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About

On Hitched.co.uk since 2021

Last update: May 2024

Located in Hoole, Cheshire, Chester Zoo is a wedding venue and zoological garden that can set the stage for a truly unforgettable and distinctive celebration. Adored by happy couples and animal lovers alike, this Cheshire gem boasts a Grade II listed manor house perfect for romantic occasions. Historic and refined, The Oakfield has the means to accommodate every part of your wedding, from rehearsal to reception. Led by a seasoned events coordinator, their impeccable team will make it their mission to realize every aspect of your marital vision.

Facilities and Capacity

At Chester Zoo's charming Oakfield manor house, your nearest and dearest are bound to be impressed by the vintage architecture. A listed building that has been lovingly restored, it is replete with detailed wood panelling, and the walls are lined with old-fashioned photos. You and your partner can say 'I do' in the gardens, a wonderful place to make your union official. After your ceremony, you can explore the zoo while enjoying your photoshoot. The zoo is home to 27,000 species of animals, and you are welcome to pose beside them. Ceremonies and receptions can take place inside the mansion.

Services Offered

The Chester Zoo staff is passionate about helping soon-to-be newlyweds with planning their special days. As such, they offer a variety of services designed to do just that. Consultations, planning assistance, and day-of coordination are just a few of the duties they are happy to perform. In addition, the venue's exceptional culinary team can complement your event with a mouth-watering meal.

New For 2023

We are creating a stunning new venue for 2023, 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 is being sustainably renovated into a timeless space where old meets new.

Square one of our zoo

We are breathing new life into square one of our zoo. 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.

Flexibility and creativity

The venue offers ultimate flexibility for weddings and corporate events, with a 200 capacity venue as well as a courtyard, garden and set of unique smaller meeting spaces.

Sustainability, built in

The building itself is being sustainably renovated. From sedum roofs, to the use of reclaimed materials and air source heating solutions.

Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

In the country
Pub or restaurant
Unusual weddings
Historic
Landmark
Barn
Outdoor license
Unique weddings

Ceremony options:

Civil ceremony licence

Dining options:

Seated meal facilities
Corkage option
Alcohol licence
Buffet meal facilities
In-house catering

Evening entertainment:

Entertainment licence
Live band facilities
Evening reception facilities
DJ facilities

Overnight accommodation:

Overnight accommodation for wedding couple

Venue staff assistance:

Master of ceremonies/toastmaster
Wedding coordinator

Venue leisure facilities:

Hairdresser

Other features:

Exclusive use
Accessible facilities
Car parking
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Do you have any questions?

Reviews for Chester Zoo

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to make your big decisions easier.
4.6 out of 5 rating
4.6 out of 5 rating
4 reviews
92% recommend it
  • Quality of the service
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    4.5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Value for money
    4.5 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.5 out of 5 rating
Madeline
Madeline S. Sent on 23/12/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful Historic Building!

The Oakfield was a beautiful venue for our wedding at Chester Zoo! The building was absolutely lovely and created the perfect atmosphere to celebrate our big day. From the cozy intimate library room for our ceremony, to the charming bar and dance floor, to the indoor-outdoor feeling garden room for the reception, this space was truly phenomenal. And a huge thank you to all the staff at The Oakfield for everything they did to make the day so special. Our guests were completely blown away by the food, and are still saying how it’s the best food they’ve ever had at a wedding! Magda was fantastic on the day making sure everything ran smoothly and all of our guests were catered for. Ellen went above and beyond to help coordinate every detail and request for the day, and I can not thank her enough for all of her hard work! We highly recommend having your wedding at The Oakfield at Chester Zoo!
Chloe
Chloe Sent on 03/08/2024
5 out of 5 rating

What a venue!

An absolutely gorgeous venue and staff who could not be happier to help! In particular, Frankie, our coordinator, was very accommodating to our wants and always happy to assist. The location is extremely beautiful and I recommend adding the ranger walk!
S
Sarah M. Sent on 04/09/2024
3.4 out of 5 rating

Expensive, not flexible and vegan meal awful

Our wedding was on 15/8/2024 - we met with the Wedding Co-Ordinator regularly

One thing which we couldnt choose was the DJ - despite informing them that the DJ makes or breaks the wedding atmosphere the answer was it was part of the price and we could have our own but we had to pay extra - the DJ was awful - empty dancefloor at 10:30pm and so I had to go over and speak to him - our guests thought he was very lazy

Also we were told that the venue would be closed to general public from 4pm and at 4:30 we still had general public walking through with pushchairs and children running around

the vegan meal was awful - we had fish and chips which were fabulous but the vegan meal was so tiny (smaller than their starter) so I had to ask for fries to be cooked and would pay for this - we didnt try the vegan meal as we eat meat however choose a vegan meal to try

we put a complaint in and they said they would take my comments on board - apparently at 12am at night guests are apparently meant to walk through the zoo to make their own way 'drunk' to the gates - which is dangerous - the agreement was initially there would be staff but then IO spent ythe evening trying to find staff

Not worth the money
M
Matt Sent on 25/02/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Dream come true!

Getting married at Chester Zoo was a dream come true for us! But we had no idea just how magical it would all be. We were completely blown away by the beauty of the Oakfield - especially at Christmas! The building just seemed to come alive! Everywhere was so perfectly decorated and every little detail was thought about. From the minute we started planning we were put so at ease by the team who were there to help us every step of the way; we cannot thank them enough. The Oakfield staff made our day so relaxed and were there to cater for everyone’s needs all through the day; nothing was ever too much. Our wedding was everything we ever wanted and more, we wouldn't have changed a single thing and I cannot recommend Chester Zoo & The Oakfield enough. A truly magical day we will never forget. We look forward to returning to The Oakfield in the years to come to relive the perfect memories we made on our special day!
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Badges

Chester Zoo Real Weddings

Chloe & James
48 photos · 23/07/2024
James & Jade
29 photos · 29/08/2017

Map

Upton by Chester CH2 1EU Hoole (Cheshire)
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