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XP: Buffalo Zoo

LabLove86LabLove86 member
500 Love Its 500 Comments Third Anniversary Name Dropper
edited January 2015 in Chit Chat
Hi there- my local boards tend to be on the slow side so I figured I would just bounce this off of you ladies as well- if you have to move it - no biggie. 

Anyway - 

Fi and I are looking at having our wedding Fall 2016 - we have bounced some ideas around and he LOVES the idea of having at the zoo - it was our first official date so there are some nostalgic meanings to it - I have a few considerations, like walking distance for guests, location of ceremony vs. reception (they can do an indoor reception seating above our guest list #), I don't know if they serve alcohol. . . .all these things. Basically we have to go and meet with them and get all of the information.


But - have any of you ladies been to a wedding at a zoo or had your wedding at one? I think it would be beautiful and fun - but I just want to make sure I am taking all things into consideration. We will be starting to visit venues in February so thats when we will make an appointment with them to talk details.  TIA!


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Re: XP: Buffalo Zoo

  • jdluvr06jdluvr06 member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its Second Anniversary First Answer
    I've never been to a wedding at a zoo but I want to now. I didn't know you could do that! It sounds like it would be fun. You should ask if you would be allowed to pet a penguin.
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  • HeatherKatHeatherKat member
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    One of the ladies in my Facebook brides group is having a zoo wedding (that sounds awesome! She's getting married IN the otter habitat!). I'll see if I can get her to come over and give you some pointers.
    Amor vincet omnia.... par liones.
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  • faithdevilsbeefaithdevilsbee member
    Fifth Anniversary 25 Love Its 10 Comments Name Dropper
    Hi! I'm the lady from the facebook group who's having the zoo wedding!  The zoo we are having ours at is a smaller one, and we are actually able to bring in everything ourselves, including alcohol.  As long as our vendors have liability insurance, they are cleared for entry.  I'd be interested to see what the Buffalo Zoo is like, but at our zoo, everything is on a one mile loop, so taking a leisurely stroll around the zoo during cocktail hour wouldn't be too rough, and if they don't want the grand tour, the walk from the Otter Amphitheater to any of the reception areas is no more than a walk from a big parking lot into a mall.
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  • charlottesmom0626charlottesmom0626 member
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    I work at a zoo, we host weddings all the time. Just like any venue- it is what you make it!

    I've seen some gorgeous weddings here. On the other hand...Don't make the entire event animal, jungle, or cheetah print themed.

    PS- penguins are mini-devils. Sorry to ruin that for everyone.
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  • theartistformerlyknownastheartistformerlyknownas member
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    faithdevilsbee said:


    jdluvr06 said:

    I've never been to a wedding at a zoo but I want to now. I didn't know you could do that! It sounds like it would be fun. You should ask if you would be allowed to pet a penguin.

    @jdluvr06 We are able to set up a 30 minute Penguin Interaction during our cocktail hour - petting is permitted :)



    I'm coming to your wedding.

    The Detroit Zoo does weddings and while I haven't been to one, they look gorgeous.
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  • jdluvr06jdluvr06 member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its Second Anniversary First Answer
    faithdevilsbee said:
    jdluvr06 said:
    I've never been to a wedding at a zoo but I want to now. I didn't know you could do that! It sounds like it would be fun. You should ask if you would be allowed to pet a penguin.
    @jdluvr06 We are able to set up a 30 minute Penguin Interaction during our cocktail hour - petting is permitted :)


    I want to come to your wedding!
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  • lovemyrunnerlovemyrunner member
    Ninth Anniversary 250 Love Its 100 Comments Name Dropper
    We looked into having our reception at our zoo's aquarium.  It's a beautiful venue and requires little decorating.  Our zoo can provide dishes and linens and you are free to bring in your own caterer, however you must provide alcohol through the zoo.  And the bar bill alone for 150 people, beer and wine only, would have been over 6k, which is astronomical in my area.  For reference, the venue we ended up choosing will cost me around 7.5k for the entire reception (rental fee, dishes, linens, food and full open bar) for 180-200 people.

    Our zoo also offers animal encounters for the reception.  They will also allow guests to enter the zoo ahead of time and explore prior to the reception and they have a tram that they offer for guests who can't make the walk from the parking lot to the venue.
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  • HeatherKatHeatherKat member
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    faithdevilsbee said:
    jdluvr06 said:
    I've never been to a wedding at a zoo but I want to now. I didn't know you could do that! It sounds like it would be fun. You should ask if you would be allowed to pet a penguin.
    @jdluvr06 We are able to set up a 30 minute Penguin Interaction during our cocktail hour - petting is permitted :)

    Wait, you're allowed to PET the penguins? How did I not know that? That settles it, I'm SO crashing your wedding!
    Amor vincet omnia.... par liones.
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  • larrygagalarrygaga member
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    lolo883 said:
    jdluvr06 said:
    I've never been to a wedding at a zoo but I want to now. I didn't know you could do that! It sounds like it would be fun. You should ask if you would be allowed to pet a penguin.
    @jdluvr06 We are able to set up a 30 minute Penguin Interaction during our cocktail hour - petting is permitted :)

    I'm coming to your wedding. The Detroit Zoo does weddings and while I haven't been to one, they look gorgeous.
    We almost did this. It is HELLA expensive for what you get. 
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  • LabLove86LabLove86 member
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    Honestly I'm really intrigued to see how they will do it at our Zoo here. There are a lot of the habitats that are on the older side but they are in the middle of a giant construction that is SUPPOSED to be done mid-summer - and since we are planning on NEXT fall - I am hopeful it will be a good time. 

    From the website it appears that the zoo regularly hosts wedding, business conferences, and other hosted events. So - I am thinking that they have the linens, dishes, ect. I didn't see anything at all regarding alcohol so I'm not sure about that. I don't know about a dance floor or DJ . . . . I just have a  lot of questions. So - I will let you ladies know when it happens!! 


    Just for the curious - here are some pics of the Zoo:

    Waterfall I would love to have the ceremony by (logistically I don't know . . .):
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    Tent Reception Set up (I would more than likely do the indoor hall)
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    Only picture I can find of the indoor hall set up:
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    Another view of the "rainforest":
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    We shall see what the total cost would be and if it is in our budget/if its what we would REALLY want to do . . . .
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  • theartistformerlyknownastheartistformerlyknownas member
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    Please just don't do animal prints.
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  • LabLove86LabLove86 member
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    lolo883 said:
    Please just don't do animal prints.
    That wouldn't happen no matter what venue we choose.
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  • faithdevilsbeefaithdevilsbee member
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    @HeatherKat - we pay extra for it, but we think it's worth it! You can also do an hour long session for a small group, like my bridal party, where you sit in a semicircle and they just let 1 or 2 penguins loose to hang around with you. But that's like $350 or something, and it's max 8 people so we're not doing that.  

    Base price to rent our zoo is $1400, that gets the whole zoo for 4 hours, then each extra hour is $350 so we're looking at about $2100 for 6 hours. Then the otters get fed "wedding cake" and we're doing the Penguin interaction and maybe one with an owl as well during cocktail hour. I think if we do everything we want with the 6 hours, it will be around $2400/$2500. But it doesn't include any food, drink, linens, etc. Just seating, tables, zoo. 
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  • SammiNJonniSammiNJonni member
    Tenth Anniversary 250 Love Its 100 Comments Combo Breaker
    faithdevilsbee said:
    @HeatherKat - we pay extra for it, but we think it's worth it! You can also do an hour long session for a small group, like my bridal party, where you sit in a semicircle and they just let 1 or 2 penguins loose to hang around with you. But that's like $350 or something, and it's max 8 people so we're not doing that.  

    Base price to rent our zoo is $1400, that gets the whole zoo for 4 hours, then each extra hour is $350 so we're looking at about $2100 for 6 hours. Then the otters get fed "wedding cake" and we're doing the Penguin interaction and maybe one with an owl as well during cocktail hour. I think if we do everything we want with the 6 hours, it will be around $2400/$2500. But it doesn't include any food, drink, linens, etc. Just seating, tables, zoo. 
    I hate that I will be missing your wedding because I will be getting ready for my own. Maybe the girls will smuggle me an owl lol. 
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  • themuffinman16themuffinman16 member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its Second Anniversary First Answer
    I used to live across from the buffalo zoo. On days where there is little breeze, the smell of animal poop can be suffocating, at times. Because of the heavily wooded area and many houses, it seems to trap the odor. I hate to be the one to offer a negative opinion. If you are having it in the spring and not the summer, it is far more breezy, and the odor isn't too bad, those months .
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  • NowIAmSypNowIAmSyp member
    Eighth Anniversary 500 Love Its 500 Comments First Answer
    faithdevilsbee said:
    jdluvr06 said:
    I've never been to a wedding at a zoo but I want to now. I didn't know you could do that! It sounds like it would be fun. You should ask if you would be allowed to pet a penguin.
    @jdluvr06 We are able to set up a 30 minute Penguin Interaction during our cocktail hour - petting is permitted :)

    OMG, I would die.  At my own wedding, dead.  I am so jealous!!  
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