As the age old love story goes, it was truly love at first swipe. Actually, love at second swipe. Despite ghosting each other after matching on Hinge, they matched again weeks later on Bumble. Kelly, as witty and verbose as can be, messaged, “Hi :)” Johnny, while taken with her beauty, was worried she would be a wet blanket given all of her “zoolander” model poses in her dating profile (little did he know he would soon become the man behind the camera). Alas, he set up drinks at Orient express in the West Village that same night. Kelly arrived to drinks, and mistakenly hugged a hot 6’4” Italian man. Johnny popped out behind said Italian man and set the record straight that the hot waiter was, in fact, not Johnny. That immediately broke the ice, the two burst into laughter and they were off to the races in conversation - both fighting to be able to ask the next question to learn more about the person across the table. Drinks turned into dinner, which turned into a comedy show, which turned into strolls in the West Village, which turned into a jazz show. Kelly called her sister and mom after the first date and excitedly exclaimed “ok, I know this sounds crazy, but i’m pretty sure I just met my husband.” Two weeks later, Johnny was told that he was Kelly’s boyfriend (to which he graciously obliged) and they were meeting each other’s families. Lucky for them, they both hold their family in an extremely high regard and they both felt lucky to be able to be the “missing pieces” to complete already lovely families. Three months later, Kelly moved into Johnny’s apartment in Chelsea, Manhattan. The two started making the apartment a home while somehow finding time to travel the world for the next year. On September 16, 2024, Johnny proposed to Kelly. You can read the proposal story written by Kelly’s mom, Peggy McFarland and Kelly's Aunt betsy Gehbart, below: Here’s how it unfolded: Johnny Formichella had been planning for weeks to ask for his girlfriend Kelly McFarland’s hand in marriage. After lunch together at Restoration Hardware in the Meatpacking District, he led Kelly on a stroll to Pier 45 in Hudson River Park. And the weather cooperated! It was 2:45 in the afternoon, a beautiful fall day, just like New York City appears in the movies. As they approached the end of the pier, Kelly noticed Johnny suddenly and unexpectedly dropping to one knee. She thought something was wrong with her sweetheart, so she got down on BOTH of her knees to help him! With passersby starting to stare, Johnny didn’t waste time—he immediately popped the question. And Kelly’s concern turned into surprise and shock. Then, she burst into tears. This range of emotions continued, while both were still kneeling on the pier’s wood decking. Tears quickly turned to laughter, in front of puzzled onlookers. …but only for a minute! You see, Johnny had arranged for a surprise engagement celebration with family and friends at a popular cocktail bar, The Orient Express. As the happy couple approached the bar, Kelly spotted her dad, Richard, peeking through the locale’s window. Sensing what was coming, Kelly broke into more sobs! Now… even with mascara running down her cheeks, Kelly and her fiancé entered the room. Cheers, screams and applause broke out from one and all… After two hours, did the festivities conclude at the Orient Express? Not a chance! The party merely moved to nearby Chelsea, New York, to Johnny and Kelly’s apartment. The crowd swelled to more than 40, in their old but cozy brownstone townhouse. At one point, it got downright frothy inside, with corks popping and champagne overflowing among the Standing Room Only throng. Sadly, the engagement party ended all too soon… at 2 the next morning!