Nine Places to Say “I Do” at The Jefferson
/Picture the moment you say “I do.” Now picture where you're standing.
As an Oxford, MS wedding venue, The Jefferson offers multiple location to say your vows, each with its own setting and character. You can exchange vows beside the lake, in front of a fireplace, beneath a soaring wall of windows, on the lakefront stairway, or in front of historic reclaimed warehouse doors. With three outdoor ceremony settings and six indoor options, there are plenty of ways to make your ceremony feel like your own, whether you're planning an intimate elopement or a wedding with hundreds of guests.
Seating capacity varies depending on the number and width of aisles, so the numbers below should be considered maximum guest counts. Maximums do not include members of the bridal party who will be standing during the ceremony.
Note: rental items shown in photos below were provided by Details Specialty Rentals
Outdoor Ceremony
The Lakefront Stairway
Guest count: No maximum | Rain plan: Lakeside Room or Faulkner Room
Haleigh Nichole photography Oxford Floral
Haleigh Nichole photo
Taylor Square Photography Oxford Floral
Lindsey Meisenheimer Photography Twisted Twig
Few ceremony settings offer a view like this one. Couples exchange vows from the elevated platform of the lakefront stairway, with the lake stretching out behind them while guests are seated on the lawn below.
For most weddings, guests make their own quiet procession from the venue, walking down the stairs to find their seats. Guests using a wheelchair or scooter can park on the nearby asphalt and access the ceremony area from the lakefront sidewalk.
The processional can be arranged several ways. The groom, groomsmen, and bridesmaids can enter from above while the bride arrives along the sidewalk from the west side of the building. Alternately, the entire bridal party can enter together along the same sidewalk, or the two can be combined.
After the ceremony, the wedding party typically exits along the lakefront walkway, keeping the lake part of the processional from beginning to end.
The stairway also gives a large wedding party plenty of room to stand without making an intimate ceremony feel oversized.
The Lakefront Walkway
Guest count: No maximum
Snap Happy Photography
Eliza Kennard Photography
Blake McCollum Photography Twisted Twig Florals
ELiza Kennard Photography
ELiza Kennard Photography
Blake McCollum Photography
If you want the lake to be the centerpiece of your ceremony, the Lakefront Walkway puts it front and center.
Chairs line both sides of the main sidewalk running from the stairway toward the water, creating a natural aisle that leads directly to the lake. With the couple facing the water, the view becomes the backdrop without needing much else.
As with the lake stairway, most guests reach their seats by walking down the stairs from the venue. Guests using a wheelchair or scooter can park on the nearby asphalt and use the lakefront sidewalk.
The processional typically begins at the stairs leading down from the venue, giving the bridal party a natural entrance toward the water.
The covered porch
Best for: Small, private ceremonies before the reception begins
For a smaller ceremony with a more private feel, the covered porch offers a shaded setting overlooking the lake.
Framed by greenery and the water beyond, the porch works especially well for couples who want a quiet ceremony before welcoming additional guests for cocktail hour and reception, or moving straight into an intimate dinner.
The Rosemary Hen Photography Studio Eight Flowers
The Rosemary Hen Photography
The Faulkner Room
In Front of the Wall of Windows
Seats up to 220
Feather Stone Weddings Oxford Floral
Patrick remington Oxford Floral
Taylor Square Photography Oxford Floral
sonum may photo
Snap Happy Photography Design N’ More Floral
B Flint Photography ThreeFoot Blooms and Oxford Floral
Feather Stone Weddings Natural Creations Floral
Bill Dabney Photography Oxford Floral
The Faulkner Room's wall of windows sets a dramatic scene for an indoor ceremony. Above the hardwood floors, the 36-foot peaked ceiling and wall of windows fill the room with natural light.
For larger guest lists, rows can be angled diagonally within the Lakeside Room to accommodate additional seating.
The processional can be arranged in several ways. The groom, groomsmen, and officiant can enter down the main aisle from the Grand Hall or the porte-cochere, or through the bar passageway from the Grand Hall. The bridesmaids and bride can arrive from the porte-cochere.
In Front of the Fireplace
Elopements: Up to 25 guests | Micro weddings: Up to 75 guests
Taylor Davis Photography Pam McClanahan Floral
One side of a shared, double-sided fireplace with gas logs gives this ceremony setting an intimate focal point and keeps guests close to the couple. It's a natural fit for an elopement or micro wedding, where the ceremony is meant to feel personal and relaxed.
The room's reclaimed materials, heart pine floors, and 36-foot ceilings add character without requiring much additional décor.
The Lakeside Room
In Front of the Fireplace
Seats up to 300, depending on the number and width of aisles
taylor square photography Floral: Garden District
Soulistic Shots Oxford Floral
Patrick Remington Photography Floral: Deedra Stone Designs
Tenola Plaxico Photography Floral: Petals Studio
love, jules photography Floral: Blossoms in Batesville
Pound Photo Oxford Floral
Kelly Ginn Photography Floral: John Mark Enterprises
B Flint Photography Oxford Floral
B Flint Photography
abby Leigh Photography Floral: Ethan Thomas Events
This layout creates one of the venue's more distinctive processionals. The bridal party can walk along the covered porch to the side entrance of the Lakeside Room, while guests watch the procession begin through the room's large wall of windows.
The groom, officiant, and groomsmen can enter from the conference room or Faulkner Room, or the bridal party can gather on the east-side patio before entering through the side door.
The fireplace is shared with the Faulkner Room, but this side has its own unique mantel and a more intimate ceiling height of 15 feet.
In Front of the Wall of Windows
Seats up to 350, depending on the number and width of aisles
Feather Stone Weddings Floral: Oxford Floral
Caroline Beffa Photography Floral: Events on the fly
Taylor Square Photography oXFORD fLORAL
Taylor Square Photography Oxford Floral
NLA Weddings Connor & Co Floral
For a large wedding party, the wall-of-windows layout gives everyone room to stand without crowding the ceremony space.
The bridal party enters from the Faulkner Room, creating a straightforward processional while the windows provide a backdrop filled with natural light.
In Front of the Reclaimed Warehouse Doors
Seats 300+, depending on aisle size
A Grace G Photography Oxford Floral
B Flint Photography Oxford Floral
camille leigh photo Floral: Olive Branch Florals
Taylor Square Photography fLORAL: fRESH CUT OF jACKSON
The reclaimed warehouse doors give the ceremony a completely different look, adding warmth, texture, and a bit of history to the setting.
Rows can extend into the Faulkner Room, allowing this layout to accommodate more than 300 guests depending on aisle size. The bridal party enters from the Faulkner Room.
The Grand Hall
Seats up to 700, depending on aisle size
Amanda Bland Photography Floral: Lauren Pierce
Tenola Plaxico Photography Floral: Lady Annie Penro
Tenola Plaxico Photography Floral: Lady Annie Penro
The Grand Hall offers the largest indoor ceremony setting at The Jefferson, with seating for up to 700 guests depending on aisle size.
It's also the venue's most flexible option when you want the ceremony and reception to happen in the same space. One couple chose to seat guests at tables for the ceremony and then transition directly into the reception without a room flip. Instead of moving guests to another space, the ceremony simply became the beginning of the reception.
Choosing Your Ceremony Location
With nine ceremony options, the easiest place to start is your guest count. From there, think about the setting you want surrounding you when you say “I do”.
And while photos can give you an idea of how each location looks, they don't quite show you how the spaces feel in person. Come see them for yourself. Tour The Jefferson and walk through the ceremony locations to find the setting that feels right for your wedding day.
