Proposals

Our Two-Hour Zoo Proposal Package is $1,000 and available at both Stone and Franklin Park Zoos.

Package includes:

• Initial phone consultation
• Proposal coordinator
• Private venue (if desired depending on your proposal location preference)
• Decorated proposal location including a “Will You Marry Me?” signboard on an easel with lanterns, LED candles and florals
• “Just Engaged” photo prop signs
• Decorated side table for a toast with sparkling cider
• 20-minute visit with an animal ambassador
• Zoo admission for up to six guests

Proposal Enhancements (to be coordinated by Zoo staff):

• Red aisle runner $50
• Red aisle runner decorated with rose petals and LED candles $175
• Circle or heart rose petal display with LED candles (no aisle runner) $150
• Illuminated “Marry Me” marquee letters or luminaria $60
• Floral bouquet $75
• Charcuterie board (please inquire for current pricing)
• Dessert tray (please inquire for current pricing)
• Chocolate-covered strawberries (please inquire for current pricing)

Upgrade Your Animal Experience: $200
Check with your Proposal Coordinator for all available options. Examples include:

• Franklin Park Zoo: giraffe feed; private visit with Nigerian pygmy goats; red panda encounter; Baird’s tapir feed.
• Stone Zoo: sloth tour; African spurred tortoise feed; otter feed; prehensile-tailed porcupine encounter; gibbon food toss; reindeer encounter

Information to Consider:

• All proposals must be booked at least thirty (30) days prior to the desired proposal date, which is subject to availability.
• We strongly recommend that each client visit the Zoo to view possible proposal locations.
• If you prefer to propose on Zoo grounds as opposed to inside a private venue, we cannot guarantee privacy from other Zoo guests.
• We are happy to include existing photographs of you and your fiancé to be included in the proposal display. Let us know if there are other items you would like to bring for inclusion in the proposal setting. For animal safety reasons, balloons are not permitted.
• You may bring your own photographer or videographer.
• As the health and wellbeing of our animals is our highest priority, we are not able to guarantee a specific animal’s availability on the proposal date. Accordingly, we ask that you give us your top three choices of Ambassador Animals, identifying your preference.

Customization is Possible!

If you have a different idea for your Zoo proposal, contact us and let us know. If we can make it work, we're glad to bring your vision to life!

Need-to-Know Information

Rates
The Zoo offers a 10% discount off the rental fee for Zoo members. Rates are subject to change without notice.

Reservation
A non-refundable payment of 100% of your venue rental fee and a signed contract are required to secure your event on our calendar. The rental fee must be received no later than thirty (30) days prior to the event date. The Zoo will consider an event cancelled, and services will not be provided, if a payment and signed contract are not received by that date.

The balance for the event, including enhancements, admissions and any other accrued equipment or vendor charges, will be billed after the event and will be payable within ten (10) business days of your receipt of the invoice.

Service Fee
The Zoo imposes an administrative fee of 12% of the total fees excluding catering costs and any Zoo admissions fee. This administrative fee includes the Zoo’s administrative overhead, documentation, preparation, management and operating costs of the event.

Rain or Shine/Cancellation Policy
Absent a safety issue and/or severe weather causing the Zoo to close, events take place Rain or Shine (rain or light snow is not severe weather). The Zoo will not transfer your guests’ admission tickets to another date unless the Zoo closes. If the Zoo closes, ZNE will provide a full refund of the payments made to date. Otherwise, all fees paid are non-refundable.

Animal Visibility and Animal-Based Experiences
Kindly note that animal visibility and all animal-based experiences at the Zoo are not guaranteed. Animals may or may not be viewable or available at any given time due to animal choice, changes in the animal collection, weather conditions, season, and actions to promote the health and well-being of the animals. When necessary, the Zoo may make an appropriate substitution for the event.

Outside Vendors/Music/Entertainment
Other outside vendors are permitted, subject to prior approval by the Zoo. Please ask our Events staff if you would like recommendations for vendors for your event; we will be glad to provide suggestions.

All outside vendors must contact the Zoo no later than two (2) weeks prior to the event date to coordinate delivery times, loading areas, set-up locations and pick-up schedule. Zoo staff cannot transport vendors or equipment in or outside the Zoo.

All music is subject to a sound check. The Zoo reserves the right to ask for the volume to be lowered or silence any music that is bothersome to any of its animals.

Event Materials
We do not provide storage facilities for events. All items needed for events must be brought on the day of the event and removed immediately after unless prior arrangements are made with the Zoo.

If you must ship items to the Zoo for the event, advance arrangements with the Event Coordinator are required. Each shipment may incur a handling fee. All deliveries must be delivered during normal shipping hours and within 2 days of the event. The Zoo is not responsible for late deliveries.

There is a $150 removal fee for any leftover materials.

Décor, Giveaways and Restricted Items
For the safety and wellbeing of our animal collection and our guests, the following items are prohibited on Zoo grounds:

• Balloons
• Confetti
• Glitter
• Rice and Seeds
• Streamers
• Bicycles, roller blades/skates, scooters, skateboards, any riding apparatus (except wheelchairs or disability aids)
• Drones
• Frisbees and kites
• Plastic straws (juice boxes ok)
• Glass bottles
• Styrofoam products
• Alcoholic beverages
• Open flames (LEDs ok)
• Yo-Yos
• Silly string
• Squirt guns
• Pompoms
• Piñatas without pull-strings
• Laser pointers
• Kinetic Sand
• Pets (service animals welcome)
• Any balls, hacky sacks
• Games involving throwing or striking objects
• Bullhorns, noisemakers and whistles
• Radios/speakers played at high volume and/or heavy bass
• Grills or heating elements
• Fireworks
• Sparklers
• Cap guns
• Smoking
• Weapons of any kind (guns, knives, etc.)

All décor and giveaways must be pre-approved by the Zoo; feel free to ask if you are unsure if items are permitted.

Smoking
To ensure the health of our guests, animals and staff, the Zoo is smoke-free and tobacco-free. This includes e-cigarettes. Guests will be asked to put out their smoke and may be escorted from the premises for noncompliance.

Accessibility
The parking area and Zoo walkways are wheelchair accessible. The Zoo has wheelchairs available for rent for an additional fee. The Event Coordinator can assist with these arrangements. Service dogs are welcome at the Zoo.

To get started with your proposal, please fill out this Proposal Inquiry form and we'll be in touch!

If you experience technical difficulties with the form submission, please email us.