What’s Your Theme?
Thinking Outside of the Box on Your Wedding Day
Written by Blair Townley
Looking to change up the traditional day of I do’s? These innovative brides of Lake County show you can be clever and creative without losing the sentimental charm of a wedding.
“We wanted a wedding that didn’t sacrifice our fun and was not too formal or constructed,” says Dr. Wendy Lavezzi of her October 2008 wedding to her husband Greg Watson.
The theme – Casablanca meets Key West, complete with palm trees, a small plane replica and Morocco-inspired boxes on the reception tables. Flowing curtains and drapes within the tent reception also added to the exotic theme.
The initial plan for Wendy’s wedding was that there wouldn’t be a plan. Instead of worrying herself with every little detail, Wendy let the local Lake County vendors and Over the Moon event planning use their creative talents to make the unique details of her wedding.
“I didn’t really give a lot of instructions. We just wanted this world traveler theme and let the vendors create,” says Wendy.
The start of the ceremony proved that the wedding was anything but typical, as the groom came down the aisle with his best man to the sound of “Mission Impossible.” Wendy walked down to the instrumental tune of “It Had to be You” by Kenny G while her wedding party entered with “That’s Amore” by Dean Martin.
Guests took part in the service as they read from a script where everyone said lines stating their connections to the couple.
“It brought everyone in contact with each other and it carried over to the reception where we would see people talking together that didn’t know each other before,” says Wendy.
As the newlyweds and their guests entered into their tent reception at Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora, surprise and enjoyment were had by all. Since Greg is a firefighter, his fellow firemen set off CO2 fire extinguishers into the air and brought a flashing light when the couple arrived at the reception. They entered the tent to “Fire” by the Ohio Players.
The biggest surprise was a gag present sent by Wendy’s cousin Ellen, who sent fake skeletons of herself and her husband Phil for their absent seats at the wedding.
“Greg held up the skeletons during the bouquet toss and guests were dancing with them,” says Wendy. The “bony” twosome also welcomed the couple when they went into their honeymoon suite at Lakeside Inn.
Their wedding cake was a slice of artistry as Incredible Edible Cakes in Eustis recreated antique luggage as their three-tier cake. Each layer was a specific design of luggage and the flavors ranged from cannoli-filled cake to red velvet cheesecake. “I pictured stacked old luggage and Incredible Edible Cakes took off from there,” recalls Wendy.
The evening was capped off for guests with practical yet tasteful Italian leather luggage tags given to them by the couple as party favors. “Everyone traveled there so people could use them,” says Wendy of her friends and family coming in from Chicago.
Coming from a Chicago lifestyle herself, Wendy feels that Lake County crafted a wedding that was at the same level as what the Windy City could have created.
“It was above and beyond what we expected. Our guests said it was the most fun that they had had at a wedding. Our wedding can be done here just as it could in Chicago,” says Wendy, who currently resides in Grand Island with Greg.
Wendy encourages picking a theme for a wedding that is attainable and an idea that will allow the bride to have fun. “A bride needs to stop and enjoy the moments in her wedding,” says Wendy.
Chelsea and Tim Bossory were married on Hart Ranch in Eustis that is the ranch of the groom’s mother’s boyfriend. The bride arrived to the ceremony on horseback as Chelsea and her family helps restore horses to good health and find homes for them. “I’m not me without horses and they are such a huge part of my life. It was also the best part of the wedding besides saying ‘I do’, just the few moments relaxing on the horse,” says Chelsea. She has ridden horses since the age of four.
They were surrounded by friends and family for their intimate wedding, though the groom’s brother Wayne had shipped out to Afghanistan 12 days before the ceremony. To honor him, the couple and wedding party took part in a favorite pastime – shooting clay pigeons. “When Wayne saw the pictures of us shooting clay pigeons, he got a kick out of it,” says Chelsea. The happy couple ended the night with a big bonfire on the property. “We did everything in our wedding so we could enjoy ourselves with our guests,” says Chelsea.
A wedding in Mount Dora had guests signing quilt tops instead of a guestbook for the bride and groom. The tops would then be sewed together into a keepsake.
Specially designed calla lilies have also become a staple in many Lake County weddings as Dr. Wendy Lavezzi had leopard-printed calla lilies for her nuptials.
Cake toppers have also changed in tradition for the current generation of brides. Amber Thomas and her husband Jesse showed an interesting side of their relationship with their cake-topper of a bride gripping her fleeing groom. “My mother-in-law picked it out and thought it would be a funny joke about how quickly we got married,” says Amber. Her Mount Dora wedding occurred three weeks after she and her husband decided to set a date. “Everyone enjoyed the cake-topper and thought it was cute,” says Amber.
Enjoying the watery surroundings of Lake County inspired Christy 
Hartwright to incorporate an outdoors theme to her and her husband Weston’s wedding. Her ring bearers carried fishing poles with hooked fake fish down the aisle while flower girls threw petals from specially designed cricket baskets. The groomsmen’s vests were in camouflage as was part of the bride’s dress and flower girls’ dresses. “We wanted to bring in what we like into our wedding,” says Christy of the outdoor wedding next to Mill Dam Lake in Ocala.
The idea for the fishing-themed cake was courtesy of Christy’s husband Weston, who like his bride, enjoys fishing and hunting. “Weston came up with the idea of using fishing lures from his tackle box in the case,” says Christy. The lures were encased in a tube to balance her cake as well as add to the cake display. To finish off the wedding cake, the couple included a cake-topper with a bride grabbing hold of her groom with the hook of her fishing pole. “The guests thought that was us all over,” says Christy, who currently resides with her husband Weston in Paisley.
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