San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Reviews
Reviews
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Awards
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![Sage]()
Sage Sent on 06/09/2026Perfect for a Bride Marrying a Veterinarian! And Guests Said It Was The Best Wedding Ever!
Where to begin on such a lovely team, a venue that offers so much, and a wedding team that provides all that you need!
First off, we LOVED how these funds went to the Zoo and Safari Park go to their 501C. Knowing every dollar supported the animals and the conservation work happening right there made the whole day feel meaningful in a way most venues just can't offer. Plus, my specialty vet husband and others in the animal field hold this zoo in the highest regard for animal care and conservation efforts.
We had to change our destination wedding venue with six months or so to plan this wedding in the States. Emily, Magdalena, and the events staff were responsive, organized, and genuinely invested in making our day perfect from the very first email to the final send-off. They thought of everything, so we didn't have to. Also, they were kind and calming to work with while planning this from out of San Diego, since we no longer lived there. I can't thank them enough.
And the setting is truly unbeatable. We had our ceremony on Harusi Lawn and our reception at the Sambutan Longhouse out by Tiger Trail, and being surrounded by the park made the entire day feel like a once-in-a-lifetime experience — not just for us, but for every single guest. Rhinos, giraffes, cheetahs, and other animals walked behind our ceremony site! People are STILL talking about it. Especially since they got a full-day Safari pass to visit the park beforehand and make it a whole trip.
The absolute highlight after being married in front of cheetahs? Our wildlife encounter. Having an animal join us on our wedding day is something none of us will ever forget, and it's the kind of magic you simply cannot get anywhere else.
The venue actually has a shuttle for guests for the cheetah lawn and to the reception hall with the tigers, and takes ADA very seriously. The food was a hit (the Savanna Buffet was SO GOOD), and the cocktail hour upgrade was worth every penny. But honestly, what made it all come together was the team.
If you're even considering the Safari Park for your wedding — do it. You will not find anywhere like it, and your guests will have a remarkable full day!
(Most of the photos posted below are by our fabulous photographer and team, Katrina Marie @katrinamariephoto - SD local and friend from my days at MiraCosta, you know you now can trust me above haha) -
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![Louise]()
Louise Sent on 05/13/2026The most AMAZING day
Having our wedding at Kijamii Overlook at the San Diego Safari Park was truly one of the best decisions we could have ever made. The venue itself is absolutely breathtaking — the views, atmosphere, and overall experience were unlike anything we had ever seen. It felt so unique, intimate, and unforgettable, and our guests are still talking about how incredible it was.
What made the experience even more special was the amazing team behind it all. Delanie was beyond exceptional and took an already stunning venue to the next level. From start to finish, she made everything feel effortless, organized, and stress-free. Her attention to detail, communication, and calm, positive energy allowed us to fully enjoy every second of our wedding day knowing everything was perfectly handled.
The staff at the Safari Park were equally phenomenal. Every single person we interacted with was warm, professional, attentive, and genuinely invested in making our day perfect. You could truly feel how much pride they take in both the venue and the experience they create for couples.
One of the most meaningful parts of choosing this venue was knowing that our wedding was also supporting such an incredible cause. It made the entire experience even more special knowing that our celebration was contributing to wildlife conservation and the care and protection of these amazing animals.
If you are considering getting married here, do it. Between the stunning venue, the incredible staff, and Delanie’s outstanding coordination, it honestly felt like a dream from beginning to end.
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![Allison]()
Allison Sent on 11/28/2025Thank You for a Perfect Day!
We cannot say enough good things about the San Diego Safari Park team. They were SO incredibly kind and helpful from start to finish. They made sure we were well taken care of on the big day, from everything from making sure we got enough food to ensuring both brides had a dressing room available! Even with the uniqueness of the venue, they made everything so simple, like coordinating vendors, seating and accommodating all of the guests, the fine logistics, and clearly laying out the best options for us for everything little thing. The team was so kind and understanding with all of our questions and they were always quick to reply (we had so many!)
We were married at Kijami in late September and the venue itself is absolutely stunning. We loved the natural beauty of it, meaning we didn't need to dress it up much with florals or other decor. Having a space for the dance floor and music and a quiet space where guests could take in the view and the animals was also amazing, as it allowed us to enjoy the night however we wanted! We loved that we found a space that was still unique without having to sacrifice any elegance that we wanted. We ended up with about 100 guests at our event and this venue was a great size for that. It allowed for people to mingle without being cramped, but the space still looked full.
We can't thank Alyssa, Emily, and their team enough. Our day was absolutely perfect and we cannot recommend celebrating your wedding here enough. We really look forward to visiting the zoo again soon and continuing to make wonderful memories! -
![Teresa]()
Teresa Sent on 11/08/2025Kijami Overlook at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Such a magical experience! Our guests were amazed at the beauty of the venue and LOVED the animal encounter. The food and service were excellent. Alannah worked closely with all of our vendors and was very responsive when we had questions. Safari Park provided a list of preferred vendors that were all amazing. Highly recommend this venue. It was so unique and memorable! -
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![Wyatt]()
Wyatt Sent on 10/29/2025Magic wedding at Kijami
Our wedding at Kijami Overlook was absolutely magical. Our park coordinator, Tommy, made the process as easy as possible and kept us in the loop the whole time, he is amazing. The entire staff were wonderful and a joy to work with.
The venue is beautiful and comfortable. It easily handled our 115-ish guests but could have easily fit more. The bar is built into a tree shape that flows well with the rest of the area. It is also nice and secluded from the rest of the park so even though our ceremony started while the park was open there were absolutely no outside distractions.
Also, THE FOOD! The food is amazing and was our guests' favorite part, aside from the animals of course! While the Safari Park does require that you use their food offerings and they are a bit pricy, the food was superb. We went with the food stations option since we had a diverse crowd, allowing everybody to find something they like.
We used several of the vendors on the Safari Park's preferred vendors list and all of them were fantastic.
Overall, we loved having our wedding here and highly recommend it. The whole thing was amazing and magical. -
![Steven]()
Steven Sent on 10/14/2025Our wedding at the Safari Park!!
We had our wedding at Kijami Overlook a few weeks ago and it was everything we could have ever dreamed of! Delanie, our venue coordinator, was very responsive throughout our planning process and helped us view the venue leading up to the wedding for us to gather ideas. All of our guests were so shocked by the animal encounter and so many animals were brought out that we didn’t even see them all. Our guests were all super happy with the food and all the complicated drinks the bartenders were making, and they all said our wedding was the best they’ve ever attended and most unique. We would highly recommend having a wedding at the safari park if you want to have a wedding day unlike any other and if you love animals! -
![Janet]()
Janet Sent on 08/04/2025Dream venue!
San Diego Wildpark’s Kijamii Overlook venue was the most beautiful place to have our wedding. I never thought a zoo would have this as an option. As soon as we walked into the venue and saw the beautiful view, I did not even care how much it was going to cost, I had to have my wedding there! Our guests told us it was the best wedding they had gone to because it was so beautiful!
We were very happy with everything, Tommy Gomez was our event coordinator and he was so amazing. We could not be more thankful for him. He helped with the planning process, the rehearsal and helped calm my nerves. On the day of the wedding he did so many amazing things that we did not expect at all, he saved us appetizers, got us drinks, helped bustle my dress and so much more than we even expected. Our family and friends loved Tommy and raved about him! The service he and the entire crew of people at the venue provided was outstanding and my husband and I wish we could re-live the event again.
Thank you for the dream wedding and we look forward to visiting with our annual passes!
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![Midori]()
Midori Sent on 07/09/2025Kijamii Overlook - What an amazing, unique, beautiful, FUN & easy venue.
Our guests say this was the coolest wedding they've ever been to, and they aren't just saying it to be nice, it's absolutely one of the coolest places to get hitched! It was truly such a unique experience, I only wish it lasted longer.
When we were planning our wedding, fun was a top priority. We didn't want anything too uptight or traditional, we just wanted to drink, laugh, dance and sing with our friends and family. At the same time I still wanted a touch of sophistication and I didn't want anything to feel too cheap. Kijamii Overlook was a perfect fit in that regard. The grounds are beautifully kept, and the venue with its baobab tree bar looks neat enough on its own, but can also easily dressed up with florals, candles, and decor for an elegant plated dinner reception.
I liked that food services (appetizers, dinner, optional late night snacks or sweet treats), and bar services were included in the pricing and you could tailor them to your needs/budget. This made things much easier than having to coordinate those things myself. Initially, before the tasting several months prior to the big day, I didn't have high hopes for menu - because when I think of Zoo food, I think of quick service bites. But WOW I was wrong! Everything we tried was much more elevated and so delicious. They're able to offer buffet style meals, food stations, or plated selections. We went with the latter, and everyone loved the 24hr braised beef short rib entrée at our reception. They were also able to accommodate the food allergies and restrictions of our guests with ease, and even snag us some vegan cheesecake bites for guests who were unable to enjoy our wedding cake.
Tommy Gomez was our Safari Park Event Coordinator, and he was just so easy to work with. He was clear and responsive in communication, was able to adjust things easily as our planning went on, answer all of our questions and he reached out to each of our vendors to ensure a smooth arrival and setup ahead of the day. I really didn't have to worry about logistics at all, that was all taken care of and the day went off without a single hitch.
I absolutely loved that we could add an animal encounter to the festivities during the cocktail hour. It was such a highlight to get to meet and even touch some animal ambassadors close-up and it was a great surprise for our guests. Learning about animals while mingling and sipping was much more exciting than your usual awkward "so, how do you know the bride & groom?" cocktail hour.
Our wedding day was perfect, and Kijamii Overlook & all of the safari park staff did a lot of the heavy lifting to make it so! -
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![Mel]()
Mel Sent on 06/01/2025The perfect venue :)
The moment we toured the Kijamii Overlook at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, we knew it was where we were going to get married. No other venue compared to the landscape, expansiveness and fun that the Safari Park brings. It truly feels like a destination wedding without having to travel too far! We said from the beginning that one of our wedding priorities, was guest experience and our guests LOVED this venue. From the giraffes roaming behind our ceremony arch, to the rhinos bathing in the sun and then add in the animal encounter during cocktail hour, you cannot find a venue like this anywhere else. We had so many guests come up to us and tell us it was the best wedding they had ever been to, and I am sure a lot of that can be attributed to the unique, fun atmosphere that the Safari Park can bring to your event.
From the start, Magda helped us to tour to the venue and answer the many questions we had during the tour and really helped us fall in love with the venue. After we officially signed on, Delanie was assigned to us as our venue coordinator, and we were soooo lucky to have her. She was so nice and responsive right from the beginning. I honestly cannot say enough things about her because she helped make the process so easy! From meeting us at our venue food tasting, to answering our many emails, to communicating with all our vendors and making sure they felt comfortable with the unique venue space, and finally helping our wedding day run so smoothly. We feel so lucky to have had her throughout the process. You can really tell how much she genuinely cares about the couples she helps and if you are assigned her as your venue contact, just know you are honestly going to be in the best hands :) Cannot recommend her enough!!
During the wedding itself, all of the staff were so nice and helpful. From servers and chefs to folks helping to shuttle our guests on the tram and golf carts, everyone brought so much kind energy to ourselves and to our guests. Not only was the staff friendly, but we also got so many compliments from our guests on how tasty the food was too! Besides the venue space and staff being amazing, a portion of the venue costs also goes towards animal conservation that the Safari Park does, so your money is going towards a very good and needed cause.
Our wedding day was truly one of the best days of our lives and a good portion of that is due to the magic that the Safari Park and its staff brings. 1000% recommend the Safari Park, Delanie and the whole team :)
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Cat Sent on 04/17/2025
Amazing experience!! Loved it
Extremely helpful with everything. Our wedding was so fun and unique. Our family and friends keep talking about what an amazing and joyous experience it was. Even our pastor mentioned it during one of his sermons lol. We had the cheetah there for the ceremony and the tigers for the reception. We got to see the baby tiger have zoomies and play with mom. The animal encounters were so much fun and people learned a lot about each one. Delanie was so great with helping with everything!! -
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![Tara]()
Tara Sent on 02/28/2025What a magical experience
Alannah Dye really took care of us! She was organized, on top of things, and worked with us to make sure we had the wonderful experience that we had hoped for. Everyone at the wedding kept saying how beautiful it was. The price point was unbelievably low for how stunning the wedding truly was. We used all of their recommended vendors which was great because all of them knew exactly what to do, it was incredibly seamless, the value of what we recieved was far above what we paid. I cannot say enough about what a wonderful experience we had. If I could go back in time, I would have my wedding here again and again and again! -
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Tiffany Sent on 12/14/2024
Such an incredible venue!
We absolutely LOVED having our wedding at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park! Not only did they offer such an amazing wedding package but the different venues they have are beautiful! We knew this was the perfect wedding venue for us as the money goes directly back to conservation. Us being animal lovers and my dream to help with animal conservation this was absolutely perfect! The entire process of booking with the Zoo was so easy! Emily was our coordinator for the zoo and she was absolutely Amazing! She made everything so easy for us and explained everything. She answered all my many questions and made our wedding perfect. She was able to help us figure out special requests we wanted and was SO fun to work with. Her and our wedding planner Courtney from Breezy Day made the day flow so seamlessly that everything was on time and stress free. She and Courtney took care of all our guests and were so sweet. Emily understands the rush of a wedding day and fully cares for everyone and the bride and groom. She even had a plate of food waiting for us after the ceremony which was SO amazing so we could get fuel for the reception!
The zoo and the venue are so organized, from the coordination of the day to the menu, food, vendors, plating décor, signage, and attention to detail. We were truly impressed with how much coordination was happening on the day of the wedding and how much the staff helped in every way. Our day went perfectly, and we can’t thank the staff enough! Hands down the staff at the zoo is INCREDIBLE!! Emily was on top of everything and such a joy to work with! She is so kind, sweet, and understanding! Tommy was also such a joy to work with on our wedding day! He helped with our first look and was so kind! These two are a power team!
We highly recommend the animal encounter to anyone looking to book this venue as it was such an unforgettable experience for us and all our guests! We still have people complimenting that our wedding was one of the best weddings they have ever been to, and the animal encounter was such a blast for them. We also recommend the venue of the Harusi Lawn/Tiger Long House. It was such a beautiful ceremony location where our guest got to see the animals in the background. Our reception was so fun, and everyone loved that the tiger was hanging out with us all night! We just want to thank the staff for making our day so incredible!! -
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![Adam]()
Adam Sent on 12/09/2024Everything we dreamed of and more!
We planned the whole wedding from Virginia and everything went off without any major issues. Thomas even did some emergency electrical work to make sure the ceremony was not delayed. Every step of the way we knew what needed to happen and it all went great. We were fully taken care of. -
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![Kolby]()
Kolby Sent on 11/26/2024Great Packages, People, and Animals!
From the beginning we knew we wanted our wedding to be at a nonprofit. We picked the San Diego Zoo Safari Park not only for how gorgeous the location is or the amazing packages that come with but because of the impact the San Diego Zoo has for animals. They are known for their care for animals and we knew our money would go towards saving wildlife. Our experience with the zoo started with Magdalena back in February of 2023. She guided us through every location and gave us very detailed descriptions of how the day would look for all of them. We decided on the Lagoon Overlook & Mombasa Pavilion since both the ceremony and reception were right next to eachother making it easy for all of our guests. After setting our date, we got in contact with our coordinator for the venue which was Emily. Emily made every process easy and gave us so much insight on how our day will flow. She worked with our wedding coordinator with a breeze. Emily ensured all of our vendors were set for the big day. Giving detailed schedules and personally emailing every vendor! When the wedding came on October 19, 2024, Emily was on site and ready to go. She was so supportive through out our day and kept everything afloat along with our wedding coordinator. Emily was absolutely fantastic and I recommend her to anyone who is looking to get married at any of their locations. She was kind, supportive, and so loving on our big day and even check in on us the day after. It was such a beautiful day and I wish I could relive it over and over again. Thank you San Diego Zoo and Emily for such an amazing experience! :) -
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Taylor Sent on 11/26/2024
Wedding of our dreams
We are beyond happy with our experience of having our wedding at this venue! It was everything we could have asked for. Everyone that helped us plan our day was great, especially Emily. She was so helpful with answering all of our questions, making us feel at ease and making sure our day went off without and hiccups. This was a destination wedding for us and we felt so comfortable planning from another state. If you are considering having your wedding here I would absolutely recommend it! -
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Gabriel Sent on 11/19/2024
Magical, Epic, and Beautiful
We are overjoyed that we picked the San Diego Zoo Safari Park Kijamii Overlook for our wedding and reception.
Magical, epic and beautiful are just a few words that we and our guests used to describe the day. Many of our (very honest) guests told us that they've never been to a wedding as special as ours. The venue was the big reason behind those comments. We are beyond satisfied with our experience at the Kijamii Overlook, with many thanks to our amazing venue coordinator Alyssa and the site staff.
Our wedding was in June 2024 with over 120 guests. After touring several venues, Kijamii Overlook took our breath away at first look, and our wedding lived up to that feeling. The planning and logistics went very smoothly, including rehearsal, shuttles, set-up, bar line, lighting, dancing - all of it. As a couple who appreciates good food, we can sincerely say that the options we picked (braised beef short ribs, mushroom gnocchi, and miso glazed salmon) were all so delicious and the day itself was a step above when compared to the tasting event. For ambiance, the day time lived up to our hype, with giraffes, rhinos, and antelope in the back. The night time was just as special, in a way I did not expect, with the stars visible to us in the grassy area. Also, guests, many of whom from out-of-state, raved about having admission for the day, and we are so happy to have an annual pass.
As a tip: watch the temperatures in Escondido leading up to your day. We ended up with the hottest day of the week and bought parasols and paper fans last minute, which helped. Other than the ceremony, there were a lot of options for shade and the staff was great at making sure cold water was available.
Lastly, vendors told us that this venue is unique logistically, so it can help to have someone with experience here or who puts in the work to prepare. We were extremely happy with our vendors: A Hundred Hearts for coordination, Mallory Kessel for photography, DJ FishFonics w/ SGM, the Flower Bae for flowers, Jenny Wenny for cake.
We highly recommend the Kijamii Overlook at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and hope you have a day as magical as ours! -
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![Elizabeth]()
Elizabeth Sent on 07/25/2024I don't know why you'd get married anywhere else!
We found the San Diego Zoo Safari Park after joking about getting married at the zoo! The costs are the same as any other all inclusive venue, but the experience is a million times better. The money goes back to helping the animals, the staff is EXTREMELY nice and helpful, and our guests thought the entire event was amazing and one of the funnest weddings they had. Magda who we spoke with first was so helpful, and Tommy our coordinator was an absolute gem to work with. For food we did the Comfort Station, Vegan Station, and Taco Station, and our guests thought the food was AMAZING! The food at the tasting was more of their fancy stuff which respectfully wasn't that good, but the basics were apparently were amazing which I was honestly shocked by since honestly most wedding food these days is pretty bad. I saw apparently because I ate about one bite the entire night - but so many people said how good the food was!!! We were blessed with five animals in a good enough mood to grace us at the wedding too!! Seriously, I don't know why anyone would choose another venue with similar costs/ scenery. At the Kajami Overlook you feel completely outside, free, open, and the photos came out beautiful as it looks like you're chilling in the mountains. The only thing I would have changed is inviting less people since weddings really do show you who is worth keeping in your life and speaking to 150 people in a night is insanely stressful. That said, the zoo handled that many people beautifully and so many guests said it was the funnest and coolest wedding they had been to! Thank you Safari Park!! Can't wait to keep visiting with our new annual passes (part of the package!!) -
![Jennifer]()
Jennifer Sent on 07/07/2024"The best wedding ever"
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park was the perfect place to host our wedding. Tommy, our coordinator and the zoo staff went above and beyond to make our day special. We chose Kijamii Overlook because we had older guests, we didn’t want them to have to move from the ceremony to the reception site. Kijamii Overlook was perfect because the ceremony and reception were at the same open-air site overlooking the safari with giraffes and rhinos. The kids loved it! We added on the Wild Animal Encounter, where we had birds, a porcupine and sloth visit us. We had guests sitting around us entranced by the animals. It was a big treat for everyone. Other hits for folks was the charcuterie board at the cocktail hour and an ice cream bar at the end of the night. The Safari Park and chef were able to accommodate all our guests dietary restrictions for vegan and gluten-free options. They also helped our ADA guests get right up to the ceremony site. Tommy coordinated everything without a hitch on the big day. He even tied the perfect windsor knot when we needed help. He worked seamlessly with our team of vendors to make our wedding better than we’d dreamed. Tommy even helped us get up to the Old World Gardens for our photos, the bride’s favorite spot in the park. Many of our guests said it was “the best wedding ever.” We highly recommend the San Diego Zoo Safari Park for your wedding or special event. -
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![Marisa]()
Marisa Sent on 04/07/2024Amazing Venue
I highly recommend the Safari Park for your wedding!! They made planning a wedding such an easy and stress free experience. I was provided with a list of recommended vendors which made planning so easy because I already a narrowed down list. We loved every single vendor we ended up hiring! Since catering was provided through the park, that also made it easy and delicious! We got so many rave reviews about the food after our wedding which was no surprise because the Safari Park has yummy food to start with.
Tommy Gomez was our vendor coordinator and he was TOP NOTCH!! He was super communicative the entire process, always making sure we did not have any questions and answering any we had. He made working with the park a dream and I could request him if you can. He made sure all the vendors had what they needed for the day of and things seemed to run super smoothly for them. He was there for rehearsal and our wedding day too! Working with Tommy gave me full confidence and that resulted is having no stress at all. It was supposed to rain the day of our wedding but Tommy doubled down with me and we set up the ceremony for outside rather than him pushing me to move it inside. Which I am so glad because it did not rain! He was the best cheerleader along the way.
The park has so many beautiful views for wedding photos as well which is a huge plus. If you are having a wedding of 60 or less, I highly recommend the Woolshed venue area. -
![Mindy]()
Mindy Sent on 03/22/2024All Inclusive, Always Accommodating, Amazing Food
We held our reception at the Sambutan Longhouse, which is nestled at the end of the bamboo forest known as the Tiger Trail. When opting for a package with the Safari Park, you're met with exceptional inclusivity. The venue itself is decorated as you see on a typical day at the park, requiring minimal additions aside from table centerpieces. This is ideal for those seeking a hassle-free experience without compromising on style.
Our guests had the opportunity to explore the Safari Park prior to our reception, which comes included in any reception package. Once the reception began, we had the venue till late allowing our guests the unique experience of seeing the Safari Park at night and being treated to the majestic sight of the tiger lounging throughout the evening.
The Safari Park's venue coordinator exceeded our expectations, ensuring seamless coordination with our day-of coordinators and accommodating our requests. One special request of mine was to have the horticultural team showcase plants native to our parents' home countries, they even passed around a carnivorous plant for everyone to see up close.
The reception package includes many food services to select from. We decided on appetizers during cocktail hour, followed by a buffet-style arrangement for the main course. The efforts of the culinary staff at the Safari Park received the highest praise from our family and friends as they unanimously voted it the best wedding food they have ever had. It was heartwarming to witness the kids, and even a few adults sneak in for seconds, possibly even thirds, a true testament to the quality of food the Safari Park has to offer.
The Sambutan Longhouse at the Safari Park provided an unforgettable backdrop for our celebration, and we are so glad to have had a wonderful communicative venue coordinator from the park as well as an upbeat staff during our wedding reception.
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![Kirsten]()
Kirsten Sent on 02/20/2024Tommy and the SD Safari Park Team were AMAZING!
We recently got married at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park at the Kijamii Overlook venue at it was incredibly. Our coordinator, Tommy, and the entire team went above and beyond to make our day so special. We loved the wedding package options and the tastings that they offered helped us to be confident in what the food would look and taste like.
The communication prior to our wedding was excellent and Tommy was there for us every step of the way to answer questions and help us make decisions. We were able to have our rehearsal and the SD Safari Park team were amazing in wrangling our wedding party and helping us get our wedding decor to the location.
We did our first look at the park and Tommy helped to make sure we were able to get around the park with ease and our photographer had everything she needed. Shuttles helped get our guests to the venue and they were able to come early and enjoy the park prior to the wedding.
The location was spectacular and the Safari Park team runs like a well-oiled machine. There was a huge group of people helping to make sure our day got off without a hitch.
Once our ceremony was finished, we had the animal ambassadors at our cocktail hour and it was a highlight for us and our guests. The staff who shared the animals with us were informative and fun! The food exceeded our expectations and we were told by so many of our guests that it was the best food they have ever had at a wedding.
The SD Safari Park service team were amazing and all of our guests were looked after and cared for the whole night. I cannot recommend this venue enough!! We were exceedingly happy with everything, our photos were spectacular because of the amazing surroundings, and we had a blast!
Tommy was such an amazing help and so professional the entire time. He was a spectacular coordinator, no question or concern was too silly, and he looked after us with such care throughout the whole process. Communication exceeded my expectations and he made the whole process a dream! Highly, highly recommend him as a coordinator.
We had the wedding of our dreams and are so thankful to all who helped make it possible!
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Alyssa Sent on 02/06/2024
A Dream Wedding
The SD Safari Park was truly a dream venue for me. The team there made every step of the process so easy and Delanie in particular was fantastic to work with.
My husband and I knew we wanted to have as cool a venue as possible and what is cooler than having your ceremony in front of a herd of giraffes or your reception in front of the tiger enclosure?
Every single person we invited raved about our venue. Your guests get a free day pass to visit the zoo before the wedding so we got so many pictures of our friends and family having a great time with the animals in the morning.
Everything about the wedding was perfect, from the physical space to the food. We got so many comments on how good our food was, and everyone's biggest regret was that they were too stuffed to eat more of it! (As a side note, everyone who had the short ribs would not stop talking about how good they were.)
I think the best part about the Safari Park is that it isn't astronomically more expensive than any other vendor available in San Diego. If I'm being honest, I would argue that it's either on par if not cheaper than most venues we looked at. It's also an all-inclusive rental/catering/bartending service so really the only outside vendors I needed to hire were cake, florals, music, and my coordinator. It made wedding planning incredibly easy.
All in all, I highly recommend considering the Safari Park as a wedding venue and if I'm being honest I would throw another wedding there in a heartbeat. -
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![Nikki]()
Nikki Sent on 10/31/2023Safari Park Rave Wedding
Alyssa was our venue coordinator and was so amazing throughout the entire process. We booked the venue early (over a year) for our date of 10/28/2023 to make sure we could lock in the Saturday of halloween weekend. She provided so many options of available vendors and pre set time line for the day and even when I wanted to scratch out a bunch of traditional items to create my own timeline she was always supportive and accommodating to change requests throughout the process. Even when having to deny my outrageous requests for aerial dancers she was sweet about trying to see if it was a possibility. She made sure that we were able to enjoy our appetizers and drinks through out the night even while entertaining our guests. An extra nice touch. The perks of day access to the park for our guests and annual membership for bride and groom were a steal with the wedding package. Our guests had constant wow moments with so many photo ops with baby tigers, rhinos, giraffes and so many more exotic animals! They had comments like it felt like a million dollar wedding without the million dollar price tag. We didn’t even need to dig into our budget for flowers or furniture rentals because the venue itself was wow enough but if you want to be extra extra you can! Furniture rentals on the turf would add extra wow. Its really cool how you can stay as close to the food and bevy min that youd like or go all out even more if ya want! 10/10 recommend. If you are an animal lover this is def the venue for you. They have the events dialed in well. We would absolutely consider having an event at the safari park again. -
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![elizx0224]()
Elizabeth Sent on 08/29/2023Wild Wedding
I wanted a unique experience for my guest who were celebrating with us. The venue provided a great experience, great fun, and great fun. I couldn’t have had a better time. Our guest are still complementing our choice now weeks after. I am so thankful to the staff and all of their efforts in making our anniversary the best day ever. -
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![Leanna]()
Leanna Sent on 08/06/2023Absolutely perfect!
The San Diego Zoo & Safari Park, staff and our site coordinator Delanie were amazing in helping to make our wedding weekend absolutely perfect! Delanie did a great job guiding us through the whole process and was very pleasant to work with through the last couple of years of planning. The safari park (Kijamii Overlook) was breathtaking and our guests continue to tell us that it was the most unique wedding they've ever been too and that the wildlife encounter was one of the highlights of the night. -
Sue E. Sent on 08/03/2023
Extremely helpful
Wonderful unique venue at the Woolshed in beautiful gardens at the Safari Park. Staff on the day were great, Nikki the coordinator extremely helpful. Would highly recommend this venue for weddings. -
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Sabrina Sent on 08/02/2023
Amazing Venue
We had our wedding in July at the Mombosa lagoon/pavilion at the Safari Park and it was a dream day! From the beginning, our coordinator Tommy was the best help we could have ever wished for. The wedding is completely customizable and you can add in or not have what you want. We recommend doing the tasting, which is where we decided on our menu and met our coordinator. Tommy kept in touch with us regularly in the year leading up to our wedding and always answered my many-questioned emails within 24 hours. He was always so helpful and provided any insight that he had, along with experienced recommendations.
The venue itself was completely picturesque. The wedding was in the evening and the lagoon was a great background for all of our wedding photos and the reception. Tommy worked with all of our vendors to ensure that they knew when/where they needed to arrive and being the bride, I was able to walk up to my wedding with absolutely everything done. Tommy also allowed us to bring and store some decorations at the rehearsal and was so accommodating with our very large family at the rehearsal.
On the day of, Tommy helped ensure that everything was ready to go and gave us updates. He was even available for my parent's questions and provided them with help. Once the ceremony was over, Tommy brought up drinks so we could relax before the photos began. He also helped my mom bustle my dress, made sure we had appetizers at our table when we arrived at the reception, and kept our timeline. I cannot recommend him as a coordinator enough. At the end of the night, my family was prepared to clean up the reception and when we went to grab the boxes, Tommy had already ensured that everything was packed up and loaded on the golf cart for us. He always went the extra mile for us at every step and it truly was the most stress-free day and that was 100% because of Tommy. I highly recommend the amazing venue, (the profits go towards the animals so how much better does it get?), the process and options. We got comments on how it was the best wedding that people had been to.
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![Robyn]()
Robyn Sent on 07/03/2023Amazing and unique wedding day!
As a San Diego native I've always loved going to the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, and I'm so happy we chose this venue for our wedding celebration as the whole day was so memorable and amazing! We chose Harusi Lawn and Sambutan Longhouse at Tiger Trail, we were a bit worried it would be cramped with 100 guests but there was plenty of room in the Longhouse. The ceremony area near the cheetah enclosure was very beautiful and needed minimal decoration (although we still had a florist and other decorations for the gift/guest book table). One of the highlights of the day was the Animal Encounter, I definitely recommend adding this if possible. The zoo staff presented 4 animals, which included a cheetah and kangaroo! All our guests were amazed and really enjoyed the animal presentation. The food was also amazing, we had the 24-hour braised beef which was so delicious, I could not stop eating. All the guests we talked to also said the salmon with ponzu sauce was very good, and they even said their kids who are picky eaters loved the kids' meals. We actually didn't get to try the hors d'oeuvres, but our guests said they were all very good.
Our event coordinator Tommy was so nice and fun to work with, and the Safari Park staff was extremely kind and understanding when there were delays with our wedding due to a serious illness I was going through. Tommy always answered our various questions promptly, and made sure everything went smoothly on the big day. There were a couple minor hiccups in terms of transportation (golf carts and shuttles) in between the ceremony and reception venues, but Tommy got them sorted out right away. To be fair, it seemed a bit logistically difficult to move 100 guests in between 2 venues which were somewhat far apart. He also had a great sense of humor and even busted out a few dance moves on the dance floor! All the rest of the staff were also very friendly and attentive.
We got so many compliments from guests that this was the most unique and best wedding they've ever been to. Their prices are very reasonable considering their package includes hors d'oeuvre, tables, linens, beer and wine for cocktail hour, etc. It's also awesome that the money you spend goes towards their conservation program. The day was everything I hoped it would be, it was such a wonderful venue! -
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![Natasha]()
Natasha Sent on 06/10/2023The most magical day!
My husband and I got married here two weeks ago, and it truly was one of the most special and magical days of our lives so far. We got married at the Kijamii Overlook venue, which is an absolutely STUNNING venue that overlooks the animals roaming the savannah. When you arrive to the venue, you truly do not feel like you’re in San Diego anymore but rather on a safari vacation! There's a fun fire pit and beautiful bar built into a tree (how cool is that!). We chose the plated meal option and the food was all so delicious and cooked to perfection (we had the pan seared chicken, baseball top sirloin and shiitake mushroom risotto). We upgraded our bar and appetizers too, which I highly recommend because the Cheetah-rita signature cocktail and upgraded appetizers (we upgraded to the ahi tuna and vegan falafels, on top of the 3 standard hor d’oeuvres that you get with the package) were a hit amongst our guests! So many of my wedding guests have said that this has been the most beautiful and unique wedding location they have been to! One of the most magical things happened when we were saying our vows- a few giraffes lined up right behind me as if they were wanting to listen too! And as a bride, this location and venue was the most perfect thing I could have ever imagined! And I cannot praise the staff more. Our coordinator was Delanie Brown and she was the absolute BEST person to work with! Delanie started communicating with me months before the wedding and always made herself available to answer my many questions. She was so patient, kind, accommodating and knowledgeable. Delanie made sure we were always well informed about any upcoming deadlines and always made sure we were on track with our planning. She was there the day of the wedding as well to make sure everything went as planned. People always say how planning a wedding is stressful, but I can honestly say that Delanie was such a joy to work with that the planning process was truly seamless and easy for us because of her. Many, many thanks and appreciation to her and the rest of the staff at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park! Thank you for helping us create and celebrate the most special day of our lives, and for giving us some of the most beautiful memories that we will cherish forever! -
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![Richard]()
Richard Sent on 03/31/2023Wild Wedding could’ve been bad, but everything was perfect!
Truly a wild wedding that was made perfect with Delanie’s help. I didn’t see a lot of reviews for her but she’s amazing!
Venue: We chose Kijami overlook which is the most breath taking out of all the options. It was cozy, beautiful ( we had no decorations except for center pieces) , and spacious for our 100 guests that attended. Everything was laid out beautifully in regards to the dance floor setup , food stations and our specialized tables up front at the entrance. Even though, there was a lot of rain, Delanie was able to shift around the ceremony to accommodate our needs. The animals were out the entire time (overlooking the safari)and we were covered during the reception when it did start to rain. In fact, the rain wasn’t even noticeable. All of the staff at the venue (bartenders, bus boys, kitchen staff, etc. ) were very kind and help all the way through even after clean up , the staff was constantly checking on us and providing support.
The biggest downside of the day were the shuttles to get to the reception area. They started a bit late and took a while to get all the guests down. ADA Assistance was provided however, it took significantly a longer time to get the carts. In fact, some guests were worried about being late that they ended up taking the regular shuttle instead.
Food: When they have you go to the tasting, they only give you 1 type of entree from the 3 different options (plate vs. buffet vs. food stations). This left us worried at first because the options they showed were mediocre and not what we had intended for what we wanted at our wedding. The hors d’oeuvres
We’re good then, and even better at the actual wedding. So we came to the terms that the food wasn’t going to be amazing however, we’re blown out of the water with surprise that the food was much better than anticipated. Our guest kept complimenting us on the food. It was so good that if it was a restaurant that served the food, we would be going back for more. We had a taco station with Mahi-mahi (catch of the day) and chicken, we also had pasta station with penne and cheese tortellini with choice of 3 sauces and lastly, the carving station with tri-tip and New York strip.
Zoo provided wedding coordinator:
The zoo coordinator helps you manage everything on your day and is there to assist you with any questions you have whether it be it be in regards to the ceremony, the costs or what DJ to pick etc. communication was a key to a successful wedding that really ramped 2 months prior to the wedding.
Delanie was very nice, informative, and always quick to respond. At times, I sent her several emails at once each about a different subject and she always replied to every concern. Prior to the wedding day, she was a big help figuring out the logistics of the day. During the wedding day, she was more than we could have asked for and expected. She was constantly checking in on us, starting from the morning of when we had to rearrange the ceremony due to the weather and the lawn being flooded. Prior to the ceremony, she was at the venue making sure every vendor knew where to go and what to do and that everything looked good. During the wedding, she was always floating throughout and providing assistance whenever and wherever she could. This varied from saving us a plate of hors d’oeuvres to gathering our keepsakes after the ceremony.
We begged Delanie to let us speak with her supervisor to give her the praise (and raise) that she deserved for making our day perfect. However, the best we can do instead is how much a wonder she was to work with.
P.s. if you are her supervisor reading this, please give her the shoutout that she deserves.
Overall: this was an amazing venue with an amazing menu even better coordinator. We truly couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day and would recommend to anyone looking for a wild wedding ! -
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![Kara]()
Kara Sent on 03/07/2023The Absolute Best Venue in Southern California
I cannot say enough about how amazing the San Diego Safari Park was. The venue, the food, the staff, the service was 100% phenomenal. Our coordinator Nikki was so kind and helpful; I truly wish she was my friend in real life because her energy is just so positive and lovely. The staff were all helpful and friendly. The food - oh goodness gracious was it delicious! We had so many compliments about the food. Definitely pick the braised short ribs, and their house vegetables were gorgeously presented and perfectly cooked. We also had the wildlife experience, which was insanely cool! We received so many compliments and no joke people commented that it was the best wedding they went to. When you math out the cost compared to other venues, and the added value of the venue being a nonprofit dedicated to conservation, there is no better choice. If you are even remotely thinking about this venue, please give Nikki a call, because you wont regret it!!! -
Sara Sent on 02/13/2023
Everything I could have dreamed of and more
I had such an amazing, unforgettable wedding experience at the San Diego Zoo & Safari Park! I held both my ceremony and reception at the Kijamii Overlook at the Safari Park. Working with Nikki made the whole experience low stress and organized. I had such an amazing time, I truly had everything I could have imagined and more. The venue was gorgeous and the food was outstanding, I really don't think I can top this experience. I've been hearing from relatives ever since the wedding that this was one of the best weddings they've ever attended! Thanks again to the event coordinators for giving me the most memorable day of my life. -
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Ashleigh Sent on 12/29/2022
Safari Park
The Venue was superb in every category. We had Alyssa Good as our venue coordinator and she was amazing! Excellent communication and quick responses. It was better than we could’ve imagined! -
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![Christina]()
Christina Sent on 12/15/2022Our Guests Voted Us Best Wedding Ever
Our wedding was wonderful! The San Diego Zoo and Safari Park made our wedding day so special. We had a great time and all of our guests were raving about the giraffes and rhinos! Our guests were able to stand by the fire and watch the animals late into the night.
We also had many people complimenting the food. Everyone loved the Mini Treat Table, the S’mores Station and the late night snacks. It was all delicious!
Nikki and the rest of the staff at the Safari Park were so friendly, professional and kind. Nikki was always available to help us and all our family members throughout the wedding rehearsal, ceremony and reception.
I highly recommend the Kijamii Overlook site for a wedding along with the Wildlife Animal Encounter experience! -
![Stacey]()
Stacey Sent on 11/28/2022Best wedding ever! (according to our guests and us)
Our wedding at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park was absolutely incredible! We had a small guest count - only about 60 guests, and so chose the Harusi Lawn/Longhouse at Tiger Trail venue combination. These locations were perfect, absolutely stunning, and so very us. We added the animal encounter to our cocktail hour and did not regret it! Our guests were raving about it and the animals we got to learn about were incredible! We highly recommend adding this encounter if it is in your budget, because really, where else will you get to have this amazing private animal encounter as entertainment for your wedding? It was a beautiful educational experience and so special for everyone.
We had the amazing opportunity to work with Alyssa as our point of contact for the venue and could not have been happier. She was extremely detailed in her answers and always prompt in her responses. We appreciated her working with us to have our dream of a boba vendor at our wedding as well - also another aspect our guests seemed to love! We had a bit of a kerfuffle at the very start of our inquiry into having our wedding at the Safari Park, as the original coordinator we had been in contact with suddenly stopped working there right as we were trying to finalize our wedding date. Luckily we were swiftly taken care of - we were contacted by the Safari Park with a call and then promptly by email and got everything straightened out. Alyssa was placed as our venue coordinator and immediately got the ball rolling again. We are very grateful for her!
We also want to shout out the venue staff - from the waitstaff, to the bartenders, to the shuttle drivers. Everyone was so lovely and nice - our guests had a great time interacting with them. During dinner service, the staff were all so kind of quick - we really are so grateful for every one of them!
Overall, we highly recommend having your wedding at the Safari Park! It is such a unique and amazing experience - plus profits will go back towards animal conservation. So not only are guests having a good time, but every guest invited is also helping the park and the animals. The gorgeous venue locations and the fact that we could include an animal encounter during our cocktail hour was so extremely special. Because the whole park is already so gorgeous, minimal decor was needed - really, if you wanted to save money and you were at the Harusi Lawn venue for your ceremony, you could probably pass on florals with how gorgeous it is! We opted to enhance with some gorgeous florals, but I can definitely see it working without any as well. We also were very lucky in that the tigers remained out of their covered homes the entire night! So our guests got to see them up close all night long (the tigers chose to chill right next to the windows by the dinner tables). We love what the SDZ Wildlife Alliance stands for and does, and what a fun way to be a part of that! -
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![AJ]()
Andrew Sent on 06/16/2022Perfection Completed
Utilizing this wedding venue, we achieved the wedding of our dreams with photos and a guest experience we would not have been able to replicate at any other place. Having both of us being born and raised throughout Southern California, this was a home away from home for both of us, and met every expectation we had.
Nikki, our wedding correspondent for the venue worked with our every need and was able to quickly navigate our issues. She expertly handled our constantly changing guest situation, as several wedding party members canceled on us within a week of the wedding. She was able to put off the final food bid until after we attending a local tasting in the area although it was well over two weeks into when the document was due. She knew we were out-of-state completing tasks that we couldn't get a break from, and was the crucial piece of the puzzle for our wedding. Without her, the wedding would've collapsed on the spot. Because we do not currently live in the state, she was able to work out a deal with regards to the season passes, and we were granted two tickets for a safari ride the day prior to the wedding. My wife and I had a concern with regards to the food selection because two of our guests were vegan, and she helped us through the menu to make sure each and every person was able to eat to their heart's desire at the wedding. She stayed for the entire wedding and was able to assist us with a couple individuals that were irresponsible at the wedding with regards to their drinking. We were able to coordinate rides for them and able to keep their vehicles on site after listing them with the parent company that handled security. When it came to the event, Nikki knew our every want, and made sure to personally save certain appetizers that we specifically ordered and paid more for because of the taste and quality of the dish. She had four ready for us right after we walked off from the wedding during the cocktail hour and collected all of the extras from cocktail hour and had them at our table as we arrived to the reception area.
During cocktail hour, after our little meet and greet with guests that flew in from all over the country, we had a personal escort with a golf cart to several spots within the park so that our photographer could take pictures of us with several different species in the background. We were even able to coordinate some of that help prior to the service, which is typically not done because of scheduling, but because of this, we were able to complete all of the bridal party photos prior to the wedding.
We used vendors from their list in the local area for the flowers, cake and DJ. The photographer was someone we outsourced that I am hoping will be added to their list, as I believe her portfolio and price is beneficial for most of the guests paying for weddings at this venue. We are so pleased with this space, that we are going to renew our 5 or 10 year vows at the same location. This was our dream come true! -
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Katrina Sent on 05/13/2020A Unique Experience
A unique experience! The venue coordinators were very responsive and helpful from beginning to end. My husband and I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, so having the wedding here was a bit of a "destination" wedding. It was nice having the bar, catering, tables, chairs and linens included with the venue package. The animal encounter is a must! It was awesome! The venue coordinator provided us with a preferred vendors list which made choosing vendors much simpler and made the planning process smooth. We had a wedding coordinator as well, which was also a must for this venue. Our guests told us it was the best wedding they've been to--including their own. (Photos posted in this review taken by Bob Hoffman Photography: www.hoffmanphotovideo.com). -
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![Adam]()
Adam Sent on 10/11/2019Our wedding was wild
Getting married here was an incredible experience. First off, the park is just a really awesome setting for a wedding. It's just really great looking... PLUS there are wild animals around.
Sydney, the park's event coordinator for our wedding, was incredible to work with. She was always looking to help us get the wedding day that we wanted - and she did a really great job.
The animal presentation is just about the coolest thing that can happen at a wedding, so if you get married here... I highly recommend you have an animal presentation.
The reception area was great as well - they transformed a zoo menu into a really fantastic reception area. The food the park has as options for dinner is also incredibly delicious.
All in all, I have only good things to say about the entire experience. It was really fantastic and I highly recommend the Safari Park as a wedding venue. -
![Sarah-Anne]()
Sarah-Anne Sent on 10/03/2019The most amazing venue
Had out ceremony and wedding at the Mombassa Pavillion, was an absolute stunning venue. Christian and his team made sure that the day went smoothly and the food IS TO DIE FOR. Really the best steak I've had in such a long time, guests were raving about the food! Easy to deal with and fast with responses. So reasonably priced too. We had a magical day and would reccomend SD safari park to anyone! -
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Rdriscoll88 Sent on 09/04/2019The Perfect Wedding!
My husband and I are so glad we chose to have our wedding at the Safari Park! Sydney was a dream to work with. She was so organized and easy to communicate with. In the months before the wedding, she kept us well-informed of upcoming deadlines and answered all of our questions in a timely fashion. She managed all of our vendors for us, which saved us a lot of time and stress. On the day of our event, Sydney ensured that everything went smoothly. If there were any problems that day, we didn't hear about them. Every single Safari Park staff member who worked our event was friendly and attentive. The highlight of the day was the Animal Encounter, which blew everyone away. We heard from multiple guests that ours was the best wedding they have ever attended, and I think the beautiful Park and the wonderful staff were both responsible for that. -
![Christina]()
Christina Sent on 01/04/2019A night to remember
We could not have asked for a better venue for our wedding. It was absolutely fantastic! The staff and food were wonderful and Sydney, our coordinator, was absolutely amazing. All of our guest are still talking about our wedding and how amazing it was even weeks later.
Thank you for a wonderful night we will never forget!! -
![Angela]()
Angela Sent on 11/05/2018A Wild and Wonderful Wedding!
What a phenomenal place to have our wedding! We got married at the Mombasa Lagoon last month, and everything about the day was absolutely perfect. The setting was gorgeous, the food was outstanding, and all of our guests had such a fun time! Two of the biggest highlights for us were: 1. The guests were able to get their admission tickets (included in the wedding package) at any time throughout the day. We had a lot of out-of-town relatives who enjoyed being treated to a day at the Park prior to our wedding! 2. We added an animal presentation onto our package, and it was one of my absolute favorite parts of the day. Our cocktail hour included a serval, a boa, and a cheetah! We are very grateful to the animal keepers, to the waitstaff, and to our truly amazing coordinator, Sydney, for blowing all of our expectations out of the water! Our big day was far above and beyond anything we could have hoped for or imagined! -
Ariana Sent on 07/10/2018I cannot say enough how perfect our wedding was. We had our wedding at the Safari Park at the Kijami Overlook which is outdoors with a still very newly built covered reception space. The lawn overlooks the African savannah where the giraffes, antelope, and rhinos live. The space is already beautiful, so we didn't need to decorate too much. There is a bridal prep room, which was greatly appreciated. We were given a site coordinator, Kelli, who was amazing. She took care of managing the arrival and set up of the Safari Park crew and vendors. The price included set-up of the venue for both ceremony and reception (not including our decorations), the food and drink package we chose, and day-of admission and parking for all of our guests. We happily paid the extra fee to include an animal presentation during the cocktail hour and even though everything was already perfect, the presentation was the monumental icing on the cake that made our wedding the most unique and memorable wedding ever. The final reason I'd recommend doing your wedding at the Zoo or Safari Park is that the money is going to a good cause. They are non-profits and all the money goes to the animals in the park as well as conservation efforts across the globe.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's reply:
Ariana - Thank you so much for this amazing review and for including photos too. We love seeing how excited and happy you were that day and your interactions with Ruby are priceless! Thank you again for sharing your day with us! - Patti & Kelli -
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Jacqueline Sent on 01/07/2018Everything was perfect on my wedding day! We held our ceremony at Harusi Lawn with some surprise guests looking over us (cheetahs!!!!). The ladies toting us around the park in the golf carts were so helpful and accommodating - even when there were last minute issues to attend to (sending family members each and every way to make sure the reception site decor was finished). Check-in ran smooth at the entrance and my guests arrived to the ceremony site with ease (trams took them from the entrance to the other end of the park). We ended up using the changing rooms at Kijami overlook (Thanks KELLI!) which helped us stay close to our chosen spot for pre-ceremony photos at the campsite (overlooking the african plains and out of way from the crowds). The ceremony site at Harusi Lawn was beautiful by itself, and I felt it did not require much extra decor given that the tree serves as an altar by itself. We took couples photos down near the Flamingos by the lagoon after the ceremony, as the lighting was superb. After that, we were taken to the reception site at Mombasa Lagoon where our cocktail hour started and we were about to surprise our guests with AN ANIMAL SHOW! This was my favorite part of the wedding because the keepers focused their talks on the conservation efforts of the park - which I really appreciated since the park does SO MUCH good! Mombasa Pavilion was perfect for the night time and the setting itself was themed perfectly. Food was on point and everyone loved it!
With the help of our event coordinator Kelli, we were able to make the ceremony run with enough time to hold photos afterwards and before the cocktail hour. Kelli is so amazing, she helped queue the procession and coordinate with all of my vendors on their arrivals and getting their supplies on the golf carts. All in all - she was very communicative and answered all of my questions and was more than accommodating given some of my requests in the last few weeks.
BEST WEDDING EVER! Thank you!San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's reply:
Hi Jacqueline - Wow!! We are so humbled by your wonderful comments and beyond happy to hear you had an amazing experience overall! Thank you so much for these kind words and for choosing to celebrate with us! -
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Joanne Sent on 12/14/2017Our daughter and her new husband had their wedding at the San Diego Zoo, Treetops Room, on 11/11/17. The day could not have been better... Kelli was so organised and super helpful, the food and beverage service was fantastic, the room was beautiful, and what a wonderful setting. The animal presentation was a very special addition. Everyone commented that it was the best wedding ever and I have to agree.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's reply:
It was a pleasure celebrating with you, Joanne! Thank you again from choosing to join us at the Zoo and for sharing these kind words and photos! -
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![Miranda]()
Miranda Sent on 05/31/2017My husband and I were married at the Safari Park in May 2017, and it could not have been a better experience for us. It is such an awesome venue, with an amazing team behind it. Sydney was our venue coordinator, and even though we booked our date a year plus out from our wedding day - she was always super available and sent us regular emails to check on how we were doing and if we had any questions. She was very accommodating about our site visits (changing her own schedule at the last minute on at least one occasion), and never treated any question like it was a dumb question. She really cares about the end result and making sure you have a great experience (my day-of coordinator mentioned that Sydney was one of the best she’d ever worked with) - and boy we could tell! We feel super lucky to have worked with her & so grateful for everything she put into it.
Besides the great staff, the park itself is amazing on every level. It’s beautiful, it’s fun, the food is delicious, and the price is great considering everything you get (plus, you are supporting a fantastic organization). So many of our guests told us they had no idea what to expect, but were blown away by how great everything was. It was the best wedding ever and I cannot recommend it enough.
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![Hillary and Jon]()
Hillary Sent on 12/24/2013Everything about this venue was absolutely amazing. They were so accommodating to our requests and any questions we had. They responded to all our emails in a timely manner and made sure our wedding went smoothly. We had our ceremony and reception here and it turned out better than we even imagined! Such a unique place to get married, and were both so thankful that we did. -
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Ashley Sent on 11/06/2008Our wedding was at the San Diego Wild Animal Park in Escondido. They include the ceremony/reception sites and decor and catering all in one price! They were very flexible with little details we wanted to change around. Very nice and responsive to phone calls and emails (within 1 day responses).
The only bad thing is you must pay attention to your #'s in your contract! Make sure they are correct and make sure that if there are any changes made that the next draft of the contract includes them! Also when you get your bill after the event, make sure it matches your previous contract #'s!
((This is good advice no matter where your wedding is held and for all vendors you use!! Keep up with the details of your contracts!!)) -
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Paul Sent on 03/26/2024Unique Wedding Venue with So Much To Offer!
I got married at the Safari Park on October 27, 2023, and it was one of the best days ever! My wife keeps telling me that she wants to relive the day over and over again!
I'm actually a wedding photographer, so I've had a lot of experience at weddings and at different venues. I have to say that the team at the Safari Park were so awesome and made our day so fun and easy!
My wife and I wanted to find a venue that was somewhat unique and different from the typical wedding venue. When we visited the Safari Park, we were pleasantly surprised to find that their pricing was pretty competitive and that we could get this unique venue for a similar cost to what we'd been quoted at other, less impressive venues. It was also hugely helpful how all-inclusive the venue is. The Safari Park provided the ceremony seating, seating and farm tables for reception, our linens, the catering, and the bar for our wedding day. Not having to source all those things from different vendors was a huge time-saver and stress reliever. The food was delicious, including our cocktail hour appetizers (try the chicken empanadas!), and the bartenders were awesome too!
Tommy, our venue coordinator, is the COOLEST! We vibed with him right away over email, and the good vibes kept flowing when we met him in person. He is so nice and friendly, and he was happy to take time to talk through all the details and answer any questions we had. He was present on the day of our wedding, and made sure that we had everything we needed. Even though we had an outside planner/coordinator, it was Tommy who made sure my wife and I got appetizers and drinks during cocktail hour.
The dining staff and bartenders were super friendly and accommodating -- one bartender even told me that, in her 4 years of working weddings there, we had the prettiest bridesmaid dresses she'd ever seen!
The only "hiccup" in the entire experience that we had was the menu tasting. It was just a bit... odd, haha. For one, we had to pay $100+ for tickets to the tasting event. That alone wouldn't be an issue, but we found out afterward that the food we tasted wasn't necessarily the food options that we'd actually be able to select for our wedding date -- that the tasting event was more for us to get "a sense of the portion size and general quality of the food." It seems strange to pay for a food-tasting event where we don't taste our actual menu options. Additionally, they said they'd provide champagne at the tasting event. That apparently meant about a sip and a half of champagne with no refills. It felt a little stingy considering the amount they charged us to be there.
Overall, this was a very minor snag in the whole experience. Tommy's guidance leading up to the wedding was incredibly helpful, and he was great with our wedding party and our families on the day of the rehearsal. On the day of the wedding, everything ran smoothly, and they even provided us golf cart transport from the entrance to our wedding site. I never saw a long line at the bar, which means they bartenders were killing it! All our guests commented on how beautiful and amazing the venue was and what a great time they were having. And a huge highlight of the day was adding the Animal Experience to our cocktail hour, where they brought out four animals to be up close with us and our guests -- definitely a memorable experience for everyone there.
Thanks, SDZSP, for hosting our dream day and making it great! -
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Albert Sent on 11/15/2023
It's the ZOO.
The San Diego Zoo & Safari Park is an amazing venue. The smiles from just talking about a wedding at the zoo is a small preview of the amount of joy that guests will have on your special day. It was smiles all around and such a great experience. Thanks to Delanie and the rest of the SD Zoo team for making our special day (and the planning months leading up to it) stress free and so beautiful! -
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Tara Sent on 11/03/2021
Best day ever!
It may sound cheesy but my wedding day was the best day of my life! I wish I could relive it over and over. Not only was the San Diego Zoo Safari Park a beautiful location for our wedding but it was such a pleasure working with their staff. Being a COVID bride was stressful as it was but the park made everything stress free for us. Both my venue coordinators for the park were amazing people and so very helpful. Sydney and Alyssa go above and beyond to make sure everything is run smoothly and all our vendors were on the same page. All of our guests had an amazing time. They absolutely loved the animal encounter during cocktail hour as it's not something people normally see at a wedding. The food was also outstanding and I wish they had it for normal dinning at the park because I would get it again and again if I could. If you are looking for an amazing wedding that supports a great cause look no further. -
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Eric Sent on 03/22/2019
Kajami Overlook - Amazing
Our wedding at the Kajami Overlook was nothing short of spectacular! Could not be more pleased with how it turned out! -
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Shirley Sent on 12/19/2019
Pleased with venue
The venue was fun, our guests enjoyed the animals. Guests receive free admission on day of event before the ceremony. -
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Jeremiah Sent on 09/22/2018We wanted to have a easy, meaningful, unique and fun wedding. The Safari Park was the perfect place to do all of that. Easy: Our coordinator took good care of us the whole way, making sure we knew what was happening and that we knew what to do. And they could provide almost everything in one place- ceremony space, reception, tables, chairs, linens, food, drinks and desserts. Unique: Well, there was a Cheetah at our wedding, I don't think many other people get to claim that. Fun: My nephew who is too cool for everything stayed all night and gave me a thumbs up half way through- so it must have been fun. And they were great- they let us personalize to our hearts content from pinatas to face painters.
And I must say- we assumed going in the one thing we'd have to compromise on is the food. But it was far from the case. The food was amazing (and the dessert even better).
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's reply:
Jeremiah - Wow. What an amazing review, thank you so much! We're so happy to hear your experience was easy, fun and delicious! We enjoyed working with you and Traci just as much and are having so much fun looking through your photos. Talk about a good time! Your wedding couldn't have reflected your personalities any better. Thank you again for allowing us to be apart of it. - Patti & Sydney -
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Mariah Sent on 03/12/2024
Safari Park Experience
It was a great fully staffed event, the only downside is the animals for the animal encounter were fairly small and did not feel worth the 1500. They also have very strict rules so check in if you want things like balloons etc. Other than those two things it was a beautiful event and we were very very happy with our event! -
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Melinda Sent on 08/01/2019Better Than We Ever Imagined
Our wedding went better than we ever imagined.
Size: 62 guests (10 children ages 1 to 13)
Ceremony Site: Harusi Lawn
Reception Site: Tiger Longhouse
On-Site Vendors: Site coordinator (provided by the park), day-of coordinator, florist, DJ, MC, dessert-maker, lighting (market lights in reception site)
Ceremony: It was fantastic. The lawn fit our party size perfectly, the immediate backdrop of the tree (and two pillars with flowers that we added) was beautiful, and the deeper backdrop of the cheetah enclosure and savanna beyond gave plenty of pre-ceremony action to keep everyone interested.
Cocktail hour: One of the things they offer is an animal presentation during the cocktail hour, and every single person who ever gets married here should absolutely do that. The expectation that was set is that 3-4 animals will be presented by trainers in an intimate, up-close fashion with the possible crown jewel being a cheetah (but no guarantee because they might not be in the mood to come out). For ours, a military macaw wowed guests with mimic games, a red kangaroo literally ate out of our hands (and tried to eat the knee of my pants!), a caracal posed for dramatic photos, and a cheetah chowed down on a blood popsicle a couple feet away from us. They all strolled around the lawn (on leashes!) right in front of the guests, kids’ eyes were as big as dinner plates, and 1,000s of photos were taken. It turned an average cocktail hour with good drinks and mixed food (crab cakes were great, bruschetta was bad) in a nice setting into a lifelong memory for everyone. Absolutely magical.
Reception: The food (chicken and salmon) was great, and they accommodated some special meals without complaint, but no one really cared because the tigers stole the show. The expectation was that the tigers might make a brief appearance before bedding down, but instead, they were out and about all night. Even the vendors were taking pictures with them! The venue was gorgeous, the market lights were a wonderful complement, and it stayed nice and cool throughout the evening. But the tigers took it to another level.
The ice cream sandwich dessert station is an add-on, but it should be done by everyone. It was such a hit, we should have just served those sandwiches as the entire meal. People went crazy for that.
Staff: Rachel was our site coordinator, and she was phenomenal. Professional, attentive, organized, and unfailingly patient and helpful, she made sure the day went off perfect. She even ran to get us bottles of water when ours ran out while taking family photos in the 90-degree heat! The waitstaff and bartenders were all wonderful as well.
Overall, our wedding was incredible. Many of our guests made a point of telling us, unprompted, that this was their favorite wedding ever. You can’t beat that.
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