Magic Moments Abound at Jensen Beach Nuptials

Joseph Napoli of Joseph’s Jewelry in Stuart used his skills as a former magician to plan a surprise-filled January wedding for himself and his new bride

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Lisa Bebout-Napoli and Joseph Napoli outside The Mansion at Tuckahoe on their wedding day. Photography by Liz McKinley
Lisa Bebout-Napoli and Joseph Napoli outside The Mansion at Tuckahoe on their wedding day. Photography by Liz McKinley

For those who delight in the unexpected, everyday life can sometimes underwhelm with the number of true surprises it delivers. That is why one Stuart groom decided to take the reins in the wedding planning and gift his fiancée a day filled with unexpected surprises. 

Creating and delivering “wow” moments might seem daunting to many, but for Joseph Napoli, it is truly old hat. While many people in the community know Napoli as the owner and face of the tenured Joseph’s Jewelry store in Stuart, they may not be aware that he spent much of the ’80s showcasing his skills as a professional magician at local venues like The Breakers. Now he planned to infuse that magical, awe-inspiring spirit into the celebration of his nuptials. “Since I used to be a performer, I’m always about the wow factor,” he says.

Bebout completes her look before the ceremony. Photography by Liz McKinley
Bebout completes her look before the ceremony.

Napoli first met his new bride, Palm City native Lisa Bebout, a decade ago when she came into his store to help a friend pick out an engagement ring. The two kept in touch on social media and eventually started dating. When Napoli decided to propose in the fall of 2020,
he resurrected his magician’s prowess. He created the illusion of a table levitating in the air; on top of the floating table was a jewelry box that held a halo engagement ring with a center diamond encircled by smaller diamonds. The box was wrapped in a jewelry-repair envelope for work he had done for Bebout before they started dating. Something had told him to keep the envelope, and on this day, it added to the romantic atmosphere.

The bride with daughters Erika (left) and Jordan (right). Photography by Liz McKinley
The bride with daughters Erika (left) and Jordan (right).

While they share a business mindset and a dedication to community involvement, Napoli is the more right-brained creative of the two. Bebout, a wealth strategist at Key Private Bank, describes herself as more organized and efficient. The counter-balance in the relationship works and is also what led to Napoli’s decision to take the lead in their wedding planning.

The couple, who reside in Hobe Sound, visited The Mansion at Tuckahoe in Jensen Beach and fell in love with it. Then Napoli got to work. He enlisted the services of event planner Cindy Morley of Eventful Moments and her team of VIP vendors to create a wedding that would be beyond anything Bebout would be expecting.

The bride and groom wore stunning jewels including wedding rings from Napoli’s business, Joseph’s Jewelry. Photography by Liz McKinley
The bride and groom wore stunning jewels including wedding rings from Napoli’s business, Joseph’s Jewelry.

The bride welcomed Napoli’s decision to take the lead in planning. “I’m used to being the one who makes all the decisions and runs so many things that it was nice to step back and trust him that it was all going to work out,” she says. “He wanted to create a fairy-tale day for me, and that just speaks volumes as to the kind of man he is and how much he cares.”

Napoli kept the details secret for as long as possible to build anticipation. “When we arrived on the morning of the wedding, I covered her eyes and brought her upstairs,” he says.  “I wanted her to be blown away when she came downstairs.”

The groom with his sons, Joseph (left) and Michael (right). Photography by Liz McKinley
The groom with his sons, Joseph (left) and Michael (right).

Napoli’s key to a successful evening was to break down the venue into multiple experiences that would be revealed as the night progressed. The ceremony itself was held upstairs and limited to the closest people in the couple’s lives, including their children from previous marriages. Bebout debuted a stunning sweetheart lace-embellished mermaid Pronovias gown paired with a 10-carat diamond necklace and chandelier earrings borrowed from Joseph’s Jewelry and a 3.5-carat yellow diamond ring worn on her right hand (a wedding gift from Napoli). 

The couple exchange vows. Photography by Liz McKinley
The couple exchange vows.

After the ceremony, the newly married couple joined 130 guests for a cocktail hour in the Mansion’s center room to begin the celebratory portion of the evening. Napoli requested that the window-covered back wall of the room be masked with drapery to prevent guests from sneaking a peek at what would come next. As the cocktail hour ended, the back doors opened to reveal the next destination—a tent adorned with chandeliers, pleated liners, and rose-hued up-lighting that would serve as an enchanting milieu for the reception.

Napoli knew that floral decor was particularly important to Bebout, as her family owned a chrysanthemum farm in Palm City in the 1970s. He chose hydrangeas, her favorite flower, to create elegant towering arrangements on a center table below a gorgeous chandelier. Beautiful white-on-white arrangements, some adorned with fairy lights, were also spread throughout the space. In addition, he had the florist, South Forty Floral & Events, create a silk arrangement of the same floral combination to rest on the sweetheart table that the couple could take home as a memory of their special night. “The best part of the night was seeing Lisa’s face when she walked into the tent,” recalls Napoli.

The romantic setting under the reception tent. Photography by Liz McKinley
The romantic setting under the reception tent.

The food offered up its own theatrical moment in the form of a flaming pasta station where ignited vodka was added to a hollowed-out wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano and then mixed with penne and sauce for a deliciously exciting dish.

The cake was created by Sweet Tiers Custom Cakes in Hobe Sound. Photography by Liz McKinley
The cake was created by Sweet Tiers Custom Cakes in Hobe Sound.

With food plentiful, drinks flowing, and the DJ cranking out songs destined to get people on their feet, the atmosphere was buzzy and enjoyment was high. As the evening wound to a close, the DJ asked guests to clear the tent, and the newlyweds were left alone for one final dance, to Elton John’s “Your Song,” before heading to their departure. As guests held sparklers and lined the pathway to the couple’s ride, Napoli gave his bride one more surprise: Fireworks exploded against the night sky, a fitting end to a celebration that had already delivered its fair share of extravagance and excitement.

As they prepare to start the next chapter of their lives together, Bebout says seeing the thoughtfulness that Napoli put into their wedding day fills her with joy and excitement for their future. “Getting married the second time, and at our age, it was more about what we wanted our day to be rather than meeting everyone else’s expectations,” she says.  “It was so nice that I could just enjoy my day. Joe really knows what I like and was able to translate his vision into what he knew would be an amazing experience full of surprises for me.”

And given Napoli’s nature, those surprises are sure to continue for years to come. 

The newlyweds at their send-off. Photography by Liz McKinley
The newlyweds at their send-off.

Local Vendors

Wedding Coordinator: Cindy Morley, Eventful Moments, Port St. Lucie 

Venue: The Mansion at Tuckahoe, Jensen Beach

Catering: Bonner Catering, Fort Pierce

Cake: Sweet Tiers Custom Cakes, Hobe Sound

Flowers: South Forty Floral & Events, Port St. Lucie

Chandelier, China, Tableware, Tent: ECP Event Rentals and Design, Port St. Lucie

Bridal Gown: East Coast Bridals, Jupiter

Bride’s Jewelry/Groom’s Wedding Band: Joseph’s Jewelry, Stuart

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