Oxford Exchange Wedding Venue: Planner’s Expert Guide

The Oxford Exchange wedding venue near downtown Tampa, FL is easily one of our favorite places to host a celebration. The historic property is full of European vibes and unique spaces. Our couples love the creative details including the wood-paneled staircase, antique brick walls, and black and white checkerboard flooring. After planning several Oxford Exchange weddings, here are Tampa wedding planner Alexa Kritis’ expert tips for this gorgeous venue.

About Oxford Exchange

Oxford Exchange has a cool mix of spaces that includes a restaurant, bookstore, café, champagne bar, and co-working area. The restored venue was originally built in 1891 as a stable for the Plant Hotel. In the 1920s it transformed into a collection of local shops, which is mirrored in its current design. Inspired by libraries, clubs, and boutiques in London, Oxford Exchange will make you feel like you’ve stepped into a town in England. There’s also a touch of Art Deco thrown into the mix of the design. 

Oxford Exchange wedding ceremony and reception spaces

Oxford Exchange can accommodate up to 150 guests for a seated ceremony and reception. Say your vows in the second-floor Shaw Library with its high ceilings, beautiful wood floors, exposed beams, and large windows. 

The atrium is a chic option for your cocktail hour with a black and white checkerboard floor, a big beautiful wood-paneled staircase, Edison bulb lighting, antique brick walls, and a bar. 

Host dinner and dancing with a reception in the conservatory, which features a gorgeous fountain, whitewashed brick walls, greenery accents, a retractable glass roof, and black and white marble flooring.

Why do you love working at this venue?

If you live in Florida, you know hurricane season brings in lots of rain and strong winds from May through September. The beauty of an Oxford Exchange Tampa wedding is you don’t have to worry about the weather. Host your ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all in one place indoors away from any nasty storms happening outside.

Another reason we love weddings at Oxford Exchange is the team here is phenomenal. They transform the venue into a wedding space like a well-oiled machine. They’re also super open to ideas and receptive to changes, making this a great venue for a couple with a creative vision. 

What is special about Oxford Exchange weddings?

The food here is genuinely fantastic. We had a couple who loved Mexican food, so the catering team paired mini tacos with mini margaritas in their creative menu. The chefs create dishes using seasonal and fresh ingredients. In addition to weddings, Oxford Exchange also serves brunch, afternoon tea, breakfast, and lunch.

The Oxford Exchange is also perfect for couples who want to host an evening wedding. A sample itinerary might include a 6 pm ceremony, cocktail hour at 6:30 pm, and a 7 pm start time to kick off your reception. Before your event, we can book one of several neighboring hotels for your getting ready location.

How have you transformed the venue to customize it to your client?

We planned a wedding in the round in the Shaw Library for one of our Oxford Exchange weddings. The bride and groom stood in the middle on a platform while guests sat around them. We used draping in the library to give it a more intimate feel and soften the space. 

We continued the “in the round” theme for the couple’s reception. Instead of long reception tables, we transformed the conservatory into an in-the-round layout with guests sitting around the couple.

What type of couple would love an Oxford Exchange Tampa wedding?

A couple that loves really great food, wants a venue that’s iconically Tampa, and needs more than a four-wall ballroom will love an Oxford Exchange wedding. 

Couples who book this venue are looking for unique layouts and appreciate the classic elements of a dark wood formal staircase and black and white floor. It’s also important to be open-minded about the ceremony space because the cocktail hour and reception spaces are the star of the show.

Do you have any insider tips for Oxford Exchange weddings?

The wedding venue is already stunning on its own, but it’s brought to life with gorgeous florals. It adds more of a wow factor and takes it up another level. Don’t skimp on the flowers when it comes to décor at Oxford Exchange. They have a list of talented preferred florists to choose from who are familiar with the venue.

Oxford Exchange wedding cost

Expect to budget $300 – 400 per guest for an Oxford Exchange wedding. The Oxford Exchange wedding price covers the venue rental fee, food and beverage, up to 120 ceremony chairs, reception tables and chairs, glassware, flatware, and white napkins. The amenities include black cross-back chairs, and galvanized metal tables (which you can cover with linens). What they have is super pretty, so you don’t have to worry about rentals. This cost does not include wedding planning services, invitations, photography, florals, music, and other outside vendors.

What is one idea you’d love to implement for a client at this venue?

We would love to hold a ceremony in the atrium. As the couples say their vows, guests would view the ceremony from the second-level mezzanine. Helping a couple host an intimate wedding in the conservatory is also on our wish list.

Interested in booking your wedding at Oxford Exchange? Contact Alexa Kritis Events for wedding planning and design.

Oxford Exchange wedding details

• Location: Near downtown Tampa, Florida
• Address: 420 West Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL 33606
• Phone: (813) 253-0222
• Website: https://oxfordexchange.com
• Capacity: Up to 150 guests for a seated ceremony and reception
• Exclusive vendors: In-house catering, and a preferred florist list
• Events: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception
• Amenities available: Up to 120 ceremony chairs, reception black cross-back chairs, galvanized metal tables, glassware, flatware, and white napkins