The San Diego Zoo is renowned for its beautiful grounds, varied species, and amazing programs for kids and adults alike. But what we’re currently obsessing over is the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, where visitors can feed giraffes, get up close with cheetahs, camp overnight in safari tents or even host a wedding. Yep, you read that correctly. You can host a wedding at the 1,800-acre safari park near Escondido that’ll have your guests thinking they’ve unknowingly been transported to the plains of Sub-Saharan Africa.
The park is home to more than 3,000 animals as well as various unique event spaces that each set wild, scenic backdrops for weddings. Between the Mombasa Pavilion overlooking a lush, tropical lagoon, the manicured lawn with arching trees above the Hunte Nairobi Pavilion, and the thatched roof pavilion in the middle of the African Plains where wildlife roams, there are plenty of spectacular sites to host your wedding celebration.
Photographer Shelly Anderson recently captured a wedding that took place at the latter space, known as the Kijamii Overlook, and today shares her photos of the event along with her take on the venue. To read up on what a wedding at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park looks like, hop on into this Q&A session we had with her.
Photography by Shelly Anderson