CEREMONY/RECEPTION

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Tell a Friend
Add to MyGuide

Escondido Wedding Venue
15500 San Pasqual Valley Road
Escondido, CA 92027
View Map

Contact: Wedding Specialist
Phone: 619/685-3259
www.sandiegozoo.org/weddings

Request more information from San Diego Zoo Safari Park

if you would mention that you found San Diego Zoo Safari Park on the Here Comes The Guide website.

Why We Like This Place

A herd of gazelle calmly roams the vast plain, while a group of giraffes clusters under a tree. Maternally, one lowers her long neck to groom her youngster. Sound like an exotic scene from Africa? It could be, but it’s actually a lot closer to home, and you can have the fun of sharing it with those you love on your wedding day.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park, an 1,800-acre conservation center, will stir your soul with the wonder of seeing nearly 400 wild and often endangered species like zebras, bison, gorillas and condors. Perhaps the most popular attraction is watching different animals—rhinos, antelope and yes, those gorgeous giraffes—graze together harmoniously in their natural habitat. So, it’s an unexpected treat to use this idyllic tableau as a backdrop for your celebration.

After the public has left for the day and the park takes on a hush, your guests begin their safari with a shuttle ride to the Heart of Africa. This grassland ceremony site, shaded by a grove of trees, is within site of the cheetah habitat, and if you’re lucky you might see a couple of these magnificent creatures lazing on the hillside. (By the way, for something your guests will never forget, arrange a close encounter with a cheetah or another exotic critter.) Bronze statues of African tribesmen peek out from the surrounding bush as you take your place at the altar, which frames that distant plain.

The adventure continues with a journey past African landscapes to the edge of Nairobi Village and the Hunte Nairobi Pavilion, a spacious, covered venue-in-the-round, for dinner and dancing. Boasting a 35-foot vaulted ceiling and screened-in sides, it lends a wonderfully airy, indoor/outdoor feel to your reception. Chef Larry Di Folco’s gourmet menus add a touch of elegance to the affair, but the icing on the cake may be ending the evening astride a galloping elephant (or crocodile) when the park opens its unique carousel for everyone to take a private spin.

If, however, you prefer a waterside event (or don’t want to wait until after hours), you can host your wedding at the Mombasa Island Pavilion. Begin at the Lagoon Overlook, a short walk from the main entrance that meanders past playful meerkats and sparkling waterfalls. Friends and family gather at the ceremony site, a wide plaza that extends in a semicircle above the lagoon, where you’ll arrive via cart down a private pathway. Just beyond the altar are a series of small water islands, home to rare birds and plant life. The entire setting is lushly landscaped with flowering shrubs and tall water grasses.

Just steps away, your reception is held at the Mombasa Island Pavilion, a thatched-roof hut with flagstone flooring, rough-hewn wooden columns and tribal painting designs. This rotunda-style building has virtually no walls, allowing for unobstructed views of the waterfowl preening outside while you dine and dance.

And if all of the amazing assets of Safari Park aren’t enough, there’s another benefit to having your event here: A portion of the proceeds helps support ongoing conservation and wildlife protection efforts. Imagine, by celebrating your new life, you will also save the lives of animals in danger around the world…how wild is that!

Capacity

Ceremony

Reception/Special Events

Meetings

Max. Seated Indoors: 280
Max. Seated Outdoors: 280

Max. Seated Indoors: 280
Max. Seated Outdoors: 280
Max. Standing Indoors: 400
Max. Standing Outdoors: 400

Max. Seated: 280

CEREMONY, EVENT/RECEPTION & MEETING CAPACITY: The site holds 280 seated or 400 standing guests indoors or outdoors.

Fees & Deposits

25% of the total event cost is required to reserve your date. A portion is due 30 days prior to the wedding date and the balance is due 4 days prior. Wedding packages range $80–110/person and include: all-day admission for your guests on your wedding day, complimentary general parking, first hour hosted beer, wine, and soft drinks, butler-passed hors d ‘oeuvres, jungle juice toast, your choice of plated entrées or buffet service, linens, waived cake-cutting fee, complimentary floral centerpieces and a complimentary one-year membership to the Zoological Society of San Diego for the bride and groom. Tax and alcohol are additional.

Availability

Year-round, daily, 9am–11pm.

Catering

Provided

Alcohol

Provided

Location Uses

Ceremonies
Wedding Receptions
Special Events, Parties
Business Functions/Meetings
Rehearsal Dinners

Services/Amenities

Catering: provided
Kitchen Facilities: n/a
Tables & Chairs: provided
Linens, Silver, etc.: some provided
Restrooms: wheelchair accessible
Dance Floor: CBA
Bride’s Dressing Area: yes
Meeting Equipment: provided
Parking: large lot, valet required
Accommodations: no guestrooms
Telephone: office phone
Outdoor Night Lighting: CBA
Outdoor Cooking Facilities: BBQ CBA
Cleanup: provided
View: canyon, hills, lagoon, waterfall, landscaped grounds; panorama of fields, mountains, park and valley
Other: on-site florals, picnic area, AV equipment wild animals, event coordination

Amplified Music

Indoors
Outdoors
w/ Restrictions

Wheelchair Access

Wheelchair Accessible

Venue Type

Park
Other

Restrictions

Alcohol: provided
Smoking: not allowed
Music: amplified OK with restrictions
Wheelchair Access: yes
Insurance: not required

Wedding Venues > Southern California Wedding Venues > San Diego Wedding Venues

Want to search again?

Wedding Vendors You Might Like

Wildflower Linen, Party Rentals and Linens

International Event Company, Jonathan Reeves, Coordinator / Wedding Planner

Dress My Party, Party Rentals and Linens

Five Star Weddings and Events, Coordinator / Wedding Planner

Thomas Hughes Films, Videographer

(What's this?)

The vendors listed above work in the San Diego region and are displayed randomly. They may or may not be preferred vendors at San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Search for more wedding vendors who work in San Diego or all of Southern California.

Kids get FREE ADMISSION At The San Diego Zoo throughout the month of October! Click here for all the details, including a schedule of fun, free events for kids of all ages.

Register for your MyGuide account

Wishing you could save a list of the places and services that interest you? You can. Register for MyGuide and save your favorite locations and services. You can even share your list with family or friends or post to your Facebook account.

Just getting started?

Know what questions to ask when evaluating a wedding venue and what questions to ask wedding vendors:

Where will your wedding guests stay?

6–9 months before your wedding: Arrange hotel room blocks for out-of-town guests and book your own suite for the wedding night. Find your guest accommodations here! Southern California Wedding Venues With Guest Accommodations

Santa Barbara Weddings

Santa Barbara is a stunning region for destination weddings. Its sublime weather is perfect for garden or beach wedding ceremonies, and its chic hotels and restaurants will rock your wedding reception. Most of our beautiful Santa Barbara wedding locations have Virtual Tours, so take a sneak peek right now!

Beach Weddings

Love the idea of a beach wedding in California? We provide detailed information on dozens and dozens of beachfront wedding venues in California.

HELP

Help Introduction
First Time Visitors
Search Tips
Key to Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding Our Information