We wanted a place with three distinct areas: an outdoor space for the ceremony, an indoor space for the reception, and a third area for guests to enjoy during cocktail hour. It was also important to us to have a venue that was easy to communicate with and offered planning assistance, especially since we were organizing the wedding from across the country. Additionally, we wanted it close to plenty of attractions so our guests could make the most of their trip.

We discovered NOVA 535 early on through the Marry Me Tampa Bay website, and it immediately stood out. Every time we compared it to other venues, it checked all our boxes. It offered a city vibe with plenty of greenery and was so beautiful inside that minimal decorating was needed. The management was easy to communicate with and made the process straightforward. We ultimately chose it for its courtyard and the distinct spaces for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception.

We wanted a venue that could accommodate both the ceremony and reception with the ability for a seamless flip of the space behind the scenes while guests enjoyed cocktail hour. Our goal was to create as little stress as possible for everyone involved. Having a ceremony and reception in the same place would allow everyone to arrive at one location and enjoy every moment of the wedding, from arrival through the conclusion of the reception, with no added logistics to worry or think about. Because so many of our family and friends are local, we wanted a venue that was located in the Tampa Bay area and also offered plenty of hotel options and fun things to do for our out-of-town guests.

NOVA 535’s space was conducive to having both our ceremony and reception with the flexibility to use the inside and outside spaces in whatever way we wanted, which was ideal given the unpredictable Florida weather. Additionally, NOVA exudes the perfect mix of historic charm with a modern industrial vibe. The exposed brick, wood floors, and iron staircase handrails inside, combined with the bamboo and string lights in the courtyard, provided the perfect backdrop for our romantic, with a mix of modern elegance and theme. Because NOVA is a beautiful space by itself, there wasn’t a need for a lot of décor, which allowed the stunning florals to have the big impact we envisioned, with a few other small details to tie it all together.

NOVA 535’s service was outstanding. All staff members, from the doorman to the bartenders to the other support staff, were friendly and well-trained. Our coordinator, April, was invaluable in making sure the day moved smoothly according to our timeline. She met with us weeks before to answer all our questions, and from that point forward, she made us feel comfortable and confident that she had things handled, which allowed us to not worry about the little details and truly enjoy each moment of the day.

There were a few must-haves with the venue. We wanted to be the only event happening in the space and have a mix of indoor and outdoor. We also wanted things not to be too feminine and loved NOVA 535’s rod iron and exposed brick as it felt more masculine for two guys getting married. Most importantly, no carpet, and NOVA hit all the marks. We loved the outdoor space lined in bamboo. Both the inside and outside had red brick with rod iron, which gave it a historic and masculine vibe while also feeling elegant. The lighting at night is gorgeous, and they have a “Big Ass Fan” above their dance floor.

We chose NOVA 535 specifically because they brought our vision to life, and it itself did not require a ton of extra decor. It’s beautiful on its own!

NOVA is a modern industrial space with both indoor and outdoor space to be able to have both our ceremony and reception there.

We looked for a place that had New Year’s Eve availability and that would allow us to have a late-night wedding. Our wedding began at 7:30 p.m. and went on until 1 a.m. We also knew our wedding would be a formal event, so we needed a venue that fit the elegant New Year’s Eve theme. Finding a wedding venue that had an outdoor and indoor space was important to us, which ended up saving our wedding day as it poured all day, and we had to move our planned outdoor ceremony inside. We looked for an open space that would make the venue feel big as we planned a guest list of over 100 people. We also looked for a venue that was dog friendly as we incorporated our dogs into our wedding day.

From the day we went on a venue tour at NOVA 535, we were sold. NOVA was our dream wedding venue as it has so many locations for different parts of the day all in one. All of the staff were amazing and very responsive. They were quick to answer any questions and helped us brainstorm ways to make our wedding unique to us. We chose NOVA because it allowed us to have our ceremony outdoors, under the lights, and then move inside for the reception for a more glamorous feel. Unfortunately, it did rain on our wedding day, but NOVA was quick to be able to move our ceremony inside, which was equally as beautiful! We loved that NOVA allowed us to have our wedding into the new year, so we were able to countdown together.

“NOVA 535 was the only place we visited for a wedding venue and soon as we stepped through the doors, we instantly knew that we HAD to get married here. The brick walls, wrought iron staircases, art work, wood floors, exposed ceiling with a huge fan, it was everything we loved and more! Everyone kept talking about how amazing this different venue site was. Michael and Ruby of NOVA 535 were absolutely amazing; they went above and beyond my expectations. They would bend over backwards to make sure that your day was perfect and you got everything you wanted for your special day.”