Engagement Date
July 20, 2018
Wedding Date
March 9, 2019
Ceremony + Reception Location
The Steeple on St. Francis | Mobile, AL
How They Met
“It’s Jami, right?”
Michael was working for WALA FOX10, and Jami was working for iHeartRadio in Mobile. One night, in November 2013, both were invited by their employers to the “Media Night Preview” at the brand new Outback Steakhouse opening in town.
While eating, Michael looked across the restaurant and noticed Jami. He thought, “she sure does looks familiar.” Michael finally remembered who it was: this beautiful girl he had seen only on social media — was a mutual friend.
At the end of the night, Michael went up to Jami — having not yet said her name aloud — and asked: “It’s Jami, right?”
Why that line, you ask?
Well, Michael wanted to confirm it was indeed the girl he’d seen on social media before via mutual friends.
And secondly…who spells Jami with no ‘e’ at the end, right? Michael thought it could have been pronounced Jam-ee or Jam-eye. So naturally, he wanted to make sure.
Months went by, and Michael and Jami just kept in touch on social media — one followed the other and so on. Nothing too special to start.
The next time they saw each other was four months later — the two found themselves on the set of a Bruce Willis movie being shot in downtown Mobile, and they spent most of the evening talking between scenes. At the end of the night, Michael asked Jami if she wanted to get dinner one night. Jami was hesitant and stated, “maybe we can do lunch one day instead.”
But, lunch never happened.
The next month, in April, Michael began texting Jami pretty regularly. During that month, Mobile was hit with some of the worst rain the city has had on record. While on assignment, Michael was reporting live from a major sinkhole. Jami, being the witty woman she is, texted Michael to ask “if he had lost her number in the sinkhole” since she was getting used to hearing from Michael almost every day now and he was growing on her. 🙂
May rolled around, and Michael finally mustered up the courage to ask her out (again).
This time she said “yes.”
How He Proposed
“You better not be joking.”
Michael had it all planned out.
Like, really planned out…even scripted.
Jami and Michael were going to Nashville for a Shania Twain concert on July 21, 2018. But, the day before, July 20, was their four-year “dating” anniversary.
Michael drove up to Nashville more than a month before to set it all up. He decided on the perfect location: John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge in downtown Nashville. Orchestrating it all with videographer Phil Colling, Michael planned the proposal for July 20 hoping the weather would hold up since it would be outside.
The big day came along…
“We’re going to dinner with Thomas, Laura, and baby Samuel.” That’s all Jami knew.
The two left early and got to the bridge to wait on them.
But Phil had a bit of camera hiccup…and it started to rain.
Thinking quickly, Michael hopped out of the car and told Jami he was making a phone call about the following weekend — when they were “going to be in Atlanta to celebrate their anniversary.”
After 30 minutes of phone calls to his dad, Laura and Thomas, and Phil, a new plan was in place.
The excuse for the long wait: Laura and Thomas got behind a wreck on the interstate. Surely that was believable, right?
Once the camera snafu was fixed and the rain subsided, Phil sent Michael a cryptic text (so Jami wouldn’t know anything) to proceed with the plan.
The couple met the cousins at the bottom of the bridge where Michael had to “go to the bathroom because his stomach was hurting.” That’s where he met Phil and got his microphone on. After placing gaffing tape around Michael’s upper body to hold the mic, he was off! (NOTE: there was zero ventilation in the bathroom and it was extremely humid outside. Hence Michael’s drenched shirt in pictures.)
Up the elevator they went. On cue, Thomas asked Michael to take a picture of his family, so he obliged.
Then the favor was returned for Michael and Jami…except this time, Michael popped the question.
Honeymoon Destination
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Vendors
Photographer Lacey McLaughlin Photography
Baker Jan Taylor Cakes
Florist Jubilee Flowers
Caterer Full of Grace Catering
Day-of Wedding Coordinator Morgan Kelley
Congratulations Jami and Michael! Want to share your engagement with us? Click here to submit your story.
