Unique Outdoor Wedding Venue in Philadelphia Area

fairytale weddings

The Wildest Wedding Venue in Pennsylvania

From intimate affairs with your closest loved ones, to all-out bashes with every far-flung friend and relative, Elmwood Park Zoo is your choice for the most unique and exciting outdoor wedding venue. Exchange your vows in front of the large doors of our rustic red barn or our intimate ZooBowl Theater. After your “I Do’s,” enjoy a private feeding with the giant giraffes. Then bring the party inside to our beautiful Canopy Gardens Hall for a memorable reception. Whatever you choose, our expert staff will work with you to create an experience that you will cherish for a lifetime.

Indoor and Outdoor Event Venues

canopy gardens HALL

Our beautiful premier indoor event space can seat up to 150 guests, complete with a dance floor and room for catering services. The space features a full stone accent wall, along with wood-accented flooring and ceilings, making for an elegant lodge-like feel. It also has retractable, floor-to-ceiling glass doors, this gives the option of open access to the adjacent patio.

trail of the jaguar

Available after zoo hours only
Cocktail hour location

Our state-of-the-art exhibit will put you and you guests face to face with our majestic big cats. Not only will you be sharing a cocktail with our jaguars, but also with a variety of other small animals. This space is ideal for cocktail hours of 100 guests or less.

Classic Red Barn

Our charmingly rustic barn is one of our most picturesque settings. It’s perfect for your ceremony. It’s an excellent location for a magical photo.

zoo brew beer garden

Our in-house bar and beer garden is ideal for an outdoor cocktail hour. Your guests will enjoy a taste of our craft beers on tap, as well as the relaxing sounds of the creek. This space is also perfect for live music. Overhead bistro lights and interactive games are available.

zoobowl theater

A spacious outdoor venue with seating for up to 100 guests. The theater is a perfect location for your beautifully intimate ceremony.

POND

An outdoor ceremony location overlooking our beautiful fountain and vintage carousel. Seating up to 150 guests.

ENTIRE ZOO

Rent the entire zoo for your private event! Exhibits will remain open exclusively for you and your guests. Choose options to enhance your experience, such as animal giraffe feedings, animal meet and greets or the carousel.

When you plan your wedding at Elmwood Park Zoo, not only do you treat your guests to a highly interactive experience at the most unique wedding venue in the Greater Philadelphia area, but you also support an important nonprofit organization. The zoo is centrally located in Montgomery County and is easily accessible to guests from Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Philadelphia Counties.

Animal Meet and Greet

Get closer than you ever imagined by adding an animal meet and greet to your event at Elmwood Park Zoo! Allow your guests to meet the zoo’s most popular animal ambassadors up close. A member from our knowledgeable education staff will provide you and your guests with a unique interactive animal experience. Animals may include owls, hedgehogs, or even snakes!

Giraffe Feedings

Guests can hand-feed the world’s tallest mammal in this highly unique experience. Climb our giraffe deck and stand face-to-face with our three gentle giants as you feed them their favorite snack…lettuce!

*Feedings are weather and temperature dependent – giraffes will not be available when temperatures are below 55º. Our lower giraffe deck is wheelchair accessible.

Carousel

Enjoy a spin on the zoo’s vintage-inspired, animal-themed carousel. This is an experience that guests of all ages can enjoy!

CONTACT

Tell us a little about the wedding that you are planning and the date(s) you had in mind. One of our Event Planners will respond to you soon! You can also reach us at 610.277.3825 x 242 and events@elmwoodparkzoo.org.

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Day Night Indoor Outdoor

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"Absolutely fabulous! The price was fair, and any of the "profits" go directly into this accredited zoo's up-keeping. We had our ceremony, cocktail and reception there. 100% recommend them. All of our guests loved the venue, because it was beautiful and unique. The event manager, was very kind, understanding and extremely helpful. She was also very quick to respond via email, which was our main form communication aside from in person meetings. Definitely a kind soul that you feel lucky to have help with planning your wedding. All of the food the day of was absolutely delicious, and our guests thought so too. The bartenders were professional and friendly, all while being able to keep up with the high demand. All in all, can't say enough good things about EPZ!"

"First of all, I cannot express my gratitude enough of the wonderful coordination on your part! You and your team were such a big part in making the evening so very special for us. It seemed seamless from the opening ceremony, to the cocktail hour and then the main ballroom. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I received throughout the evening praise and compliments from our guests on the venue that the Elmwood Zoo offered. A lot of that had to do with you! So many of our guests commented that they were going to pass along that the zoo presents such a fantastic place to hold a wedding! In addition your staff deserves compliments as well. They were extremely attentive and couldn't have been friendlier."

"We wanted to thank you and your team! Everything was amazing! The staff was so helpful with everything from setup and clean up. They went above and beyond and really made the night. Pokey, the porcupine was so cute and the merry go round was a hit!"

The Elmwood Park Zoo is a great venue. I have been going to the zoo for years. First as a youngster, then when my daughter was little. This past weekend we had my daughter’s wedding at the zoo. It was fabulous! The food was great. The staff couldn’t do enough for you and the venue is beautiful. We had 100 guests and they all loved it. They can’t stop raving about the wedding. I highly recommend having your next event at the zoo, especially your wedding. You will not be disappointed.

Weddings