On the waterfront: a lakeside Hernando wedding is infused with the feeling of a tropical rainforest.

Guests at the April wedding of Ashley Wilson of Hernando and Brent Smith of Byhalia may have thought they were only traveling as far as Hernando, but they found themselves in the midst of an elaborate rainforest filled with the sights and tastes of the tropics.

Ashley's parents, Dale and Judy Wilson, are the owners of American Events Tents in nearby Walls, so they had some experience with putting together a memorable party. But nothing they had planned before rivaled this occasion, not just because it was the wedding of their daughter but also because of the incredible details that were used to create this lush oasis right in the middle of rolling pastureland.

The location itself held special meaning for the Wilson family; the 50-acre property is the site of the 1876 Victorian home that Ashley grew up in. The home, called the Dockery House, was sold a few years ago, but the Wilsons hung onto the picturesque property, complete with a lake. That made it easy for Ashley to decide where to hold her wedding and reception. And despite a little rain during the evening's festivities, it was still a night to remember.

The ceremony, which took place as the sun set, featured a green and white color scheme. At the entrance to the wedding tent, columns of bamboo were topped with massive floral arrangements created by Jody Bishop of the Flower Bouquet in Clarksdale to complement the tropical theme. The arrangements included white antheriums, green heliconia, white calla lilies, bunches of green cymbidium and green bananas, and tropical croton and monstera leaves. At the altar, natural-styled arrangements featured more calla lilies, zebra grass, and a host of white blooms including larkspur, Eskimo roses, flowering branches, and tuberoses. Clusters of cathedral candles were set on black wrought iron stands.

For the reception, the rainforest theme really came to life. Guests walked through a dramatic passageway flanked by tall flaming kettles before entering a lime green pole tent that featured unique illuminated "palm trees" made of poles covered in rust-colored burlap with green-painted canvas leaves and coconut husk accents. All around the "trees," flowers like birds of paradise, red antheriums, blue delphinium, purple dendrobium orchids, yellow oncidium spray orchids, and six-foot-tall yellow heliconia added to the tropical paradise theme. Deeper inside the tent, 20-foot-tall emerald palms, ficus trees, and lush schefflera plants stood tall.

Food stations, prepared by John Woods of First Choice Catering in Horn Lake, included a Cajun-themed thatch hut decorated with jungle vines, purple orchids, and tropical foliage and featuring an authentic pirogue boat filled with fried catfish and hushpuppies; a tropical waterfall scene where guests sampled cheeses and fruit; and a sea-themed table with a massive dolphin ice sculpture presiding over mounds of jumbo shrimp. Continuing the waterfront theme, more seafood was found at stations serving shrimp and grits in martini glasses, grilled shrimp kabobs, and gumbo in bread bowls. For an exotic twist, an Oriental stir-fry station featured prepared-to-order dishes served up in Chinese take-out boxes with bamboo-handled forks, and a sushi station further satisfied guests' appetites for Asian. At the beverage station in the center of the tent, Fiji water was offered alongside colas and Starbucks coffees.

Each round dining table was decorated with a black tablecloth and topped with a distinct fabric: either a sheer golden leopard print, a soft green chiffon, or a sheer snakeskin motif. On each table, a unique tropical flower- and fruit-filled basket or jug took center stage.

The white-on-white polka-dotted wedding cake consisted of six square tiers, each in a different flavor. Nearby, the groom's cake, a reminder of his days as a player for Mississippi State University's football team, was in the shape of a jersey with the number 45 and his name on the back. Perhaps one of the guests, former coach Jackie Sherrill, enjoyed this dessert most of all!

Throughout the reception, photographs were taken of all of the guests and printed out on the spot. As each guest left the reception, they received the photo--set within a tropical-patterned border printed with the date and the couple's names--as a special keepsake.

The departure of the bride and groom was announced with a huge fireworks display over the lake. In keeping with the water theme, the newlyweds spent their honeymoon at the Water Color Resort in Seaside, Florida, before making their home in Olive Branch. Eight months later, the little rain shower that had threatened to ruin the couple's special day is not only a distant memory but also one that somehow seemed to have been delivered on demand for this happy little rainforest in Hernando.