Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park is an aquarium, marine institute, and venue hosting weddings in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Couples can say ‘I do’ in the park’s event space against a backdrop of vibrant coral and diverse marine life. The park has endeavored to create a unique space full of wonder, for a wedding experience that will leave guests talking for years to come.
The marine park’s history stretches back over half a decade to its founder J.B. Siebenaler, an esteemed researcher from the University of Miami. The park was created with the vision of encouraging the public to engage with marine life in a close-up and meaningful way. The institution has been a pioneer in the industry, from developing the first synthetic milk for dolphins to being the first to incorporate scuba gear. An aquarium, tourist attraction, and research center, its mission continues to this day, entertaining millions with its daily marine animal demonstrations and exhibitions.
Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park offers couples the chance to wow guests with a wedding under the sea. The property’s event hall, The Living Sea Aquarium Room, is a spacious setting walled by floor-to-ceiling aquarium windows looking out onto a lively scene of underwater life. Tropical fish in a kaleidoscopic range of colors dart to and fro across the coral reef, as a calming blue light is reflected over the wedding ceremony. Guests will marvel at the wonders of the deep with access to a number of the park’s exhibits, including an underwater viewing of the dolphin habitat.
The event team of Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park makes planning your big day crystal clear. They offer couples a package that includes setup and cleanup of the event, furniture rental, and use of audiovisual equipment. The management is happy to assist couples in sourcing outside vendors for their event, including caterers, entertainment, and decorators. Dolphin and sea lion shows can be organized exclusively for the wedding party, and a 30-minute tour of outdoor exhibits can also be arranged. For those who would like to get up close and personal with its residents, the park offers animal greetings with some of the smaller animals.
NOTE: all events must be booked and paid-in-full at least two weeks prior to the event date
Kat Harris(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 16-04-2022 I was looking for a fun and unique wedding venue that would wow my guests, and the Gulfarium met all of those expectations and more! I had my wedding there on 04/16/22, and it was stunning. I purchased the package where the Gulfarium handled everything, such as setting up the decor. They made the ceremony and reception look so beautiful, and Ashley kept everything running smoothly. Ashley was great to work with! I highly recommend the Gulfarium. My guests and my other wedding vendors have been telling me how beautiful it was and how amazing it was to be able to interact and admire the marine life. Where else can you have pictures with penguins and dolphins on your wedding day? Reviewed on 20-04-2022
Haley Brackin(other)5 out of 5 Rating
Most beautiful and unique venue on the Gulf! We loved our experience with the amazing event staff at the Gulfarium; they made everything run smoothly during the entire process. It made for such a memorable experience not just for us but all our guests too! Reviewed on 02-01-2024
Alicia Jordal(other)5 out of 5 Rating
Cat and her team made our day perfect!! The answered so many questions. Stayed in constant contact for months. My guests really enjoyed the park time. We are so glad we chose the Gulfarium! Reviewed on 25-07-2023
Amy Griffy(other)5 out of 5 Rating
We just got married at The Gulfarium on 07/15/2023. It was an absolutely amazing experience from day one of contacting them. We were always greeted with such enthusiasm and knowledge from both Ashley and Cat. These two ladies listened to every single detail that we wanted, they were always ready to answer questions and gave us options for decor. The entire events staff was the friendliest group of people I’ve ever encountered. Our wedding day went off without any problems, the attention to detail and the ladies making sure we stayed on a schedule making sure the night went smooth and allowing us to just embrace our wedding and reception without stress. Oh and did I mention the penguin ring bearer? I was absolutely in heaven, don’t think I’ve quit crying because of the shear joy I experienced. I cannot recommend this incredible venue and the expertise of Ashley and Cat to make your special day just that, special! Reviewed on 19-07-2023
Dana Gray(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 21-05-2022 Ashley was the best at knowing what I wanted ams how to make it even better. Very impressive venue and staff. Reviewed on 03-06-2022
Sarah Honerman(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 05-05-2022 We had our reception here on 5/5/2022. I can't not say enough great things about our experience! Everyone was so helpful and kind! Ashley was great to work with! Even though I had some scheduling issues the few days leading up to my wedding, she was so understanding that I couldn't make it in when I said I was going to. I think this team is great and if you want a fun experience for the guests that a children, this is perfect!!! (all my adult guests thought it was awesome too though!) 😄 Thank you to everyone at Gulfarium! we will be back for the full experience!! Reviewed on 08-05-2022
Camryn Hepner(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 12-03-2022 The best decision we made when planning our wedding was booking Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park as my venue! We had an indoor ceremony and reception with the outdoor time for my guests to enjoy. Our guests enjoyed the great exhibit Gulfarium has to offer! The fun atmosphere made our wedding unique! We also loved our penguin ring bearer! Our guests thought it was the cutiest and coolest surprise! I would recommend booking Gulfarium 100%!! Communication with the staff before, during, and after the wedding was amazing! Reviewed on 18-04-2022
Raven Lowery(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 26-03-2022 If you are looking for a beautiful wedding venue on the beach and love marine animals then the Gulfarium is the perfect choice! I enjoyed working with Ashley Volmert, the Gulfarium's Special Events Coordinator. She helped me plan the perfect wedding day. Complete with a penguin ring bearer and penguin encounter, a wedding ceremony overlooking the beautiful Gulf of Mexico and a beautiful aquarium reception! Our wedding guests can't stop talking about the wedding, they all had a great time! The penguins were adorable and the perfect addition to our wedding day! Reviewed on 07-04-2022
Nichole DeVito(bride)4 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 02-01-2022 We had our ceremony at the Gulf on 1/2/2022 after a last minute scramble to find an indoor space that would work. The weather that day was incredibly windy so the State Park was just not an option. Ashley was so helpful and kind! She made the whole thing seamless. I loved how curious the dolphins were when I walked by in my dress and veil. The kids loved the experience. There is an indoor space similar to being inside an aquarium tank (which is what we did) and an outdoor space similar to being on the beach but still covered. Easy access to the beach for photos is great too. Not sure that I would have booked the penguin ring bearer or photos with it if I had to do it all over again. We did get one kinda cute picture out of it, but the trainer is in the shot (which totally makes sense) and the animal was not very pleased to be a part of the whole thing. I liked that they had chairs and an arch available on site. Reviewed on 03-01-2022
Sarah Wofford(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 15-05-2021 We used the Gulfarium for our wedding reception in May 2021 and absolutely loved it! The staff at the Gulfarium were super helpful and professional and helped us to host a really great event for our guests. The pricing for a wedding/reception is very reasonable (especially in this area) considering that they run set up and break down and that you can add on park time and encounters. We were able to book the outdoor park area for a cocktail hour and the Gulfarium worked with our timeline to deliver a unique dolphin show and pictures! Our guests had a blast and we did too! The actual reception took place in the Living Sea Aquarium space and it was SO COOL to have an aquarium as a back drop to the dance floor! The Gulfarium staff was awesome through set up and break down and they were all kind and courteous. This is an awesome venue for an event! Reviewed on 11-06-2021
Amanda Tyree(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 08-05-2021 Amazing experience. Highly recommend. Great staff made everything easy and guests loved the experience. Reviewed on 10-05-2021
Lynn King(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 12-09-2020 My wedding is 09/12/2020 I’ve visited the venue and failed in love can’t wait for my wedding Reviewed on 08-03-2020