Melbourne Zoo
| Style | Unique |
|---|---|
| Location | Melbourne |
| Capacity (seated) | 200 |
| Capacity (cocktail) | 370 |
| Price Range | $185–$195 |
| Ceremony | On-Site Ceremony |
| Ceremony Options | Indoor and Outdoor |
| Catering | In-house |
| Best For | Unique, garden, wildlife, animal-lover, relaxed, large, all-inclusive and conservation-minded weddings |
| Rating | 4.3 (7417) |
Celebrating your day requires a space unique and flexible enough to allow you to add your personal touch and give your guests an experience like no other
RealWeddings Guide
Melbourne Zoo Events brings couples a genuinely unique wedding venue experience, set within one of Melbourne's most iconic garden and wildlife destinations in Parkville, only minutes from the CBD.
Landscaped grounds, historic architecture and animal habitats combine with professionally catered event rooms, letting couples hold their entire day — ceremony, photography and reception — in one memorable location.
Ceremonies can be held in the Japanese Garden, on the Platypus Lawn, in the Butterfly House, the Australian Bush, or beside the giraffes on the Giraffe Deck. Leopard Lodge has its private terrace near the big cats and can hosts the largest receptions, while Bong Su and the Rainforest Room offer more intimate alternatives.
Seasonal, locally sourced catering is delivered in-house, and couples can add distinctive extras like giraffe photo experiences or carousel photography — details that make a Melbourne Zoo wedding genuinely unlike any other.
It's exactly this combination of wildlife, garden beauty and one-location convenience that couples consistently highlight in their reviews.
Real Weddings at Melbourne Zoo
Weddings
Event Venues
Melbourne Zoo FAQs
Reception pricing runs from $185–$195 per adult (venue hire included), with peak season (September–March) at $195pp and off-peak/winter from $185pp — weekday, Friday, and Sunday pricing follows the same seasonal rates.
Ceremonies start from $3,000, additional hours are $8pp, and a minimum spend of 85% of your contracted guest numbers applies. Children are $50, and suppliers staying for the evening are $50 each.
A 25% deposit secures your date, and is non-refundable.
Yes. Catering is exclusively in-house through Restaurant Associates/Compass Group, using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients across seated, grazing and cocktail formats.
Yes. Couples can add giraffe photo experiences and carousel photography, or arrange exclusive carousel hire for a genuinely distinctive wedding photo backdrop.
Indoor function rooms provide weather resilience for the reception.
Cultural weddings, same-sex weddings, second marriages, weekend and multi-day celebrations. Cultural ceremonies including Indian, Greek, Lebanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Muslim weddings are welcomed, along with tea ceremonies and multiple ceremonies in one day.
Outdoor ceremonies accommodate up to 180 guests, with indoor wet-weather backup subject to availability.
Bump-in and vendor access begin 1.5 hours prior to your ceremony (extra time may incur labour fees), with bump-out at the conclusion of your reception. Music and the venue close at midnight, with instrument volumes subject to animal welfare conditions — your wedding coordinator can advise further.
Good to Know
What's included
- Tables
- Chairs
- Linen
- Glassware
- Cutlery
- Dance floor
- AV
- Microphones
- Projector
- Ceremony chairs
- Signing table
- Easels
- Cake table
- Cake knife
- Coordinator
- Waitstaff
Accessibility
The main areas and function rooms feature flat or ramped step-free access suitable for wheelchairs and strollers.
Parking
With capacity for 830 vehicles.
ABN 82 089 388 143
Testimonials
We recently held out Wedding in the Rainforest Room at Melbourne Zoo, and we highly recommend the venue! The space was a perfect size for our small wedding, creating an intimate and relaxed atmosphere for us and our guests. What truly made the reception venue unique and unforgettable was the view of the monkey enclosure boarding the room. It added such a memorable touch to the day it made some great conversation and photos! The Zoo Events Staff did an amazing job setting up the reception venue in particular, the table settings were absolutely perfect and matched our vision. Eveny detail was thoughtfully arranged, and it really brought the whole room to life. The service provided by all the Zoo Events staff was exceptional from planning to the Wedding Day. They were professional, friendly and incredibly helpful throughout the entire process, making everything run smoothly
The Japanese Garden at Melbourne Zoo is such a dreamy spot for an intimate wedding especially in Spring, when it blooms with vibrant flowers. It's Peaceful, romantic and just across from the playful Siamangs adding a touch of fun to the beauty all around. The Rainforest Room at Melbourne Zoo is pure magic surrounded by lush trees, calm and nature's gentle whispers. Inside, it's just as beautiful simple decorations flow with charm, and the food was absolutely delicious. Such a serene and unforgettable place to celebrate our Wedding. We had the best team to work with especially our Coordinator Naomi warm, patient and always ready to help with every question and detail. They made everything effortless, offering thoughtful solutions and genuine care throughout. The food and drinks were absolutely amazing our guests couldn't stop praising them! Everything ran so smoothly and beautifully, thanks to their incredible service.
The venue was gorgeous, and the Zoo gardens were the perfect backdrop for our post wedding photos. The reception went off without a hitch, and we had multiple guests commented on the quality of the food and the relaxed, and fun vibe throughout the night! I had full faith in the event staff, but they exceeded expectations with their attention to detail and professionalism throughout. Highly Recommend.
Alana and Eliza, along with all the staff at Melbourne Zoo made our whole wedding experience seamless and personable. Thank you for being a part of our special day! The location of our ceremony at the Japanese Garden was beautifully prepared. The reception at Rainforest Room was also beautifully arranged and we could not say one bad thing about the food and the hospitality staff that fed and watered us for the evening. Incredible atmosphere, delicious food and mouth-watering drinks. Especially the cocktails! We couldn't have asked for a better venue to cement our special day at the Zoo. It was truly memorable experience.
A wedding in the Japanese Gardens at my favourite Melbourne place to go on our dates over the years was a dream come true. We had the most magical day from a heartfelt ceremony in the beautiful and intimate setting of the Japanese Gardens, even in a busy Zoo Day it felt private and perfect. We go to ride the Carousel all to ourselves, roam the Zoo, catered and with drinks and food flowing us along...and omg!!! We got to go behind the scenes with giraffes after closing!!! Everything through to having a Delorean drive me inside the Zoo!! I just can't encompass what an amazing day our forever day was I got to marry my best friend and have the kind of day I will still be talking about in years to come so thankyou to the team at Melbourne Zoo Events for making this dream day come true xx
Location
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Melbourne Zoo, Elliot Avenue Parkville VIC
