
“Love is a commitment, a partnership, a happiness, a friendship, an acceptance, and a whole lot of corny jokes.”
These two have been together since 2009, when they met in their first class on the first day of law school. Michael & Traci live in Winter Park, FL with their dog Maggie Sue. Both attorneys, Michael works as an Orange County Prosecutor, and Traci as an environmental lawyer, serving as the Director of the Center for Earth Jurisprudence. In Bloom Florist was honored to be their wedding florist in 2015 and they are just getting ready to celebrate their second year of marriage in May 2017.
What does love mean to you?
Michael: “Love is the willingness to put someone else’s happiness and well-being before your own.”
Traci: “Love is a commitment, a partnership, a happiness, a friendship, an acceptance, and a whole lot of corny jokes.
What do you enjoy doing together?
Traci: “Bike rides, traveling and musicals.”
Michael: “And corny jokes and lazy Sundays spent together.”
Can you share your engagement story?
Traci: On April 26, 2014, Michael proposed to me. Apparently, his scheming began months prior. After buying the ring, Michael conspired with my friend, Kari, in executing the perfect plan. Michael knew that I was fearful of heights but still had an itch for adventure. He planned on asking me to marry him in a hot air balloon– but how to get me up there without suspecting a proposal would be tricky.
So Michael had Kari offer me two tickets to a sunrise hot air balloon excursion that she and her husband Will “unfortunately couldn’t use.” Kari explained that their Aunt had purchased the excursion for them as a gift, but they had plans and wouldn’t be able to make it. She said that because she knew that both of us shared a fear of heights, if we didn’t want the tickets she would give them to someone else.
I “took the bait” and immediately texted Michael, and felt that I needed to convince HIM to go. I urged HIM to “YOLO” and take Kari up on her offer. Michael played his part like an evil genius and begrudgingly agreed to go, expressing his fears and hesitations. I had absolutely no clue this would be it, particularly because I thought I was persuading him to go with me! Sly devil. Michael had even edited the tickets to reflect Kari and Will’s names — he didn’t miss a thing and I didn’t see it coming.
On the morning of April 26th, 2014, we boarded the balloon and flew for about 20 minutes witnessing a stunning sunrise before the pilot expressed some concern that he could not hear the “ground crew” by radio. He told us that he would need to lower the balloon closer to the ground so that the radio waves would reach the balloon (tricky tricky). Little did I know, this was the heads up to Michael that we were nearing THE *location*. As the balloon lowered, I saw the ground crew on a roadway waving their arms frantically.
They began extending a large white sign over the roadway that read “Will You Marry Me, Traci?” Many happy tears, hugs, and kisses later, Michael popped the question with the most beautiful diamond ring in hand. I said yes.
Traci’s favorite flower is any type of white lily- which we incorporated throughout their wedding when we were selected as the florist.
Love is in the air…
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