The roar of the big cats, the antics of the monkeys and the bright colours of the butterflies in the Butterfly House – the Zoo is a special place. If you’re an animal lover, then what better place to hold your wedding! Melbourne Zoo offers so many options for your ceremony and reception. Consider holding your ceremony in the Butterfly House where unexpected ‘butterfly landings’ will enchant your guests. Or on the lawn surrounded by well tended gardens, being serenaded by distant animal sounds. And with reception venues close to animal trails and enclosures your wedding will be a unique experience no-one will forget.
Please describe the unique aspects of Melbourne Zoo.
The beautiful heritage-listed gardens, and animal experiences.
The most popular space at Melbourne Zoo Events is the Rainforest Room, which looks out onto the lush greenery of the Tamarin monkey habitat, as well as the award-winning Japanese Garden and lake with birdlife. It is perfect for a cocktail-style event, catering to up to 120 guests.
For larger wedding parties, the Leopard Lodge is ideal, boasting enough space for up to 500 guests. This flexible venue is literally within a ‘lion’s roar’ of the big cats’ habitat (one can hear the lions roaring thoughout the day and at twilight!) – a suitably dramatic backdrop for your big day.
What is your role in planning a wedding at the Melbourne Zoo? Is there an in-house team to assist with décor, flowers etc?
My role is Sales Executive for Weddings and Special Events.
From initial enquiry to the wedding day, I oversee all aspects of a couple’s wedding. The role is exciting, and very much one of counsel and support to my clients. I’m very passionate about making a very memorable and special event for all my clients.
I can guide people with theming, make recommendations with our preferred suppliers, or couples can definitely bring in their own suppliers and vendors to make their dreams a reality.
Please list the ceremony locations you have on offer?
The Japanese Garden, Platypus Lawn, Moreton Bay Fig tree, Giraffe Deck, Butterfly House, Australian Bush.
Please describe the reception spaces:
Rainforest Room – with its own private animal exhibit
Lakeside Room – overlooking the Japanese Garden and Lake
Bong Su Room – next to the Elephant Barn in the heart of the Elephant Trail
Leopard Lodge – looking out to gardens and lawns closest to the big cat habitats.
How close up and personal can bridal couples get with the animals for photo opportunities?
There are packages that offer couples the chance to get up close and personal with the animals, feeding the Giraffes inside their enclosure, a unique experience that you and your partner will remember forever.
Couples can also have photos taken on our heritage-listed, recently restored Zoo Carousel.
Are there favourite animals or locations that bridal couples ask for frequently?
Everyone loves the giraffes. I think because they are so accessible, and there is a huge following of people passionate about all things giraffes – the pattern, the silhouette, the gait! Perhaps that’s why World Giraffe Day is a success and a big news item when it comes around in June.
Is it possible for guests to stroll around the zoo (or have a guided tour) while couples are having their photos taken?
Yes, and it’s a very unique experience.
As well as weddings you offer engagement and hen’s party events. What are some favourite ideas for these at the Zoo?
Our clients are super creative with their event theming from invites to décor and styling.
People have created things like beautiful animal invitations and place cards, spray-painted mini animal figurines as table decorations.
They also love the butterfly-inspired headpieces and gowns, and couples have had peacock floral centrepieces and peacock guest sign-in books. We’ve seen the ‘hen’ become a ‘peahen’ with vibrant feather tiaras or capes, ‘peachick’ flower girls wearing pretty blue and purple organza/ballet dresses. Just pretty ‘touches of’ animal theme.
Do you have in-house caterers?
Yes, that’s us!
Our delicious 2016 Wedding Package was designed by Executive Chef Dianne Kerry (contact Melbourne Zoo).
We are focused on sustainability and we are proud of our passion for sustainable food practices. Wherever possible, we choose local, seasonal ingredients and develop relationships with providers to source as much ethical produce as possible.
Clients also love our ethically-sourced fish, served in many tasty ways by our Executive Chef Dianne Kerry.
Melbourne Zoo catering recently won the Green Table Award for Excellence in Environmental Sustainability at the 2015 Savour Australia ™ Restaurant and Catering HOSTPLUS Awards for Excellence National.*
Is there a flexibility with the menu to cater for ethnic, dietary or religious requirements?
Yes, we cater for ethnic, dietary and religious requirements, and are happy to tailor menus to suit every client.
Please describe a typical wedding menu? What is the chef’s favourite dish at the moment?
Wedding dessert buffets are a trend at the moment because they add to the styling of the reception. Buffets are installed before guests arrive and are an abundance of flowers, petit fours and the piece d’ resistance – wedding cake.
We are also seeing a number of cakes inspired by rainforests, birds, butterflies, safaris, as well as sweet mini animal figurines on top of tiered cakes!
Garden Parties are on also trend in 2016 at Melbourne Zoo, where couples marry at one of our ceremony sites, then guests celebrate on our grassy lawns with a delicious, tailored picnic hamper.
Vegan requests are common with our weddings particularly given that some clients who celebrate their marriage at the Zoo are real animal lovers and hold strong values in animal welfare and conservation. And if you do hold your wedding at the Melbourne Zoo, you are also helping to fund animal care and conservation with a percentage of wedding costs going directly to the Zoos.
Please describe some clever ideas you’ve seen bridal couples use?
We’ve had one couple dress up in safari suits after the ceremony, and another hold up Venetian animal masquerade masks, while in full wedding attire, for some fun post-ceremony photos.
Couples also often organise special entertainment including lofty giraffe stilt-walkers and elephant puppeteers, to kick off their celebrations and amuse their guests. This is becoming more popular as clients really want a memorable experience for their guests and themselves.
What are your favourite activities at the Zoo?
One of my Events Team colleagues once said her favourite thing at the Zoo was to stand somewhere and close your eyes, and you can immerse yourself in the wildlife sounds – caws of Macaws, hoots of monkeys, the tribal roar of a lion, the delicate and chatty chirp of 100’s of lorikeets in the early morning. It’s an amazing place to work and to hold an event!
Thank you Vanessa for sharing your story. What an amazing place to have a wedding! To find out more about Melbourne Zoo visit the website.
Images with permission of Melbourne Zoo.
This might be the coolest wedding ever! How awesome