT... theirs was 3 weeks later - sorry, Lauren & Kris!) ... Tamera and everyone involved in SAVOR and the Aquarium of the Pacific worked together to make our wedding exactly what we envisioned it to be. And to top that off, the overall cost compared to similar venues / services was very competitive.... Tamera was receptive and made all efforts to successfully accommodate setup of decor, tables, entertainment... Our wedding was unique in that it was a reflection of ourselves as a couple, and our family & friends - a celebration honoring all of us. So it had authentic personality, was fun, comfortable, yet still possessed the sophistication one would expect for such an event. The dinner selection was exquisite, the service was excellent. The comment from our roughly 100 guests that my partner, Andrew, and I heard most was that it was "the best wedding ever." Everyone truly had a wonderful, unforgettable time. Tamera and the team were not only instrumental, but phenomenally effective in allowing us to achieve that atmosphere.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful...so happy we had our wedding here! Such an amazing location/setting that they could totally get away with being mediocre in other respects, but no they were awesome from start to finish. Tamera is a pleasure to work with, the catering by Savor totally delicious, and staff were so friendly & flexible. If you're thinking of having your wedding here, do it! :)

Tamera and her team were so helpful from beginning to end. Since our 1st meeting with Tamera, she would always make time for us on our busy schedules, meeting us after hours or on the weekends to accommodate us.She is so organized, knowledgeable,and so quick with her responses when we contacted her via email or phone. She was so amazing at our wedding as well. During our wedding she made our day flow so nice and smooth.I got so many compliments on how professional the staff were and how good the food was as well. I can't thanks her and her staff enough. I would highly suggest Savor and Tamera's professional team.

EXCELLENT service, high quality food, would DEFINITELY recommend to others

Our wedding was a delight. Everything was extraordinary. We were treated with respect and dignity as were all our guests. The staff we're very courteous and professional. Our food was excellent. My gratitude and sincere thankfulness to the staff and of course our wedding coordinator Linda Grey. And a special thanks to Tamera Schulz the Aquarium of the Pacific event specialist. She was definitely on top of her game.