Seymour Marine Discovery Center 100 McAllister Way • Santa Cruz • CA 95060


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Why You'll Love This Place

A Here Comes The Guide Wedding Venue Review
  • Perched on a secluded bluff above an unspoiled stretch of the Santa Cruz coast and Monterey Bay, you'll experience nature is at its finest at this 100-acre marine science center. The complex, comprised of several rustic, wood-planked buildings carefully crafted to showcase their remarkable natural surroundings, offers more than just a stunning backdrop—it's also an experience. From playful exploration in the seawater touch tanks to dramatic photo ops before enormous whale skeletons, you're sure to have a one-of-a-kind celebration surrounded by a vast, ever-changing sky and seascape.
  • Soak in unobstructed ocean views from the expansive, sunlit Shipwreck Deck, where your exchange of vows will be surrounded by a landscape of coastal prairie grasses and wetlands and accompanied by the soft sound of the nearby surf. Just inside, you'll find the Exhibit Hall, where your guests can gather around the touch tables to mingle with the live marine animals and explore interactive exhibitions, while you steal away for golden hour portraits among the salt-swept hills and before dramatic bluff-top sunsets.
  • Dance the night away beneath an enormous gray whale, suspended from the open beams of the center's lobby. Dinner unfolds in the spectacular La Feliz Room, where panoramas of native meadows and the bay's curving shoreline are enjoyed through wood-framed windows that accent the soaring ceilings. Best of all, your fees go directly towards supporting the center's mission and funding its ongoing programs, ensuring its legacy continues forward for future generations to enjoy.

DEALS: What discounts, special offers, or packages are available here?

FREE WEDDING-DAY ADMISSION
One of the "perks" of celebrating your wedding at the wonderfully unique Seymour Marine Discovery Center: your guests get free admission to the exhibit center on your wedding day. What a fun, interactive way for friends and family to amuse themselves before the ceremony! You also have the option to add on time at the "touch table" during your cocktail hour. How's that for a memorable experience? Contact the events team for more info by using the form on the right!


Off-Peak Discounts!

  • Recieve $600 off on Friday or Sunday dates
  • Receive 15% off non-peak dates (November 15–March 15)
  • Inquire about Monday–Thursday disounts

PRICES: What's this going to cost?

Rental Fee
  • $9,300–12,100/event
  • Rental fee varies depending on:
    • Day of week
    • Time of year
    • Package chosen
    • Type of event
  • The rental fee for a ceremony + reception ranges $9,300–12,100 and includes:

    • 11- or 13-hour venue rental time, including the all-day use of the La Feliz Room and after-hours access to the Exhibit Hall
    • Ocean-view ceremony on Shipwreck Deck or La Feliz Deck
    • Staffed seawater touch table during cocktail hour
    • Free Seymour Center admission for guests during its open hours on the wedding day
    • Ceremony rehearsal
    • Tables & chairs
    • Lighting, sound system, microphones, and projectors
    • Service kitchen and mobile bar
    • Dual membership to the Seymour Center
    • Changing/storage room and overnight storage (upgraded packages only)

    Reception-only packages start at $7,800; ceremony-only packages start at  $1,900.

Additional Info
  • Additional costs include event insurance, a refundable security deposit, and third-party event staffing.

COUPLES ARE ASKING: We've got answers

What's included when we book Seymour Marine Discovery Center, and what will we still need to pay for separately?

A ceremony and reception rental at Seymour Marine Discovery Center in Santa Cruz includes 11–13 hours of venue time, tables and chairs, lighting, sound, a service kitchen and a mobile bar. During cocktail hour, a staffed touch table lets guests meet the sea life, and your guests get free exhibit admission on your wedding day. You'll also get dual Seymour Center memberships. Changing space and overnight storage come with upgraded packages only. Separately, you'll pay for your caterer and bar staff, event insurance, a refundable security deposit and third-party event staffing.

Can we have both our ceremony and reception at Seymour Marine Discovery Center, or will guests need to travel between them?

Yes, both happen on-site at Seymour Marine Discovery Center, on a bluff above Monterey Bay. You can say your vows on the Shipwreck Deck with ocean views, then move inside for dinner in the La Feliz Room, which has ocean views from every window and its own private terrace. The recommended guest count is 120, with a maximum of 150, and cocktail-style weddings can welcome up to 200.

If we already have vendors we love, can we bring them to Seymour Marine Discovery Center or do we have to use yours?

Yes, Seymour Marine Discovery Center is a bring-your-own-vendor venue, so your favorite caterer is welcome. There's also a preferred vendor list of pros who know the space, and caterers who aren't on it need to provide a certificate of insurance. Alcohol of all types is allowed, but a hired professional has to serve it, hard liquor needs an ABC-licensed bartender, and self-serve isn't allowed. If you'd like help pulling it together, in-house Wedding Coordination and Partial Planning & Design services are available.

What should we realistically expect to spend on a wedding at Seymour Marine Discovery Center, and is there a minimum?

Most couples spend around $9,300 on a ceremony and reception at Seymour Marine Discovery Center in Santa Cruz, and the rental runs $9,300–$12,100 depending on the day of the week, time of year and package. Reception-only rentals start at $7,800, and ceremony-only packages start at $1,900. On top of the rental, budget for your caterer, bar staff, event insurance, third-party event staffing and a refundable security deposit. And every event fee supports the center's mission and programs.

How long do we get at Seymour Marine Discovery Center, and when does the music have to stop?

A ceremony and reception at Seymour Marine Discovery Center includes 11–13 hours of venue time, with events running between 10am and 10pm. Amplified music can play outdoors until 7pm and indoors until 10pm, and guests need to be out by 11pm. The center is available year-round, every day except holidays.

If it rains on our wedding day at Seymour Marine Discovery Center, what would the backup ceremony actually look like?

Seymour Marine Discovery Center is built for all weather, with indoor space protected from the elements alongside its outdoor terraces. If the forecast turns, your ceremony can stay right on-site, with up to 100 guests seated indoors. Winter weddings are welcome here, so a rainy-season date doesn't have to mean a backup plan you don't love.

What makes Seymour Marine Discovery Center different from the other venues near it?

Seymour Marine Discovery Center lets you get married at an oceanfront marine science center on a bluff above Monterey Bay. Your guests get free exhibit admission, a staffed touch table during cocktail hour and a gray whale model hanging overhead in the lobby. It's a bring-your-own-vendor venue, so you pick your caterer, and the ceremony and reception both happen on-site. There's indoor space for any weather, and your event fee supports the center's mission and programs.

Does Seymour Marine Discovery Center work for a small wedding or an elopement, and what would that look like?

Yes, Seymour Marine Discovery Center offers a micro-wedding package for smaller celebrations, alongside ceremony-only packages that start at $1,900. For an intimate dinner, the La Feliz Room seats 98 inside with ocean views from every window, so a small group still gets the full Monterey Bay backdrop.

GUEST COUNT: How many people can we have here? What’s the max capacity?

Indoors Outdoors
Ceremony Seated 100 120
Cocktails, etc. Standing 200 150
Reception Seated 120 100
Meetings Total meeting capacity for this venue is 110.

CEREMONY, EVENT/RECEPTION & MEETING CAPACITY: For seated receptions, the venue holds up to 120 indoors or 100 outdoors. The entire center accommodates up to 200 for a standing/cocktail reception. For ceremonies, it seats 100 indoors and 120 outdoors.

Venue Info & FAQs

OPTIONS: What kinds of events can we have here?

  • Outdoor Ceremony
  • Ceremony
  • Wedding Receptions
  • Outdoor Reception
  • LGBTQ+ Friendly
  • Small Wedding
  • Rehearsal Dinner
  • Special Events / Parties
  • Business Functions / Meetings

POLICIES: What are the food, alcohol, music, and other rules here?

Price

$ • $$

Catering

Preferred list
BYO

Caterers not on the venue's preferred list must provide a certificate of insurance -- please consult your events director for details.


Alcohol

BYO

Amplified Music

Indoors
Outdoors
Some restrictions

Wheelchair Access

Wheelchair accessible

Availability

Year-round, daily (except holidays), 10am–10pm. All guests must be off premises by 11pm.

STYLE: What’s the style and overall vibe of this venue?

Buildings & other settings available:

  • Non-Profit
  • Patio / Deck / Terrace
  • Unique
  • Beach / Ocean
  • Zoo / Aquarium

VIEWS: What kind of views does this place have?

Peep the views you’ll enjoy from this venue!

  • Meadow / Fields
  • Ocean / Bay
  • Panoramic

AMENITIES: What services and amenities are available here?

Feel like a VIP with these services and amenities:

Catering: select from list or BYO
Kitchen Facilities: fully equipped
Tables & Chairs: provided
Linens, Silver, etc.: BYO
Restrooms: wheelchair accessible
Dance Floor: BYO, depending on space rented
Dressing Area: CBA
Meeting Equipment: BYO
Parking: medium-sized public lot, shuttling encouraged
Accommodations: no guestrooms
Telephone: guest phone
Outdoor Night Lighting: provided
Outdoor Cooking Facilities: no
Cleanup: renter
View: panorama of ocean/bay, coastline and fields
Other: picnic area, AV equipment, ocean view decks, aquarium and exhibit hall availability

RESTRICTIONS: What limitations or restrictions should we know about here?

Take note of the following limitations!

Alcohol: BYO
Smoking: not allowed
Music: amplified OK indoors until 10pm, outdoors until 7pm
Wheelchair Access: yes
Insurance: liability required


Wondering what CBA or BYO means?
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