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Price: £2,500 – £8,500
Guests: 150
Bedrooms: 51
Deals available: 4
Limited-Time Offers & Deals (4)
Description
Description
The Square is a stunning new venue based in the original stable block where the zoo began back in the 1930s. Offering a large open plan venue as well as a set of unique smaller meeting spaces, the Grade II listed building has been sustainably renovated into a timeless space where old meets new. You’ll find The Square in a secluded setting in the heart of the zoo. Featuring an impressive gated entrance, the building features a large private courtyard, exposed brick walls, vaulted rafters, large feature windows overlooking the garden and a host of original features which tell the story of the original building.
The Oakfield is where it all began for the zoo, serving as our pioneering founder George Mottershead's family home. Beautifully restored and renovated in 2018, The Oakfield retains many stunning original features like the intricate wood panelling in the Library and the sumptuous luxury of the Boardroom. Since then, The Oakfield has had many uses from a family home to an aquarium, before becoming a stunning Grade II listed wedding venue. Today, the building’s original structure has been retained, and its original features preserved.
The Reserve is a spectacular safari style lodge resort that opened its doors to guests in August 2025. The Reserve features 51 beautifully designed lodges, some overlooking a private savannah where giraffes, zebras and blesbock antelope roam, and others nestled beside a peaceful lake. Includes dining at the new Amboseli Restaurant and the Tsavo Lounge where guests can enjoy a drink or delicious food.
By choosing Chester Zoo as your wedding venue, you join us in our fight to prevent extinction. As you celebrate your happy day, you can do so with the added joy of knowing that you’ve made a difference.
Experience
Year Business Was Established
1931
No. of Weddings Hosted
More than 50
Public Liability Insurance
Yes
No. of People In Team
40
Overview of Chester Zoo
Wedding Venue Type
Barn / Farm
Wedding Venue Capacity
Dining Capacity
150
Reception Capacity
180
Wedding Venue Accommodation
No. of Bedrooms
51
Sleeps No. of People
4
Bridal Suite
Changing Only
Pricing for Chester Zoo
Pricing for Chester Zoo
What's Included?
Private room(s) included (non-exclusive use)
Furniture included
Varying from room hire only, to a dry-hire cost for your own catering
Hide detailsReviews (31)
- EEmma & Kyle04/12/2025Our July 2025 Wedding❤️Our July 2025 Wedding❤️We such an amazing day celebrating our wedding at Chester Zoo. We chose the square as our venue and with the good weather were able to get married outside in the courtyard which was such a highlight. We had the ranger tour which we would highly recommend, was such a lovely addition to our day and our guests all throughly enjoyed every moment. Our coordinator Jessica was so helpful and attentive to our needs. She took over mid way through planning with our original coordinator being Frankie who again was so helpful. Could not fault her service, we had regular meetings and constant communication through email. During the day we had some hiccups which has been feedback to the venue, there was another wedding taking place at the oakfield which we feel added pressure and stress to the staff however our evening staff were incredible, so friendly and make all our troubles melt away. Sarah who was our main contact during the evening couldn’t do enough for us. The food was wonderful and chef was very accommodating to all needs, as a coeliac this filled me with so much relief. We enjoyed every moment of our day and would highly recommend everyone considering Chester Zoo to just book it! All costs go straight back into the Zoo which helps with conservation something we think is so important and are extremely grateful to have been able to play a small part. Thankyou so much to Chester Zoo for being our venue Love Mr & Mrs Harlow🤍We such an amazing day celebrating our wedding at Chester Zoo. We chose the square as our venue and with the good weather were able to get married outside in the courtyard which was such a highlight. We had the ranger tour which we would highly recommend, was such a lovely addition to our day and our guests all throughly enjoyed every moment. Our coordinator Jessica was so helpful and attentive to our needs. She took over mid way through planning with our original coordinator being Frankie who again was so helpful. Could not fault her service, we had regular meetings and constant communication through email. During the day we had some hiccups which has been feedback to the venue, there was another wedding taking place at the oakfield which we feel added pressure and stress to the staff however our evening staff were incredible, so friendly and make all our troubles melt away. Sarah who was our main contact during the evening couldn’t do enough for us. The food was wonderful and chef was very accommodating to all needs, as a coeliac this filled me with so much relief. We enjoyed every moment of our day and would highly recommend everyone considering Chester Zoo to just book it! All costs go straight back into the Zoo which helps with conservation something we think is so important and are extremely grateful to have been able to play a small part. Thankyou so much to Chester Zoo for being our venue Love Mr & Mrs Harlow🤍
- JJay and Leanda04/12/2025An amazing place to get marriedAn amazing place to get marriedWe absolutely loved our wedding at Chester Zoo in the Oakfield. It was perfect for us, all our guests have raved about how good the food was and how amazing the venue was. Can’t thank Jess and the team enoughWe absolutely loved our wedding at Chester Zoo in the Oakfield. It was perfect for us, all our guests have raved about how good the food was and how amazing the venue was. Can’t thank Jess and the team enough
- AAnna & Paul04/12/2025Most Fabulous Day of our lives Most Fabulous Day of our livesMyself and my now husband married at Chester Zoo in May 25 From start to finish nothing was too much, from the organisation to the day itself all staff were so attentive and couldn't do enough for us. The venue itself was stunning, we married in the new building and were able to take photos around the zoo after most of the public had left to make it more private. The food was insane! just the best, the buffet of a night was top notch aswell couldn't fault it! Just the most fabulous day and if i could do it all again I would! Myself and my now husband married at Chester Zoo in May 25 From start to finish nothing was too much, from the organisation to the day itself all staff were so attentive and couldn't do enough for us. The venue itself was stunning, we married in the new building and were able to take photos around the zoo after most of the public had left to make it more private. The food was insane! just the best, the buffet of a night was top notch aswell couldn't fault it! Just the most fabulous day and if i could do it all again I would!
- MMr & Mrs Cooper-Badkin12/11/2025Amazing day!Amazing day!We just wanted to thank Jess and the rest of the team at Chester Zoo. Our day was amazing and all of our guests loved it too. The communication & organisation from Jess helped make our day run as planned. The team on the day were also fantastic & we really appreciated how attentive they were and how smoothly everything ran. All of our guests mentioned just how much they enjoyed the ranger tours (despite the rain!) too! Thank you again & we hope to bump into you around the zoo again soon!We just wanted to thank Jess and the rest of the team at Chester Zoo. Our day was amazing and all of our guests loved it too. The communication & organisation from Jess helped make our day run as planned. The team on the day were also fantastic & we really appreciated how attentive they were and how smoothly everything ran. All of our guests mentioned just how much they enjoyed the ranger tours (despite the rain!) too! Thank you again & we hope to bump into you around the zoo again soon!
- CChristina & Ryan11/11/2025Thank youThank youBesides the rain all went well! The team were so lovely with us for the entire duration of the day, please pass on our thank yous to everyone involved, they were amazing! Thank you for your card and the tickets too, it was so appreciated. I’ve attached a couple of pictures too! Besides the rain all went well! The team were so lovely with us for the entire duration of the day, please pass on our thank yous to everyone involved, they were amazing! Thank you for your card and the tickets too, it was so appreciated. I’ve attached a couple of pictures too!
- MMegan & Joseph05/11/2025An amazing day!An amazing day!A huge thank you to all the staff who helped with our wedding at Chester Zoo including organising and working the day itself. It went so smoothly and both Steph & Amy kept us so organised! Also another thank you to Steph and another staff member for holding umbrellas as myself and the bridal party walked over to the venue! You all did amazing work and we couldn't be happier! Please pass along my thanks and feel free to share the photos! Thank you so much again!A huge thank you to all the staff who helped with our wedding at Chester Zoo including organising and working the day itself. It went so smoothly and both Steph & Amy kept us so organised! Also another thank you to Steph and another staff member for holding umbrellas as myself and the bridal party walked over to the venue! You all did amazing work and we couldn't be happier! Please pass along my thanks and feel free to share the photos! Thank you so much again!
- MMr & Mrs Twiss05/11/2025Special DaySpecial DayWe can’t thank you, Rachel, and the whole team for making our wedding day at Chester Zoo so special. All of our guests said how great the venue was, how amazing the staff were and how yummy the food was. We are so happy with everything provided. We have opened all our wedding cards, thank you for the Chester zoo passes, that is so kind of you!We can’t thank you, Rachel, and the whole team for making our wedding day at Chester Zoo so special. All of our guests said how great the venue was, how amazing the staff were and how yummy the food was. We are so happy with everything provided. We have opened all our wedding cards, thank you for the Chester zoo passes, that is so kind of you!
- MMr & Mrs Pickering-Bryce04/11/2025A perfect dayA perfect dayWe absolutely could not have been more impressed with how things ran at Chester Zoo! Thank you to Rachel for making it all run so smoothly in the build up to the day (and answering our many many questions!). There isn't anything that we'd change, it all went perfectly. I should also say that all of our vendors said how great you guys were to work with in the build up and on the day itself. The room looked gorgeous and we got a sneak peek of the snow leopard baby which was such a highlight!We absolutely could not have been more impressed with how things ran at Chester Zoo! Thank you to Rachel for making it all run so smoothly in the build up to the day (and answering our many many questions!). There isn't anything that we'd change, it all went perfectly. I should also say that all of our vendors said how great you guys were to work with in the build up and on the day itself. The room looked gorgeous and we got a sneak peek of the snow leopard baby which was such a highlight!
- AAmy & Josh28/10/2025An amazing venue for the most perfect wedding!An amazing venue for the most perfect wedding!We had our wedding in The Square at Chester Zoo! The venue was simply beautiful and amazing! Being able to walk around the zoo after the ceremony was such a lovely experience too! The staff who helped us from planning to the day were fabulous, very friendly and approachable, they really made the day even more special. The food and drink throughout the day was AMAZING, I've never had so many good reviews about wedding food before!! We couldn't have asked for a better day! If you are thinking of having your wedding at the zoo....I would absolutely recommend it. It's an experience like no other! We want to do it all over again!We had our wedding in The Square at Chester Zoo! The venue was simply beautiful and amazing! Being able to walk around the zoo after the ceremony was such a lovely experience too! The staff who helped us from planning to the day were fabulous, very friendly and approachable, they really made the day even more special. The food and drink throughout the day was AMAZING, I've never had so many good reviews about wedding food before!! We couldn't have asked for a better day! If you are thinking of having your wedding at the zoo....I would absolutely recommend it. It's an experience like no other! We want to do it all over again!
- FFliss & Sean20/10/2025A perfect venue for the best day!A perfect venue for the best day!We couldn’t be happier with our experience with Chester Zoo. From the moment we began planning, Rachel, our coordinator, was absolutely fantastic. Her communication was exceptional, answering our many (many!) questions with patience and care, and making the whole planning process feel so much easier. The day before the wedding, the handover to Steph, our day coordinator, was seamless and reassuring. We felt completely at ease with everyone we met and worked with, and that comfort translated into a stress-free, joy-filled celebration. Everything ran so smoothly, which meant we had very happy guests! The food was spectacular. We’ve had countless guests tell us it was the best wedding food they’ve ever had. From the canapés to the main meal and the evening buffet, everything was delicious. We had a wide range of dietary requirements and everything was handled with such care and professionalism. It was clear the team went above and beyond to make sure everyone was catered for. In addition, I was so happy that they accommodated our request to have some of canapés put to the side for us so we didn't miss out when taking photos. The ranger team were absolutely lovely and put together a fantastic tour for us. It ended with an unforgettable moment where we got a great view of the snow leopard baby. Communication with our vendors was also brilliant. Several of them commented on how lovely it was to work with the venue team, which made coordination effortless and added to the overall positive atmosphere. We’re so grateful to everyone involved for helping us create a day that was not only beautiful but truly unforgettable. Chester Zoo is already such a special place for so many people, and the events team make it even more extraordinary. Even if our wedding hadn’t taken place in the zoo itself, it still would have been the best venue I could imagine. The care and attention to detail from all members of the team came together to create a day that was truly unforgettable.We couldn’t be happier with our experience with Chester Zoo. From the moment we began planning, Rachel, our coordinator, was absolutely fantastic. Her communication was exceptional, answering our many (many!) questions with patience and care, and making the whole planning process feel so much easier. The day before the wedding, the handover to Steph, our day coordinator, was seamless and reassuring. We felt completely at ease with everyone we met and worked with, and that comfort translated into a stress-free, joy-filled celebration. Everything ran so smoothly, which meant we had very happy guests! The food was spectacular. We’ve had countless guests tell us it was the best wedding food they’ve ever had. From the canapés to the main meal and the evening buffet, everything was delicious. We had a wide range of dietary requirements and everything was handled with such care and professionalism. It was clear the team went above and beyond to make sure everyone was catered for. In addition, I was so happy that they accommodated our request to have some of canapés put to the side for us so we didn't miss out when taking photos. The ranger team were absolutely lovely and put together a fantastic tour for us. It ended with an unforgettable moment where we got a great view of the snow leopard baby. Communication with our vendors was also brilliant. Several of them commented on how lovely it was to work with the venue team, which made coordination effortless and added to the overall positive atmosphere. We’re so grateful to everyone involved for helping us create a day that was not only beautiful but truly unforgettable. Chester Zoo is already such a special place for so many people, and the events team make it even more extraordinary. Even if our wedding hadn’t taken place in the zoo itself, it still would have been the best venue I could imagine. The care and attention to detail from all members of the team came together to create a day that was truly unforgettable.
Location & Contact Details for Chester Zoo
Location & Contact Details for Chester Zoo
January Wedding Open Week
5th January 2026
Join us from Monday 5th - Friday 9th January for a week of wedding viewings. Get in touch with our team on 01244 380280 or email [email protected] to book your 30 min appointment between 12-6pm.
Wedding Showcase
26th February 2026
Join us for an enchanting evening at Chester Zoo, where dreams of your special day begin to take shape. Includes a glass of fizz, tasty canapes, and chatting to our expert team and suppliers!
Bouquet & Bells Wedding Fayre
21st May 2026
Whether you’re just beginning your wedding planning journey or putting the finishing touches on your big day, Chester Zoo Wedding Fayre offers the chance to meet a huge variety of trusted suppliers!
Gallery
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FAQs
Find out a bit more from our FAQs
Describe the best wedding that happened at your venue?
All of our weddings at Chester Zoo are great so it's hard to choose a favourite, we especially love the ones that are themed to our animals though!
What is your No.1 wedding planning tip for couples?
My top tip is build a strong relationship with the events team, we are here to help with every element of the day. We can assist and take the stress away from the planning process.
What’s your favourite personal touch you’ve seen at a wedding?
A live artist drawing guests at a wedding is a great touch!
Describe your venue in 5 adjectives.
Unique, Blend of heritage and contemporary, Bright and spacious, High quality finishes, Stunning location
Where’s the best photo spot at your venue?
There are many photo opportunities across the 128 acres of zoological gardens, my favourite backdrop is our Islands where you can be immersed in the tropical environments of six South East Asian islands.
Have you had any celebrity guest or wedding at your venue?
That would be telling!
What’s your favourite canapé?
Our roasted Cheshire fillet with duck fat chip and béarnaise sauce is stunning and gets great feedback.
What’s your favourite midnight treat?
Pizza!
What is your venue's most unique feature?
Our animals make for an unforgettable experience, your wedding also funds our mission to prevent extinction.
What part of your business are you most proud of?
Our charitable status, we can offer stunning backdrops, amazing venues and high quality food but the fact that all our weddings and events contribute to our charity makes us so proud.
Press & Awards
All our awards & press mentions
