Chester Zoo Wedding Photographer

Exterior of The Oakfield at Chester Zoo, showing the Victorian red brick facade with ornate gabled roofline and decorative diamond brickwork

Chester Zoo is about as distinctive as wedding venues get. Sitting just outside Chester in the heart of Cheshire, it’s home to two Grade II listed event spaces, The Oakfield and The Square, as well as The Reserve, a collection of luxury lodges where couples and guests can stay the night. And of course, the zoo itself is on your doorstep.

I photographed my first wedding here at The Oakfield, and it left quite an impression. Where else can you do your couple portraits by a penguin pool, or have a flock of flamingos in the background? The setting is genuinely unlike anything else I work in, and it opens up creative possibilities that you simply can’t replicate at a traditional country house.

Whether you’re getting married at The Oakfield, planning something bigger at The Square, or using The Reserve as your base for the day, here’s what you can expect and what I know from being there.

Getting ready at The Reserve

The Reserve is Chester Zoo’s on-site accommodation, a collection of 51 lodges set within the zoo’s grounds. There are two distinct options depending on your view: lakeside lodges nestled beside a peaceful lake, and Giraffe View Lodges looking out over the Giraffes’ enclosure.

Either way, having the whole wedding party in one spot on the morning of the wedding makes for a calmer, more relaxed start. The Reserve also has the Amboseli Restaurant and Tsavo Lounge on site, so guests staying overnight have breakfast covered the following morning too.

Lakeside lodges at The Reserve Chester Zoo reflected in calm water, with natural vegetation and open sky

Top tip: book the Giraffe View Lodges

If you’re booking lodges for the wedding party, ask about the ones facing the giraffe enclosure. The giraffes come out to feed now and then, so there’s a chance you’ll have company on your balcony on the morning of the wedding. No guarantees, but if it happens, it makes for a pretty unforgettable set of getting-ready photos.

Two people watching a pair of giraffes in their enclosure at Chester Zoo, viewed from a lodge balcony at The Reserve

Exterior of a lodge at The Reserve Chester Zoo, with pale timber cladding, a sedum roof and ornamental planting around the entrance
Two grooms sitting on the bed in a lodge at The Reserve Chester Zoo, laughing as they put their shoes on before the wedding ceremony
Two grooms in waistcoats leaning on a balcony at The Reserve Chester Zoo, looking at the giraffes their wedding morning
Aerial view of the lodge village at The Reserve Chester Zoo, with pale timber lodges, terracotta roofs and planted garden borders

Getting married at The Oakfield

The Oakfield is where Chester Zoo began. Originally the family home of zoo founder George Mottershead, it was restored and renovated in 2018 and is now a Grade II listed wedding venue at the heart of the zoo’s grounds. The building has gone through several lives, from family home to aquarium and now this, and you can feel that history in it. Intricate wood panelling in the Library, sweeping views onto the gardens, and a characterful washroom with a chandelier and gallery wall that somehow becomes the backdrop for some of the most memorable candid shots of the day.

The Oakfield at Chester Zoo with the Orangery extension visible on the right, set against a clear blue sky and colourful flower beds

The ceremony room is intimate and full of character. It’s the kind of space where you feel the moment without the room swallowing it. The Oakfield suits smaller weddings, up to around 80 in the day, which tends to attract couples who want something personal rather than something large.

One thing worth knowing: confetti is not allowed at Chester Zoo for animal welfare reasons, which makes complete sense given where you are. Most couples find an alternative that works. Marc and Dom used Pride flags, which gave us some of the strongest frames of the entire day. Bubbles are another popular choice and work really well in photos too.

The ceremony room at The Oakfield Chester Zoo set up for a wedding, with rows of mismatched wooden chairs, dark wood panelling and a gallery wall of framed photos
The Oakfield ceremony room at Chester Zoo set for a wedding, showing the original fireplace with green tiles, wood panelling, carved ceiling and Pride ribbon chair decorations

The Orangery is a modern extension attached to the front of The Oakfield, and it works hard throughout the day. After the ceremony, guests flow through it and out to the patio for drinks, and it doubles as the wedding breakfast room. The skylight keeps it light and airy even with a full room of people, which makes a real difference for photographing the meal and speeches.

Front of The Oakfield at Chester Zoo showing the Orangery entrance, with patio furniture, topiary plants and floor-to-ceiling windows
Interior of the Orangery at Chester Zoo looking up toward the glass skylight lantern roof and chandelier, with wedding breakfast tables set below
The Orangery at The Oakfield Chester Zoo set for a wedding breakfast, with white linen tables, glassware and large windows on three sides

Wedding portraits at Chester Zoo

This is one of the main reasons couples choose Chester Zoo, and honestly one of the reasons I’d love to photograph more weddings here. The zoo becomes part of your portraits in a way that is completely unrepeatable anywhere else.

The portraits I took for Marc and Dom at the penguin pool and by the flamingo lake are among my favourites from any wedding I’ve photographed. Not because they’re dramatic, but because they’re completely specific to that day and those two people. You simply can’t get that at another venue.

Several couples use a guided ranger tour in place of traditional favours, which gives you and your guests a more private experience in parts of the zoo away from the main paths. Marc and Dom did exactly this, and it gave me access to wildlife moments that would otherwise be impossible to photograph.

The light in the zoo grounds can be tricky mid-afternoon, as it is anywhere, but the range of locations means there’s always somewhere to work. Covered walkways by the penguins, open boardwalks by the flamingos, the more sheltered gardens surrounding The Oakfield. In the right season, the meadow planting around the venue adds another option altogether.

Marc and Dom watch a penguin swim past the glass during portraits at Chester Zoo.
Marc and Dom hand in hand in front of the penguin pool at Chester Zoo.
Marc and Dom walk the boardwalk past the flamingos at Chester Zoo.
Dom photographs a jaguar through the glass, with Marc, on the ranger tour.
A jaguar on the move at Chester Zoo.
Marc and Dom watch a greater one-horned rhino on the ranger tour at Chester Zoo.
A greater one-horned rhino at the feeder at Chester Zoo.
A chimpanzee in the spring sunshine at Chester Zoo.

The Square

The Square is Chester Zoo’s larger wedding venue, an extension of the original 1931 Grade II listed stable block, set in a secluded spot within the zoo’s grounds. It has a very different feel to The Oakfield, with exposed brick walls, vaulted rafters, large feature windows overlooking the garden, and a private gated courtyard. It can accommodate up to 200 guests in the day and up to 380 for the evening, making it the better fit for larger celebrations.

I haven’t yet photographed a wedding at The Square, but I’m looking forward to it. From what I can see, the combination of original stonework, those feature windows and the courtyard makes it look like a genuinely photogenic space, particularly in the evening. When I do photograph a wedding there, I’ll update this page with real images from the day.

If you’re planning a wedding at The Square and looking for a photographer, I’d love to hear from you.

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Full day wedding photography at Chester Zoo from £1,500. If you have any questions or want to check your date, I’d love to hear from you.

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Latest weddings at Chester Zoo

Check out my latest real weddings at Chester Zoo and keep an eye on my blog for updates.

  • Marc and Dom walk the boardwalk past the flamingos at Chester Zoo.
    Harry Potter Meets Pride Wedding at Chester Zoo
    When Marc and Dom discovered they could get married at Chester Zoo, it felt like a fairy tale. Friends started sharing links to the zoo’s new venue, The Square, in 2022, but when they visited for a wedding fair in […]

Quick look at…Chester Zoo

Venue type: Zoo wedding venue with two Grade II listed event spaces

Location: Upton-by-Chester, Chester, Cheshire

  • Two Grade II listed venues: The Oakfield (Victorian mansion) and The Square (converted 1931 stable block)
  • The Reserve: 51 luxury lodges, with lakeside and Giraffe View Lodges options
  • Intimate ceremonies at The Oakfield: up to 80 in the day, 120 in the evening
  • Larger celebrations at The Square: up to 200 in the day, 380 in the evening
  • Zoo access for guests included as part of the wedding package
  • Ranger-guided tours available as an alternative to traditional favours
  • No confetti (animal welfare), but flags, bubbles and alternatives all work well photographically
  • Wildlife portrait opportunities throughout the zoo: penguins, flamingos, giraffes and more

Number of guests: Up to 80 day / 120 evening (The Oakfield). Up to 200 day / 380 evening (The Square).

A perfect wedding venue for… Couples who want something genuinely different, a setting with real character, wildlife portrait opportunities you can’t replicate anywhere else, and a day your guests will talk about long after.

Frequently asked questions about wedding photography at Chester Zoo

Have you photographed weddings at Chester Zoo?

Yes, I photographed Marc and Dom’s wedding at The Oakfield and it’s a venue I’d genuinely love to return to. You can read the full blog post and see a selection of images from the day here. A few couples choose to keep their galleries private, so the blog doesn’t always tell the full story, but I know the venue well and I’m happy to talk through what the day looks like from a photography point of view.

Is confetti allowed at Chester Zoo?

No, Chester Zoo doesn’t allow confetti for animal welfare reasons, which makes complete sense given where you are. There are plenty of alternatives that work really well in photos. Marc and Dom used Pride flags, which gave us some of the strongest frames of the day. Bubbles are another popular choice and have a very similar effect.

Can we have our couple portraits inside the zoo?

Yes, and I’d really encourage it. The zoo is part of what makes Chester Zoo weddings genuinely different, and some of the most memorable portraits I’ve taken here have been by the penguin pool, at the flamingo lake, and out in the zoo grounds. Your venue coordinator can advise on the best spots depending on your timing and what’s on in the zoo that day.

What is the difference between The Oakfield and The Square?

The Oakfield is the original Victorian mansion, intimate and full of character, with wood panelling, garden views and capacity for up to 80 guests in the day. The Square is the larger venue in a converted historic stable block, with exposed brick walls, vaulted rafters, a private courtyard and room for up to 200 guests in the day. Which suits you better comes down to your guest numbers and the feel you’re going for.

Is The Reserve worth booking for the wedding party?

If your budget stretches to it, absolutely. Starting the morning in a lodge with giraffes outside your window is something the whole wedding party will talk about for years. Having everyone on site from the start also makes the logistics of the morning much more straightforward, and I find it leads to a more relaxed, natural set of getting-ready photos.