Some of our favorite weddings in years past have been at the local Fort Worth Zoo. What better way to be surrounded by those you love than with a few furry additions as special guests. If you—or your future spouse—are major animal lovers, having your wedding at the zoo is a truly extraordinary way to celebrate your big day. For April 8th, National Zoo Lovers Day, we’re looking back at some of our favorite zoo weddings!

For Emily Ryan, she wanted a wedding that was out of the box. After giving some thought to it, she chose the Fort Worth Zoo’s African Reserve as their venue—a nod to her ministry work in Uganda. Couple Michael Mahon and Harrison Edell had a close connection to the Dallas Zoo, which happened to be Harrison’s place of work. They began their weekend reception at the zoo and even incorporated animals like flamingos and penguins in their wedding festivities.

Much like Micheal and Harrison, exotic pet veterinarian Rachel Ellerd’s bond to animals was so strong, she didn’t even have to look for venues! “Having it at the zoo was completely non-negotiable,” she says. “So much so that when the zoo told us the dates we were looking at were filling up, we actually booked the venue before we were even engaged.”

Hand feeding a giraffe on your special day is a moment you won’t forget. Esra Gumuser and Geoffrey Alex made their wedding dreams come true when they decided to host theirs at the Fort Worth Zoo.  According to the couple’s wedding planner Georgette Poole, Esra loved the zoo wedding idea from the start. “She had gone to camp there as a kid and had such good memories there,” Poole says.

Whether you are enjoying your nuptials by feeding giraffes or cuddling cute penguins, the opportunities are endless. We highly suggest looking to your local zoo as your next celebration venue!