A Unique California Wedding Venue Inside of a Zoo

I was so amazed and surprised when Regina and Dan inquired with me about shooting their wedding at the Santa Barbara Zoo, a completely unique wedding venue in California. I had no idea that the Santa Barbara Zoo even was a wedding venue at the time, as I had only been there with my children to see the animals a few times when they were growing up. It was hard to picture in my mind what a wedding at a zoo would look like, but I can’t tell you enough how amazed I was at the beauty of this unique and colorful California wedding venue. It really surpassed all my expectations and it is the perfect venue for a couple that is looking for a wedding that will stand out from the crowd, impress their guests with loads of fun, and also be elegant and beautiful at the same time.

Regina and Dan are the two sweetest people in the world, and we had so much fun doing their engagement session and getting to know each other. I was so impressed by the depth of their love for one another and just the way that Regina looks at Dan will melt anyone’s heart. They are a doctor and a nurse, respectively, and definitely have those caring souls that you would find for people that dedicate their life to helping others. Their wedding was intimate and personal full of their closest friends and family, and it was a day dedicated to celebrating their love for each and the life long commitment that they were making.

The Ritz Carlton Bacara is the Perfect Getting Ready Spot for Your Wedding

Regina got ready for her dream fairytale day at the most beautiful resort in Santa Barbara, the Ritz, Carlton Bacara. She got ready with her sisters, who are also her bridesmaids, and her parents ended the sweetest first look with her father. There are so many emotional and happy moments as she stepped into her wedding dress, and the Ritz Carlton was the most beautiful backdrop for all of these memories to take place. I am a huge fan of getting ready moments because I think so the most precious moments of the day happen before the ceremony, and I love capturing both the bride and groom as they prepared to walk down the aisle.

Dan got ready just around the corner and he really stole the show as he stepped into his suit with how dashing and debonair he looked. We captured precious moments between him and his mother, and it was sweet to see him greeting friends and family as they arrived at the zoo and took in all the sights. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a groom as excited to walk down the aisle as Dan and it was such a sweet day to be a part of because of how deeply the two of them are in love. Some couples you just look at, and you know that they are going to grow altogether, and be together every every single moment of their lives that they can be from that point on. It was a fairytale day and dream come true for both of them.

A Wedding That Showcased Their Family Traditions

Regina celebrated the Indian traditions of her family with beautiful henna, which is always a favorite of mine for how incredible it looks. Dan is Jewish and so they also brought in many Jewish traditions into their wedding ceremony, including the Chuppah and the circling of the Groom by the Bride seven times. It’s such a beautiful moment to watch, and I always love Jewish wedding ceremonies for this reason. I think that couples should always celebrate their wedding in a way that matters the most to them and shows their personal history and values.

The wedding ceremony at the Santa Barbara zoo is a lush and tropical paradise surrounded by the sounds of birds and botanical delights. It’s a colorful and elegant garden space that you would never expect to find in the middle of a zoo. After the ceremony, of course, we had to pay a visit to the giraffes for a special giraffe, feeding that the zoo offers the bride and groom and their guests. I don’t know if you’ve ever fed a giraffe before, but it is not an experience you are likely to forget, because giraffes, have an extremely adorable and very, very long tongue! We had a great time, laughing and feeding the cute little guys all kinds of tasty treats.

The Santa Barbara Zoo is A Whimsical Garden Wedding Venue

The grounds of the Santa Barbara Zoo are absolutely unbelievable with a botanical garden everywhere. You look with so many different succulents and cacti and trees… The sunset filters through the trees, and such a dreamy way and Regina and Dan really brought out the moves during golden hour. They were so much fun to laugh with and dance with, and I love seeing them, filling the romance of their day and enjoying that time together. I always give my couples a lot of direction during Sunset photos, but to be honest, these guys really didn’t need any. All they needed was to look into each other’s eyes and the love was palpable.

The wedding reception space at the Santa Barbara Zoo is absolutely unparalleled. It is so elegant overlooking all of Santa Barbara with incredible views of the harbor, romantic string lights surrounded by lush gardens, and the sound of bird song as the guest eat dinner makes for a unique ambience. They had a amazing time dancing the night away with all of their guests and enjoying the culinary delights provided by Rincon Events, one of the absolute best wedding planners and caterers in all of Santa Barbara. At the end of the night they even had an ice cream bar where you could make ice cream sundaes, and it was such a great and sweet way to close what was an absolutely perfect day.