A Romantic Beach Wedding At The Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, Florida

Haley Korner and Matt Wood are an online dating success story. Having both been a bit weary of finding potential love connections online, they found each other within weeks. After communicating via text messages and phone calls for a little over two months, the pair finally decided to meet at a local sports bar in Buckhead. “I remember seeing Matt walk in and thinking to myself, man is he good looking – now just calm down,” Haley recalls.

Once the initial nerves had settled, it was evident that Matt and Haley had a great deal in common. Both were born and raised in Georgia, and they were avid college football fans. And after many weekend getaways, dance parties, and adventures spent together, it was time for Matt to pop the question.

Matt’s surprise proposal combined their family’s love of aviation, along with a touch of romance. As sunset approached, Haley was watching her father’s Sabreliner taxiing on the runway of Peachtree-DeKalb Airport. As she walked onto the runway to greet him, she was met by Matt climbing down the stairs with a bouquet of roses and a gorgeous engagement ring.

The wedding planning process began with selecting the perfect location for a fun beach wedding. After visiting several different places, Haley and Matt decided on hosting their June wedding on Amelia Island. Less than five short months later, the big day had already arrived.

“The first text I got from Matt on our wedding day was to inform me that he was stuck in an elevator with his brother-in-law,” Haley recalls. “He finished the text by stating that the fire department was on their way, and not to worry because they had beer.”

In true Matt Wood fashion, the groom was sure to make the best out of a bad situation. “I remember thinking to myself that I should be anxious today – after all, I am getting married,” Matt adds. “But for some reason, I wasn’t. There was an overall sense of peace and happiness that I cannot explain. That’s how I knew I was making the right decision and she was the one.”

The wedding day was met with gorgeous June weather, and the ceremony site was covered in orchids and white roses. To honor the bride’s Polynesian ancestry, there was a lighting of torches and a beautiful wedding dance performed by a Hawaiian native. The food was also a hit with the newlyweds and their guests, and dinner consisted of a pasta station, carving station, seafood station, and a raw oyster bar.

As the night progressed, Hayley had one more surprise in store for her new husband – a fireworks display to accompany the cake cutting outside, overlooking the beach. The newlyweds finished the night by circling up with friends and family for a sing along to Billy Joel’s “Piano Man,” before running through a sparkler sendoff and being whisked away on a golf cart.