Weddings On a Whim marks 25 years of bringing love – and visitors
LARGO — Weddings on a Whim, a locally owned beach wedding company, has been named a silver award winner in the wedding planner category of the 2026 Tampa Bay’s Best of the Best awards.
The recognition comes as the company marks 25 years of arranging weddings, elopements and vow renewals on the Pinellas County beaches.
Gayle Liteheart founded the business in 2001 on the premise that couples should be able to have a Florida beach wedding without being overwhelmed by the planning. Her late husband, Joe Liteheart, later joined the business and developed the ceremony decor that became a company signature.
Weddings on a Whim handles about 100 weddings a year, many for couples traveling from outside Florida. Those ceremonies draw family and friends who stay in area hotels, eat in local restaurants, visit attractions and book cruises and other activities, Liteheart said.
Celebrations average about 35 guests, which the company estimates puts its weddings in the travel plans of several thousand people a year.
Largo town hall to explain property taxes
LARGO — Largo will hold a town hall on how property taxes pay for city services from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, in the commission chambers at Horizon West Bay, 440 West Bay Drive.
The program will open with a presentation on how property taxes support city services, how a drop in revenue could affect the budget and service levels, and how policy decisions reach the neighborhood level. A moderated panel discussion and a question-and-answer session will follow.
Residents can submit questions before and during the event at Largo.com/YourTaxDollar, and comment cards will be available at the door. Questions will be grouped by topic and directed to the appropriate panelist.
City departments will staff tables in the Horizon West Bay lobby from 5 to 6 p.m. and again from 7:30 to 8 p.m. to talk with residents about what they do and how it is paid for.
Former state Sen. Jeff Brandes will offer a policy perspective and help field questions. Brandes is founder and president of the Florida Policy Project, a nonprofit research institute.
Also on the panel are Mayor Woody Brown, City Manager John Curp, Police Chief Mike Loux and Fire Rescue Chief Matt Carpenter.