Our Story – The Wedding of Joanna Sugar and Domenic Fichera

JOANNA & DOMENIC

JOANNA & DOM

OUR Love STORY

As told by Domenic Fichera

FIRST DATE

Our first date was a walk through Central Park. The temperature was approximately 100 degrees, and I distinctly remember Joanna saying “tough day for a gray shirt” when she noticed I had sweat through my t-shirt. That line has been an inside joke ever since. As the sun set, and the temperature came down, we walked and talked for hours, eventually stopping for dinner at the most romantic restaurant on the Upper East Side: Green Kitchen. Our first kiss was on the corner of 72nd and 3rd. Joanna’s sunglasses fell off her head in the middle of it–that’s how you know it was a good one.

FIRST Date

FIRST PICTURE

Our first picture together was a blurry mirror selfie taken after the first inaugural Astor Terrace Garden Party–a tradition that my friends, Jake and Courtney, and I made up earlier that day. The four of us got dressed up, ate fancy cheese, and drank wine in the courtyard of Jake and Courtney’s apartment building. It was the first time Joanna met them, and she was a huge hit.

FIRST WEEKEND TRIP

Our first weekend trip was to Martha’s Vineyard in late September. We biked the coastline from Oak Bluffs to Edgartown, ate clam chowder and watched the sunset in Menemsha, took many more selfies, and realized we were starting to fall in love.

FIRST PROJECT

Our first project was a fence installation. My friends, Nick and Laura, had just bought a house outside of Boston and needed to fence in the backyard for their dog, Zoe. I offered to help them with the project, and Joanna jumped at the opportunity to come along. We installed 20 sections of 6-foot stockade fence in two and a half days. We still refer to it as “Fence Weekend” and it’s one of our favorite memories.

FIRST "I LOVE YOU"

FIRST
"I LOVE YOU"

Our first “I love you” was said on the corner of N 7th and Wythe after dinner at Shelter–a restaurant in Williamsburg that quickly became our favorite. We have a painting of the front of the restaurant hanging in our living room–a gift Joanna gave me on my 30th birthday to remember the day.

FIRST CLAMMING TRIP

Our first clamming trip was in Scituate on a cold November morning. We loaded up my friend Chas’ boat and headed for the Spit. I remember Joanna smiling at me while she dug in the mud for steamers, saying she felt like she was playing in the snow. We spent the rest of the afternoon making baked stuffed clams, or “stuffies,” at Chas and Alyssa’s house. If I hadn’t already said ‘I love you’, I definitely would have that day.

FIRST CHRISTMAS IN OYSTER BAY

Our first Christmas in Oyster Bay was the Christmas of Pizza Box. We sat around the dining room table with all of the Collette’s and drank horseradish vodka, danced to Jenny’s SoundCloud remixes, and thoroughly embarrassed ourselves in front of the rest of Joanna’s family.

FIRST WINTER IN VERMONT

Our first winter in Vermont was spent at the Chateau de Zoe–a ski chalet (WITH A HOT TUB) that we rented for the season with Nick and Laura. We skied at Mount Snow, spent too many nights at The Last Chair, wore umbrella hats in the hot tub, played moosehead, ate chili dip, and watched our neighbors accidentally light the dumpster on fire.

FIRST APARTMENT

Our first apartment was at 568 Union in Williamsburg. We called it “Home Sweet Union,” and it was, and will forever be, the greatest apartment ever built. We painted an accent wall, hung shelves in the kitchen, spent far too long picking curtains, and did countless other house projects (though none quite as large as the fence). Despite Joanna’s meticulous planning, we accidentally bought a humongous blue couch that ended up being our favorite thing to come home to.

FIRST DAY WITH OWEN

Our first day with Owen was a bit of a surprise. We weren’t really planning on getting a dog so quickly, but as soon as we saw him on Petfinder, we knew he was the one. Now, we mostly call him “Woofson” or one of his other 10-15 nicknames. He’s a very silly boy and he also loves the blue couch.

FIRST DAY AS FIANCÉS

Our first day as fiancés was a sunny Saturday in September. I had lots of different plans for where I was going to propose, and changed my mind many, many times. At the very last minute, I chose to take Joanna to this gorgeous flower farm on the North Fork of Long Island. I proposed (she said yes!), and then we went to a restaurant up the road for a brunch for two. Meanwhile, our friends and family were busy setting up a surprise engagement party back at the house we had rented for the weekend. We shucked oysters, popped custom LaMarca prosecco bottles, and had an espresso-martini party in the pool-house. I even got a new nickname–Bobby.

FIRST DAY AS HUSBAND AND WIFE

Our first day as husband and wife will be October 12th, 2024. We can’t wait to celebrate with all of our favorite people–we’ll see you at the Old Mill!

Let’s Raise a Glass

To our closest family and friends,

From building fences and sipping espresso martinis, to couple-calls and long-weekend drives, thank you for being there, cheering us on and supporting our love story from the very beginning. We’re so grateful to have you all in our lives, and so thankful that we’ll get to celebrate together later this year.

Much love,
Joanna & Domenic