Brookfield Zoo Reviews

We loved getting married at Brookfield Zoo, it’s a unique and beautiful venue that offered experiences we’ll remember forever. The team did a fantastic job and cared about making our wedding the best.


Our first contact, Kate, was pleasant but difficult to get a hold of. Weeks before the wedding, Kate was no longer working for SSA/Brookfield Zoo and our new contact was Tim. We were worried since the wedding date was close but Tim quickly alleviated concerns. Tim was professional, quick to respond, and made the process run smoothly.

Wedding day, we were chauffeured by Zoo staff in a golf cart and treated like celebrities. Pre-wedding photos included feeding the giraffes and Lucia the porcupine. When preparing for our ceremony we were hit with unexpected pouring rain. Tim and team got umbrellas for our guests, brought trams up to keep our guests covered, and handed out towels. Tim was even outside mopping up the puddles while letting himself get soaked in the process - he’s so kind! Afterwards we had cocktails in the bear exhibit and reception at the swan gazebo. We received so many compliments from guests on the beautiful venue and incredible food.

Thank you Brookfield Zoo for making our wedding so memorable!

I got a hold of Kate, who runs the weddings at Brookfield Zoo, and it's been great! She is very accommodating and I really think we are going to have a fantastic wedding!! I just can't wait! :)

My mother first suggested getting married at the zoo. My husband and I are both animal lovers, and Brookfield Zoo was a beloved place that shaped our interest in animals and science as children. We are so happy that we found them. Brookfield Zoo is truly a one-of-a-kind location.

To start, one of the major pluses on our end was that the zoo handles catering, venue setup, and open bar. I was finishing up my doctoral degree and my husband was working overtime, which made talking to multiple vendors difficult. Having most everything provided in-house was so convenient and made our planning process manageable.

But seriously, everything was just so perfect! Our sales manager was Luis. Throughout the months we spent planning, he was a consummate professional and very responsive to emails with questions and general concerns. I couldn't have chosen somebody better to help us.

But furthermore, there's just so many people who were so professional. The staff helping at our wedding, EVERYONE, simply went above and beyond. My guests all talked about how much they loved it, and many had stories about the excellent customer service they had.

The food provided in-house was absolutely delicious. Even better, the zoo was very sensitive to dietary restrictions and we were able to talk to the head chef during our tasting so we were able to explain these restrictions.

This is an elegant, beautiful venue that's perfect for anyone who loves animals. You get to have a cocktail hour in one of the animal exhibits, and the zoo is a beautiful place to take photographs at. I'd highly recommend this to anyone.

Our wedding at the Zoo was wonderful!! And everything was so simple and stress free.

We had our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all at the zoo and at 3 locations within the zoo. Our guests loved it. The food was phenomenal and our guests raved about it!

It was so stress free. We dropped our decorations off at the zoo the day before and the zoo staff handled all setup themselves.

Thanks to all the zoo staff that made our day magical, especially Luis and Caitlyn, working with them made everything go so smoothly.

We had our wedding reception at Brookfield zoo August 10th, 2019, and it was absolutely perfect and everything we wanted! Luis was our wedding coordinator, and from day one, he made it so easy to communicate and work through wedding tasks even though I live out of state. He was so flexible with us, from payment plans to dropping off all our table and venue decorations. He's incredibly experienced, and he made the whole process as stress free as possible. Whatever it is you want, Luis will do his best to accommodate you.

In terms of the actual reception itself, it was so beautiful! I grew up going to the Brookfield Zoo, and it was just so magical to have our cocktail hour by the giraffees and African wild dogs. The weather, the setting, and the service were impeccable, and I know all my guests, from the youngest cousin to my nana, felt the magic. My husband and I don't love being the center of attention, and we're not big on tradition either, so it was perfect to have a more relaxed cocktail hour. Our dinner was absolutely delicious, very fresh and beautifully prepared. We danced the night away, and our guests loved every minute. Everything was so well timed, I honestly never had to worry about anything. The restaurant staff were so polite and professional, and they were a huge help in breaking down all the decorations.

I cannot recommend Brookfield Zoo enough! It was the best decision we could have made for a venue. We were very budget conscious as well, and with its inclusive packages, the zoo provided a beautiful, unique experience that was reasonably priced.

My husband and I had our wedding at the Brookfield Zoo Nov 3, 2018. I Highly suggest working with Luis Heldt-Alvarez. His kindness, honesty and genuine desire to make your wedding special was one of many reasons that Brookfield Zoo is a fantastic and undoubtably unique wedding venue. Underwater dolphin is a fantastic ceremony site! The dolphins almost seemed to dance in the background as we said “I do.” Cocktails in front of the giraffes had our guests having the time of their lives. We still get compliments on how amazing, creative and unique our wedding was (statements even made at our friends’ own weddings). Luis and the BZ crew orchestrate a fantastic performance in making sure you don’t have to worry about a single detail in order for you to truly enjoy your day. Highly Recommend.

We were married here about a week ago, it was more than we expected, we still have guest coming up to us saying how cool it was. The staff was amazing, we even had a medical emergency and the zoo had medical staff on site and responded so quickly I barley knew what was going on. I would highly recommend them.

From the first day meeting Luis Heldt-Alvarez to the day of our wedding, everything was precise and exactly what my husband and I asked for! Luis is extremely accommodating and reassuring for our many, many questions. He is incredibly knowledgable and gives great suggestions that will make your day amazing.

Besides being a beautifully unique venue, Brookfield Zoo provides almost everything you'll need. And the food is DELICIOUS! They also provide a list of vendors who have worked at the Zoo for weddings previously that offer incredible service!

My husband and I think of our wedding often and would suggest Brookfield Zoo to everyone! We suggest booking as far in advance as you can so that you can have all the options and choose exactly what exhibits you want for your special day!

In addition to the Zoo's many offerings, we decided to book a sloth at our cocktail hour and it was so worth it! My husband and I got to pet and meet the sloth prior to our guests and those pictures are some of my favorites! Our guests were so surprised and still talk about our special guest to this day!

Get married at Brookfield Zoo. Ask for Luis. You won't be disappointed!

We loved everything about Brookfield! They were extremely professional and Carly was awesome! The food was amazing as well! The wait staff was on top of everything! Everyone loved cocktail hour with the bears and the the convenience of the tram tacking them to the places they needed to get to. The bar was top notch and for the mot part everyone was able to get what they wanted. They were very flexible with dietary restrictions and no one went with food that they couldn't eat. If anything, I wish there was more time in the day for us to have actually enjoyed everything!

This venue and team (specially Luis Heldt-Alvarez) was a dream come true. My other vendors also mentioned after our wedding how professional and organized the Zoo team was. In addition, so many of our guest called us after the wedding and said that this was the best wedding and venue they have ever attended. Thank you Brookfield for making this special day in our lives last a lifetime.

As huge zoo lovers we knew Brookfield Zoo was the location we wanted for our wedding. From day one our event person, Carly, was beyond amazing! She answered all of our questions which ranged from normal to a little strange. The staff was incredible and very professional, accommodating, and just so lovely. Our day was perfect from our first look photos, to our cocktails with the giraffes to our awesome reception.
The food was so good - we had a hard time choosing from the list of options. The environment was gorgeous - we had our ceremony at Swan Lake which was gorgeous.
Huge shout out to Tyler, Karen, Rachel, and if course Carly. You all contributed so much to our perfect day!
Jen and Nate
June 3, 2018

Our daughter married the love of her life at Brookfield Zoo in May of 2018. From our initial booking of her event right up to her big day, Luis Heidt-Alvarez, the sales manager was with my daughter every step of the way. He took care of all the details and made sure that her special day would be memorable, not only for her, but for all of our guests. Luis listened to everything my daughter envisioned and helped create her dream wedding. We had the ceremony at Swan Lake which was an absolutely beautiful setting and her pictures were stunning. From there she and her groom were whisked away by golf cart to the dolphins for our cocktail hour and for the newlyweds to have a few moments to themselves. The guests were also shuttled to Seven Seas for cocktail hour. They were treated to seeing some of the other animal residents on the way. From cocktail hour we chose to have her reception at the Discovery Center. This was the perfect venue for our sized event. Luis made sure that every detail was to my daughter’s liking. Getting from one side of the zoo to the other, plus coordinating all of our vendors...DJ, photographers, etc...was no small feat. The rest of the staff that worked with us were also very attentive and definitely took care of us. I should add that the food was amazing and the bar was top notch! My daughter and son-in-law couldn’t have been happier with their wedding and still talk about how beautiful it was and how they will always cherish that day. We have guests who still tell us that it was the best wedding they have ever attended. Brookfield Zoo has my highest recommendation of wedding venues which exceeded all expectations.

We absolutely loved having our wedding at the Brookfield Zoo in November 2016! From the very start, Kathy was exceptional to work with to help us plan our menu, choosing our sites for the ceremony in the Underwater Dolphin Area cocktail hour in The Swamp, and reception at the Discovery Center. She was extremely professional and organized with communicating with us. Our day exceeded our expectations: the food was incredible, experience with the animals throughout the zoo was exciting, and the service was outstanding - we felt so special throughout the day and evening! It was the best decision we made to have our wedding at zoo - it was perfect! We HIGHLY recommend the Brookfield Zoo for a truly unique and amazing wedding experience!

We had our wedding reception at Brookfield and it was WAY more than we expected! Our cocktail hour was held at Tropical World Africa, and our reception at Bocaditos. From the very beginning we knew we had made the right choice. Kathy was so incredibly helpful and she helped make our day much more special. Our captains Anna and Sharon were amazing. So attentive and made us feel so special on our day. We felt like royalty all night long. The staff was so amazing from a year ago when we decided to book Brookfield to the day of. The food, was incredible!! It's the great attention to detail that they provided. I love Brookfield Zoo, they did a wonderful job on making everything just as we imagined. We are so happy with the level of attention we received.

My fiancé and I have not had our wedding yet and it gunna be booked for August 20th, 2016

Absolutely a perfect reception at Brookfield Zoo, Swan Pavillion. Henry our wedding planner was the BEST, the most accommodating, understanding , highly organized, and caring individual. I don't know what I would have done without HENRY!! I am still glowing after our 9.20.15 wedding. He helped me throught the entire process and I felt relieved and confident after every conversation. As a bride, we know that wedding planning can be challenging, very detailed, hectic with meetings, and especially with working a full time job while planning- But HENRY made me feel relaxed and confident. Let me tell you an example of his kindness: While we were getting pictures before cocktail hour, Henry offered us bottled water. Prior to handing me the water, he opened the bottle and shook off part of the water so it wouldn't spill all over me. That is just One of MANY details that Henry took care of for our wedding. And that's just it, I felt taken care of~ which is what we need amidst a hectic schedule. We wanted a venue that was unique and not stuffy- Brookfield Zoo met this desire. WE were amazed and our guests are still talking about the entire experience. Everything was right on time and the Cocktail hour at the Bear Exhibit was fun for all. So many guests even the those that travelled from far distances said they would do it again to go to Brookfield Zoo. At dinner, Bonnie the captain (yes they have captains - like I said this is a highly organized operation, Brides you do not have to worry) was absolutely wonderful. We had a sweetheart table and she kept checking on us to make sure we were okay. Always asking us if we needed anything. Bonnie and the entire staff were extremely friendly & always professional. The food was outstanding- cocktail hour ( duck quesadillas, vegetable rolls, beef wellington and chckn medallions for dinner or veg kabob). I am soo grateful for Henry and all the staff for making my Wedding Day, a once in a lifetime moment a day that will last forever.

We had our wedding at the Brookfield Zoo on 7/18/15 and it was AMAZING! Kathy was our coordinator and she handled all of my mom and my many many emails and phone calls very well. I cannot tell you how many guests came up to me and told me it was the best wedding ever! We had our ceremony in the Peacock Pavilion (because of potential rain at that time, it didn't end up raining and it was still lovely), cocktail hour with the polar bears and then dinner a bocaditos and dancing downstairs at cafe del sol. The food was delicious and abundant, another thing that everyone RAVED about! The guests and my husband and I LOVED the tram ride around the zoo after cocktail hour, seriously I don't know how many people kept on coming up to me and quoting animal facts they learned on the tram ride. And the bears were great! They were out and swimming around during the cocktail hour which made for some great photo opportunities. We always knew we wanted a non-traditional venue and the Brookfield Zoo was a really great value. We had about a 100 guests and paid around 16,000 in total which included everything - ceremony, reception, open bar, amazing buffet spread, decorations, table linens, wedding cake, wedding coordinator, ect. We went for a buffet so our guests could have multiple options, and options it had - chicken, salmon, carved beef and seafood buffet which included oysters, clams, mussels and shrimp - there was SO MUCH FOOD and it was all delicious, I actually had my mom loosen my corset at dinner so I could actually eat some of it! The cake from Lezza's bakery and Smores for desert were also delicious. Seriously amazing venue, we truly believe we had the best wedding ever!

Our wedding at the zoo was unbelievable! The entire staff was incredibly helpful, especially Henry our wedding coordinator. It poured rain the whole day of our wedding, so Henry and his team had a well-thought-out plan B for the outdoor ceremony and he even carted us and our guests around in trams to keep them dry! Cocktail hour in the Great Bear Wilderness exhibit was a huge hit, we had such a good time dancing at Bocaditos, and the food was delicious (especially the Cream of Mushroom soup--amazing!) We got tons of complements and many said it was the most fun wedding they'd ever been to. The zoo chefs catered to our request for pies instead of cakes, which where beautiful and delicious and were no extra charge!
The zoo is truly a great value, especially being in the Chicago area. It's so nice to not have to worry about a million things like catering, rentals for tables, linens, plates and silver, etc. because they are pros at the zoo and take care of it all. The per guest rate was very, very reasonable and we felt good knowing our money was going towards an educational institution and Chicago landmark.
If we could do it all over again, we would. It was a totally stress free day despite the downpour, we had the time of our lives and very highly recommend Brookfield Zoo.

Having our wedding at the Brookfield Zoo was AMAZING!!! We worked with Henry Garbers, and he did a fabulous job. The guests loved the cocktail hour with the animals (we did ours with the polar bears, which was awesome), and everyone had a blast. It was definitely a unique experience, and I would highly recommend the zoo to anyone looking for a beautiful and awesome place to have a wedding.

Absolutely perfect!! Couldn't have asked for a better day! They really work hard to make sure everyone has been accomodated. Diane, Karen, Pam,and Kathy were AMAZING!!!

Brookfield Zoo is a great place to have a wedding. While sometimes the prices look high, you get a lot for your money! We were in the Swan Pavilion and it was beautiful! Kathy was our coordinator and she was extremely sweet and attentive. Every e-mail was answered within 24 hours and her responses were always kind. Our meetings with her were so much fun. The day of the wedding I said multiple times "I don't know why everyone doesn't get married at the zoo?" because it was such an incredible experience and so much fun! The motor safaris take guests to cocktail hour in one of the exhibits, ours was with the polar bears and grizzly bears, and then takes them back to the reception. The wedding coordinator also takes the bride and groom around on a golf cart for pictures which make for really unique wedding photos. The food was delicious and the bartenders were far from stingy with the drinks. Our guests are still talking about how they watched a polar bear eat at our cocktail hour. The room captain and day of manager were so attentive to our needs to the point where they thought of things I hadn't even thought of. The waiters were so kind and one even stopped to say congratulations despite being busy serving drinks. I would recommend the zoo to anyone who wants a unique wedding venue that your guests will talk about long after the wedding!

We had an amazing ceremony, cocktail hour and reception at Brookfield Zoo! We had our cocktail hour with the dolphins and reception at the Bocaditos in the Living Seas.
Terry Rothamer was our event coordinator and he is truly AMAZING! From the moment we met him at our first visit to the zoo. He made me feel like royalty from that first day. You can tell that everyone I worked with there truly love what they do!
During the actual day of the wedding it was the most beautiful day of the summer. Terry and his staff made sure we had everything we needed throughout the evening.  During cocktail hour the waitstaff was very responsive and came up to my husband and I to get us drinks and appetizers. Terry even rushed us over from the ceremony to the cocktail hour so my husband and I could have our own time before all our guests arrived by tram.
All of the staff working the wedding was very professional and on top of things whenever we had a question or needed anything at all. The reception was beautiful, and the food was amazing! My guests still tell me how excellent the food was, and how it was one of the best wedding dinners they've ever had! The wedding team were also very accommodating during take down at the end of the night. The waitstaff was so friendly...I am still getting compliments from guests about them!
The pricing is reasonable and packaged at a per head rate which includes your reception, catering, some linens, silverware, some decorations, the cake, cocktail hour at one of the exhibits, guest entrance fee, transportation, parking, and open bar. Our guests LOVED being able to come to the zoo early and explore, as well as watch the animals during cocktail hour.
Our guests were blown away by the beauty and elegance of the cocktail with the dolphins and the Bocaditos Restaurant at the Living Seas. They are still talking about the uniqueness and beauty of our wedding! We are VERY happy with our venue choice and I would recommend Brookfield Zoo to any bride.

Our wedding at the Brookfield Zoo was absolutely magical - despite monsoon-like rain and a flash flood warning.

We worked mainly with Terry Rothamer who is fantastic. However, a year before our wedding (we booked 18 months before and had been in contact with Terry about using the zoo for two years before the wedding) he informed us his son was getting married the same day. He continued to work with us up through our final appointment alongside Henry who was our day-of coordinator. Both were absolutely fantastic to work with. Terry helped us add craft beer to the bar and two types of sweets instead of a full sweets table as the package information offers.

We were supposed to have cocktail hour in the underwater bear exhibit, however due to the flash flood warning and extreme rain we ended up having cocktails in the lobby of the Discovery Center where the reception was. During this time Henry was very organized and communicated with us and our parents so we knew what was going on. Because the rain came down so quickly the entrance had flooded slightly. We had many older guests including a few using walkers so this was the best plan for us.

Despite all of this everybody kept commenting that it was one of the best weddings they had ever attended. The food was fantastic (we gave a choice of steak or trout) and everybody loved the zoo. Even though we didn't get to go to the exhibit for cocktail hour most of our guests came between the ceremony and reception and spent time exploring the zoo.

I highly recommend the Brookfield Zoo to anybody, especially if you are an animal lover like my husband and I. Working with Terry was like having a wedding planner included and everything turned out fantastic!

We had an amazing wedding reception at Brookfield Zoo! We had our cocktail hour at Habitat Africa and reception at the Discovery Center in the Savannah Room.

Terry was our event coordinator and he is truly AMAZING! From the moment we met him at our first visit to the zoo (over a year before our wedding) Terry was very accommodating. He made us feel like royalty from that first day. He allowed us to come back to the zoo several times during the planning process. The entire planning process with Terry was great and we had no hassles.

During the actual day of the wedding, all of the staff working the wedding was very professional and on top of things whenever we had a question or needed anything at all. Terry and his staff made sure we had everything we needed throughout the evening. They were also very accommodating during take down at the end of the night. During cocktail hour the waitstaff was very responsive and came up to the bride and groom each time a new tray of appetizers came out before serving any of the other guests. The waitstaff was so friendly...I am still getting compliments from guests about them!

The pricing is reasonable and packaged at a per head rate which includes your reception, catering, some linens, silverware, some decorations, the cake, cocktail hour at one of the exhibits, guest entrance fee, parking, and open bar. Our guests LOVED being able to come to the zoo early and explore, as well as watch the animals during cocktail hour. Our guests were transported to and from the discovery center for cocktail hour and our reception.

Our guests were blown away by the beauty and elegance of the Savannah Room at the Discovery Center. They are still talking about the uniqueness and beauty of our wedding! We are VERY happy with our venue choice and I would recommend Brookfield Zoo to any bride.

So amazing, I don't know where to begin...They day was more perfect that we even though. We worked with Terry from day 1 and never had an issue. The venue is unique, but still has a very upscale feel. The food is exceptional and you have a lot of options. Many guests were shocked with how delicious and exceptional the food was. Terry is fantastic at planning and it saved us a lot of money since we didn't need a wedding planner. Worked with all of our vendors on everything they needed. Our guests all enjoyed the unique venue, but were also very impressed with how classy everything still was. The structure was perfect and everything went accordingly. The staff during the cocktail hour and dinner were so friendly and made sure everyone was always tended to and happy. So many beautiful spots for pictures as well. We could go on and on with how wonderful everything about the day was, and it was all centered around the fantastic venue and professional people at Brookfield Zoo.