This Couple Got Married at a Zoo and the Result Is Wild!

Lauren Megerdichian

Sun, July 28, 2019 at 1:00 PM UTC

It's not everyday we see a gorgeous wedding at a.... pause for dramatic effect... ZOO! That's right, this adorable bride and groom tied the knot at the Santa Barbara Zoo surrounded by lions and tigers and family and friends ;) Jenn Sanchez Design designed every detail of their day, bringing the couple's old-school safari theme to life. Our favorite part? The bridesmaids chose their own dresses in various shades of gold and we can't even tell you how obsessed we are with their gowns. Trust us, you'll want to see every image in this full gallery captured by Lacie Hansen.

From the Bride... Nick and I met in Boston when I was a senior at Wellesley College and he was working in finance after graduating from Tufts University the year before. I always knew I wanted to get married in Santa Barbara--it is where my mom grew up and my family has a beach house where we spent our weekends. I grew up going to the Santa Barbara Zoo but when I proposed it as a venue, Nick thought it sounded a little strange. When he saw it in person for the first time, he knew it was perfect. It used to be the botanical gardens so it has great foliage and a huge lawn with a view of the ocean. Nick and I had always talked about going on safari for our honeymoon (and went on safari in in December) so an old school safari theme seemed perfectly appropriate for both us, and the venue.

Jenn Sanchez who did the florals and the design immediately understood the aesthetic we were going for and channeled a lot of vintage Ralph Lauren vibes in the design. I wore a white Alexander McQueen gown that I picked because of the details like the high neck and buttons that reminded me of a traditional Chinese gown and the floral embroidery that reminded me of the beautiful foliage at the Zoo. I asked my grandmother for something old and borrowed she came up with my great grandmother's jade bracelet from my grandfather's side. My grandfather passed away a few weeks after Nick and I got engaged so it was extra special to have something from his mother with me. For beauty I used TEAM Hair and Makeup and they were so fantastic and fun.

I had 8 bridesmaids and after realizing that it would be hard to find a dress flattering to everyone, I asked them to pick their own dresses as long as it stayed in the gold family. They also picked their own beauty looks and accessories and it was an amazing representation of their unique personalities and it made the day that more special to me. While my sister/maid of honor was supposed to wear gold too, when we saw an Alexander McQueen dress with the signature jeweled neck I knew it was meant to be and I threw out the gold idea for her.

Nick wore a custom white silk and mohair Isaia dinner jacket and Rubinacci Belgian slippers with Ace & Everrett green and yellow socks that he matched with his groomsmen. He also wore custom jade and diamond cufflinks and studs made for him with his family crest engraved on the back that I gave him as a wedding present.

In the middle of our pastor's sermon, the lion started roaring in the background and it really made the whole ceremony even happier because no one could stop laughing. After we tied the knot, the string quartet played The Beatle's "Here Comes the Sun" as the recessional. During cocktail hour, we had a "flamingle" where our guests got to interact with the flamingos as well as feed the giraffes and take a train ride around the zoo. We love how clear the sky is in Santa Barbara compared to Los Angeles so we opted for a clear tent so we could see the sky at night. During the reception, I changed into an Alexander Wang jumpsuit and our guests also got to document the night in our MirMir photobooth until our after party at the Deep Sea Tasting Room on the Santa Barbara Pier where we had In N Out burgers and fries waiting for everyone.

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This Couple Got Married at a Zoo and the Result Is Wild!

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