Saint Louis Zoo Reviews

Sydney and Nancy and the whole team at the Zoo were incredibly helpful throughout the entire wedding planning process. Having never been involved in planning a wedding, I had no idea how it all worked but Sydney answered all my questions and helped me think of things I would never have considered, providing photos of what previous couples had done in the same spaces that we used. Nancy and the day-of team were all very responsive and helpful, from getting guests seated for our entrance to the reception to choreographing the entire ceremony without blinking an eye, this team is full of professionals that will help your big day go smoothly. The Zoo was already a place my husband and I loved, now we have even more wonderful memories to add to the collection.

Having my wedding at the Saint Louis Zoo was a wonderful experience. Danielle, our event planner, was absolutely amazing. She answered every little question I had and truly listened to my wants and feedback.

Prior to the wedding, we rented golf carts, and it was SO fun to drive around the zoo with our wedding party and the drivers were so nice.

The zoo provided a wonderful reception space within RiverCamp, the guests loved the aquarium, the staff was wonderful in setting-up, and the food was delicious. We also loved our animal greeters and were so glad we decided to invest in those.

The ceremony space in the South Entrance was also breath-taking and we were so glad we got to have our wedding there!

Overall, the Saint Louis zoo may not be the first venue choice that comes to mind but it is a great space that provides a fun and unique experience with great food and great staff. They truly know how to pull off a grand event!!

The zoo not only was a unique and gorgeous venue for us, but the staff are completely amazing. They are so attentive to you and your guests all night, the catering is surprisingly DELICIOUS, it's a great value, and your coordinators are amazing when planning. They are basically free wedding planners! We did not want a very typical wedding, we got married on Star Wars day and wanted to include nerdy themes, wanted as many animals as possible (especially snakes and reptiles), and basically when people asked what our wedding colors were I just said "black." I was honestly needlessly self-conscious when planning a lot, because while I've always been my own goofy self, I knew this wedding would be looked at oddly. I didn't think it would come together very well, or be... "nice" and "wedding-y". However, the zoo staff pulled it all together, and we had this seamless, super elegant, goofy wedding with animals galore. I didn't feel like I had an "odd" wedding, just an awesome one. They are miracle workers.

We chose to splurge a bit in some areas, requesting extra lights, animal greeters, and to rent the Herpetarium for the ceremony, but honestly they have options that fit most budgets, and we could have done it for a fraction of the cost if we wanted/needed to. Even with us splurging, I find that we spent a lot less than what other people seem to be spending at more "traditional" venues when you add up the cost of the setting, the catering, the bar, the cake, the decorations, the everything. I was certain I couldn't afford the zoo on my small salary that is supporting the both of us, but I COULD.

Seriously, book with the zoo. They are fantastic.

I can't say enough great things about the zoo. Everyone I worked with along the way was so kind, professional, and helpful. The catering package was really reasonable for my price range, and it made planning so easy! I loved the venue, I chose the River Camp room since I had about 100 people. The room features a fish tank which was so unique and perfect for my ocean themed wedding! I had the best time, and so many people were commenting on how different and fun my wedding was. You NEED to book with the Zoo!

We seriously cannot say enough good things about our zoo wedding! We got married at the beginning of September, and it was 100% the most amazing day. Danielle and her team were wonderful and so easy to work with! They took care of all the coordinating between vendors; it was truly a stress free and magical day. The food is still one of the most talked about parts of our wedding, and their onsite lighting tech created a beautiful ambiance. Again, we truly cannot say enough wonderful things about our zoo wedding. We had both our ceremony and reception at Lakeside Cafe and the pictures are all beautiful. We had 200 guests and everyone was able to fit comfortably in Lakeside with plenty of room for our bar and dance floor. Maybe we’re biased because it was our wedding, but it was truly the most amazing setting for an amazing day. Definitely recommend the animal greeters - such a fun touch!

I am so glad we chose the Saint Louis Zoo! It was an amazing experience. So many services were included in the package and it made planning everything so much easier! The staff was extremely helpful during the planning stages and the event itself. We HIGHLY recommend the Saint Louis Zoo.

What a fabulous experience! The event tent transformed into a spectacular wedding reception venue. Jason, Danielle, Michael and the entire staff far exceeded our expectations in making our daughter’s dream come true ....... the food was exceptional too, especially for us having a large party. The temperature and quality was excellent... I would encourage utilizing this beautiful landmark for any occasion!!! Thank you for a fantastic experience!!!

I can’t say enough great things about working with the Saint Louis Zoo for our wedding! We had an evening ceremony and reception at River Camp, which was an absolutely beautiful venue for our ~115 person event. We worked with Josh R. throughout the planning process, and he was always quick to respond and provide assistance when we had questions. We also had three day-of facilitators, who were amazing in helping get the room set up in a short amount of time and ensuring the night went off without any issues. We had a dedicated golf cart to take us through the zoo before the ceremony to get pictures, and our driver was absolutely wonderful. He took us to all of the best places and helped us get some amazing shots. We did a plated dinner, and chose the prime rib, pork loin, and vegetarian portobello dish for our entrees. The food was delicious - we got so many compliments on how great the food was, as well as how professional the event staff was. And the prices are so reasonable, as far as weddings go! I’m so glad we chose the Saint Louis Zoo for our wedding. It was an extremely memorable day for us, and nearly stress-free, thanks to the hard work of many of their staff.

From start to finish the zoo offered it all and was always there to answer any question we may have had!! It was amazing. All of our guests were so impressed and so were we. How many people can say they had their wedding at the Saint Louis Zoo?! It is a once in a lifetime moment, have it at a once in a lifetime location

My husband and I had our rehearsal dinner at the St. Louis Zoo and couldn't have been happier with the event. Our guests were WOWed by the venue - they thought it was so cool to be celebrating in the middle of the zoo. The food, drinks, and service were all above average. We looked into multiple different venues for our rehearsal dinner before deciding on the St. Louis Zoo and it was by far the most unique venue and the biggest bang for your buck.

We had one of the most amazing nights of our lives at the Zoo on our wedding night.The staff from beginning to end was great to work with.Our guests are still talking about the appetizers.

The venue was the BEST decision we made in planning our wedding. We enjoyed every second of planning and everyone that helped us was AMAZING!!! I would recommend this venue to everyone!!

We could not have been happier with our experience at the Zoo. Not only was it was unique and special venue at the Lakeside Cafe but the staff went above and beyond to make sure our every need was met. We highly recommend this venue!

If you're considering the zoo for your wedding, stop looking and book it! The process is easy, Jason and the sales team will take time to answer all of your questions and concerns, and do it all over again with a smile when your parents insist on visiting and asking all of the exact same questions. Danielle was awesome to work with, and helped us arrange everything from the food, to the colors, etc. She even helped me surprise my wife with Alpacas to greet our guests! The food, by the way, was WAY better than we expected! It's cooked on site which is a big difference maker. They let us have some play with the menu options, which was helped us tailor it ourselves and included a guest list with a myriad of allergies which they handled flawlessly. The bartenders were, let's just say, generous, and along with the DJ, ensured our dance floor was packed all night. Sylvia and her team also flawlessly set up our room EXACTLY as we requested, which is no small feat considering we had specific name cards with animal jokes and an animal figurine tied to it for each attendee. Her team laid it out perfectly. The colors of the Living World strongly enhanced the atmosphere and the uplighting they provided looked great too! We had an absolute blast and nearly a year later we continue to hear that our wedding was far and away the most fun wedding people have ever attended. Finally, your money helps out animals rather than just going to someone's bank account! Book the zoo now before someone else does!

Jason and the rest of the zoo team were amazing! They allowed us to show our creativity, and they made our reception go off without any problems. I’d highly recommend dhaving your reception/ ceremony at the zoo if you’re looking for aunuque location, want a worry free experience, and want your guests to have FUN!

I was so amazed by the amount of effort that the wonderful staff at the zoo put into our wedding. I was a bit concerned at first, considering that weddings are obviously not their primary job. I never should have worried. First of all, having your wedding at the zoo means that the money you're spending on the event goes in to animal research and conservation. So if you're an animal lover like me, this was the primary reason why we decided to have our wedding at the zoo. That being said, their prices were extremely reasonable compared to so many of the other venue spaces we were looking at. The event coordinators, Jason and Josh, were always prompt about answering my questions. They were willing to go the extra mile to accomodate different things that we wanted in our wedding. On the day of the wedding, a woman named Jackie was there the entire day to help our vendors set up. She made it so my family members who showed up early to help weren't stressing out. The zoo also does all it's own catering and Oh My Goodness what catering it is. The prices were very reasonable and I was amazed by the quality and portions of the food. My husband has food allergies, and the chef himself came out to explain how he and his staff would be keeping the kitchen peanut free for the evening. Overall, the Saint Louis Zoo made for a very unique and fun wedding atmosphere. I would recommend it to anyone!

absolutely stunning! The staff is great and the venue is awesome! I highly suggest a reception at Lakeside Cafe. at night the place really transformed.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about the zoo. Jason was our event coordinator and answered MANY questions over our year of planning. He was extremely prompt in his responses and always willing to help. Our reception was in the Lakeside Café and it was transformed into a gorgeous space. Nancy our day-of coordinator was great, the entire staff was so helpful. We did a buffet and received multiple compliments on the quality of food. The staff made the event stress free and the unique venue was a huge hit. I will recommend this venue to all!

Working with the St. Louis Zoo made planning a beautiful wedding reception a breeze. Initially we worked with Sarah T., an event coordinator, to find the venue in the zoo to best meet our needs. Side note, there are many options to pick from, depending on availability, and they were all beautiful! The zoo does all catering in house, works with specific bakeries for your dessert option (we picked Sugaree), and provides linens, plates, and a champagne toast; which are all included their quote. The tasting at the zoo was a lot of fun, and our small group had a great time figuring out our event menu. For events, the zoo also offers complimentary parking to guests, which is convenient if there is an event in Forest Park on the night of your event. Our day of coordinators were Don and Lisa, and I appreciated that they made sure to introduce themselves to me, early on at the reception. They were never hovering, but always seemed to be easy to find when I had a question or request. The zoo event staff were great- very professional and very friendly. All of the guests after the event were so complimentary of the food, the service, the location, and appearance of the venue. We are re so happy (and lucky) to have had our reception at the zoo!

The zoo staff was absolutely amazing. Jason went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect for the event. The zoo even took into account the polar bear opening and provided additional covered parking with transportation for all of our guest. The venue was beautiful and was such a transformation from the daily zoo that we all know and love.

*Full review on Yelp due to character limitations*

Centrally situated in the beautiful Forest Park, it's hard to beat the lovely surroundings of the park alongside the manicure grounds the Zoo offers.

The Zoo has quite a few unconventional facilities to choose from. And the Zoo is a turn-key alternative for the Brides who fancy natural space!

The process in booking and detailing your wedding is efficient and effective. The Zoo's catering procedures are cut and dry; and explicitly outlined online.

It's not hard to highlight all the staff as well-polished at the Zoo. Operations seem to be a beautiful hybrid of museum structure meets attentive catering. There was never an instance where I felt my persnickety ways were undermined. They truly defined what it meant to listen and execute my precise visions.

The Zoo knows how to throw a party! Through consideration of the Chef, I was able to craft a menu custom to my needs and palate. I seeked for a menu serving passed appetizers, an array of displayed cheeses and not the typical proteins of salmon and pork-loin. I received a variety of compliments on the menu and how greatly tended the bar was.

As a non-profit, public attraction, the Zoo can save you thousands as it is Tax-Free. Having your wedding at the Zoo means you're doing it for the animals! I was able to give back AND celebrate. All proceeds go directly back into the habitats that our community frequents year round.

Holding an event at the Saint Louis Zoo isn't about all the reasons you can't go wrong, it's about how you will get it right.

I cannot say enough great things about our reception at the St. Louis Zoo - Lakeside Cafe! First of all, the venue itself was amazing. It was a really nice evening, so we fully-utilized the huge deck over the lake. We had a run-time from 6:30-11pm, and did a cocktail hour on the deck, then dinner and dancing inside. With 160 people and a seated dinner, 8-piece band, there was plenty of room. The food - FANTASTIC. We're still hearing compliments. The Zoo has their own catering company, which was nice because I thought the value was much better and food was MUCH better than the other venues in Forest Park who have specific caterers. We worked mainly with Sarah, who I cannot say enough good things about. She was attentive, friendly, very responsive! and truly cared about the event. The on-site staff was amazing, and made my Husband and I feel as though we had no worries that night! The animal greeters were my favorite part :)

If I were to do it over again, I wouldn't change a thing. The Zoo was such a special venue, and it was SUCH a fun night!

The St. Louis Zoo was wonderful to work with from beginning to end. They have multiple event spots that are wonderful - we chose River Camp for its size, it's unique location, the neat aquarium, and the ability to use their outdoor patio. Jason, our event coordinator, was very gracious with us. We were planning this wedding from a distance (we live in NY) but he was very responsive to our emails and calls.

They do require that they use the on-site catering services, but the wedding package is a great value and made catering decisions very easy. My guests loved the food.

Day of, the event staff were incredibly helpful and ensured everything went smoothly. The food service staff were wonderful as well.

The room size ended up being perfect for our 115 guests, even when the bar had to be moved inside due to spotty rain.

A very good experience from beginning to end; made planning our reception incredibly easy.

We couldn't be more thankful to have held our reception at the St. Louis Zoo Living World. By far, the zoo is the most inclusive reception site we found. The staff was incredibly professional, responsive, and knowledgable. Jason made our vision come to life! Everything was perfect from start to finish! I strongly recommend the St. Louis Zoo for anyone looking for a stress free and unique reception venue.

We had our reception at the lakeside cafe. rave reviews for every step of the process. Sarah was great to work with, and Maggie (the night of coordinator) even delivered our cake topper to our hotel at 2AM after the reception to make sure that we got it! Would do it all over again at the zoo in a heartbeat.