Mr. and Mrs. von Schmid

Wedding on the Green

By Jordan Staggs

A Southern belle and a New Yorker walk into a bar . . .

“I moved to New York from Alabama in 2013, and we met a year later at a group dinner with ten mutual friends,” says Kelly Corr von Schmid.

Her husband, Brian, is quick to chime in.

“We actually met twice before that, but Kelly doesn’t remember,” he says.

Despite the lapse in memory, it was that dinner that sealed the couple’s fate. They began dating, and last summer, Brian hatched his plan to pop the question during a beach trip to Westhampton. He waited for the perfect moment. “It had to be at sunset,” he says. “I didn’t want an audience; just us.” Of course, Kelly said yes, and the pair celebrated with friends and family for the rest of their vacation.

It was full steam ahead as Kelly and Brian began planning a wedding; the date was set for just eight months later.

The beach plays an integral role in this love story, as the couple knew they wanted to head south for their nuptials—to the Gulf Coast of Northwest Florida. Kelly’s parents own a home in the stunning upscale community of Alys Beach on Scenic Highway 30-A, and it was a no-brainer to hold the ceremony on the town’s beautiful Gulf Green overlooking the white-sand beach and turquoise water. “I’ve been vacationing on 30-A basically all of my life,” Kelly shares. “It is such a gorgeous area, and having the wedding at what is now home was super meaningful. Brian and I both love the area and enjoy visiting several times a year.”

Planning the wedding in less than a year wasn’t easy, Kelly admits, but she says that with the help of planners at It’s a Shore Thing based in Rosemary Beach, Florida, it was smooth sailing. “We had the best planners!” she gushes. “It was both fun and stressful planning a wedding in just eight months—there wasn’t a ton of time to surf the web for the latest and greatest ideas, and I also don’t even know the names of most flowers, so we really had to start at the basics.”

Thankfully, with a setting like this, much of the work is already done.

“We had the most beautiful weather on our wedding day, which is a reflection of the way I felt,” Kelly recalls. “The clear skies really set a fantastic tone for the day. I snuck off to the beach early in the morning with a cup of coffee and my notes to write for my parents, in-laws, and husband. This half hour was so special and really gave me a chance to reflect, be thankful, and shed a few tears with no one watching.”

“Our band, Perfect 10, brought so much fun energy to the reception,” says Kelly. “They were by far the most complimented part of the wedding weekend—other than my Oscar de la Renta gown!”

Just before sunset on March 23, 2019, Kelly and Brian said “I do” in front of two hundred guests, surrounded by the incredible coastal architecture of Alys Beach and with nature’s masterpiece in the background.

For the reception, the party moved to the town’s Kelly Green. Pink and white flowers, along with elegant white linens, kept the aesthetic of Alys Beach intact, while the magnificent cake by Confections by the Sea drew attention with its fondant flowers that matched the decorative arrangements.

“Our band, Perfect 10, brought so much fun energy to the reception,” says Kelly. “They were by far the most complimented part of the wedding weekend—other than my Oscar de la Renta gown!”

The fun by the beach didn’t end with the wedding, either. Ten days later, Kelly and Brian jetted off for a romantic honeymoon on the island of Bali, Indonesia. “We were looking to go somewhere we would likely not travel to again,” says Kelly. “We spent two weeks relaxing in the sun, going to the spa, and exploring the island.”

Congratulations, Kelly and Brian—here’s to many more moments spent together by the beach!

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Special Thanks

Flowers and decor: Myrtie Blue
Catering: Townsend Catering
Band: Perfect 10 Band, Atlanta
Ceremony musicians: Top Hat Live
Pastry chef: Confections by the Sea
Wedding planner: Arden Sanders, It’s a Shore Thing
Hair and makeup: Rolland’s Beauty Bar, Seaside
Photographer: Lauren Kinsey
Videographer: Momentus Films
Paper Products: Fresh Ink