Surrounded by 33 acres of woodland, Dartmoor Zoo offers a truly unique wedding venue. Hold your ceremony in the grand manor house at the heart of the park, and set up a marquee to host a delicious wedding breakfast accompanied by the roar of Jasiri the zoo's male lion.
Encourage your guests to explore the zoo that inspired best-selling novel and film 'We Bought a Zoo', with members of the team on hand to talk about their conservation and research. You'll have some wonderful opportunities for wedding photography, and the day will be even sweeter thanks to all profits going towards the upkeep of the zoo and caring for the animals.
Dartmoor Wildlife Park was bought by Benjamin Mee in 2006, when the park was in financial difficulty and in danger of being demolished. The family worked hard to reopen the zoo, and it was finally unveiled in 2007 as Dartmoor Zoological Park. The heart-warming story was published in the bestselling novel 'We Bought a Zoo', written by Mee himself, and was adapted for the big screen in the successful movie of the same name.
With two spaces available for you to hire, Dartmoor Zoo is a flexible venue that can be tailored to your special day. For couples looking for a religious ceremony, the local church is within walking distance of the zoo.
This 18th century manor house is licensed to hold civil ceremonies, and by arranging the chairs on the lawn outside Goodamoor your guests can enjoy the atmosphere of the zoo as you exchange your vows.
Ceremony capacity - 60 guests
Erect a marquee in the heart of Dartmoor Zoo and enjoy your wedding breakfast and evening reception surrounded by exotic and wild animals (and no, we don't mean your guests!)
Breakfast and reception capacity - 120 guests
For larger ceremonies, the Jaguar Restaurant is licensed to hold up to 150 seated guests. If a marquee wedding is not suitable and when the weather gets a little colder, the Jaguar Restaurant can also host your reception.
Ceremony capacity – 150 guests
Reception capacity – 120 guests
Dartmoor Zoo have a fantastic team of in-house caters, and they are able to create bespoke menus to suit your tastes and requirements. From traditional three course meals to a delicious hog roast, your wedding catering can be exactly as you desire.
To find out more about this unusual wedding venue, visit their website or get in touch using the contact details on this listing.
AddressSabeena, thank you so so much for helping us plan an AMAZING wedding day. Not only did our day run perfectly, but you all worked above and beyond to make us feel very special. WE honestly couldn't have had a better day. We laughed non-stop and we will all cherish those memories forever. Thank you so much Sabeena for answering so many of our emails - you really are the best. All our guests loved the Zoo and recognised how amazing the staff were. The food was amazing! Thank you!
Dear Sabeena and all the staff at Dartmoor Zoo - we just wanted to say a huge thank you for helping to make our wedding day so special! The whole team were amazing and so accommodating, we couldn't have asked for a better day. Thank you again.