B.I.O.: Puppetry of Passion

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WHEN MICHAEL ULRICH FIRST SAW PAUL COOPER at Northwest's Caribou Coffee, his first impression was simple: "He needed a haircut." Yet after a couple hours of chatting, Paul had "coerced Michael into accepting a ride home on my scooter, for which I received a minimal peck." "The scooter was orange," concedes Michael. "A plus." But it was three months later that he knew Paul was the one: "I fell in love at about 5 a.m. on a Miami dance floor, when he pulled out a finger puppet." (See to the right.) "Marriage was a done deal after that." When Paul proposed during a vacation in Orlando, Michael didn't hesitate to say yes. They will head to Florida yet again to exchange vows at Walt Disney World on June 5. In lieu of an aisle, they'll parade down a runway to Bette Midler's rendition of "Chapel of Love." Reception highlights? Balloon hats, Goofy cupcakes and light-up tambourines. Says Michael: "Think New Orleans funeral meets Disney electric parade."

Paul, 46, is a consultant. Michael, 43, is an associate director at the University of Maryland. They live in D.C.