BATON ROUGE - Instead of the traditional wedding march, imagine walking down the aisle to the sounds of tropical birds, roaring tigers, and howling monkeys. 

"It's definitely a unique venue," said Sarah Caldwell, the zoo's event catering manager. "Some people really play up the zoo aspect. But then some people completely stay away from the zoo aspect, and it's much more nature-oriented."

Caldwell's background is in wedding planning. 

"We've been trying to bring in more diverse events to reach a more diverse crowd, and with weddings you get a whole group of people that wouldn't necessarily come to a zoo during the day time for like a children's event," she said. 

She and her team have been working on new ways to attract couples to say their "I do's" at the zoo. 

"We can do a lot of things. We kind of tailor it to what you need."

Packages include private giraffe feedings, photo-ops in the petting zoo, and animal encounters for guests. 

Besides being unquestionably unique, Caldwell says a zoo wedding is also a good financial decision.

"I would say it's definitely a bargain venue. For the experience that you get, it's very price-conscious for people."

If you want more information, you can call 225-775-3877 and ask for Sarah.