Nicole & Gavin | OHEKA CASTLE | Huntington, NY

Nicole & Gavin’s Wedding at OHEKA CASTLE

The Wedding of…
Nicole Caligiuri & Gavin Wright

Their Vendors
Ceremony & Reception: OHEKA CASTLE, 631.659.1400, www.OHEKA.com
Gown: Allure Couture
Bridesmaids: David’s Bridal
Tux: Vera Wang
Photographer & Cinematographer: Emily Wren Photography
Makeup: Holly Homes
Hair: Diamond Narvaez
Florist: Bayport Flower House
Cake: OHEKA CASTLE, by Daniel Andreotti
DJ: Michael Riker Events

 

“Authentic Luxury “

Gavin and I met at the New England Conservatory in Boston. We were both studying music and met while working together at Jordan Hall, the performance space for our school and I was his boss. We hit it off right away, and eight years later we are married!

We looked at engagement rings together and I showed him what I liked. A little while later he went back to pick the exact diamond and then hid it away!

He went to ask my dad for permission to marry me and then planned to have my friend tell me to go on a work event with her. I knew this had something to do with the proposal and when I showed up to a boat cruise around Manhattan, I knew he was hiding somewhere on the boat. He eventually appeared, proposing to me in front of the Statue of Liberty. It was awesome. We got amazing photos and then celebrated at the bar on deck!

Nicole & Gavin’s Wedding at OHEKA CASTLE

Nicole & Gavin’s Wedding at OHEKA CASTLE

OHEKA CASTLE has always been part of our relationship. We went for a tour with my parents a few years into our relationship. I told my dad I would be getting married there, no matter what! Gavin and I went back often for dinner in their restaurant and we knew instantly when we got engaged that we would be married there. This breathtaking castle is like no other. It impresses with a rare grandeur. Its authentic luxury is in every detail, from the library to the gardens.

We met Kelly Melius, the director of sales, found a date that worked for us, and began planning! Like many couples, the pandemic and changing restrictions caused us to reschedule a couple times, but OHEKA’s staff managed very well. They were accommodating, understanding, and creative in their solutions and made everything as easy as possible. They provided us with extra cocktail service, an extra course for dinner, and an after-party. We had the entire castle to ourselves! Alyssa Kennedy, the wedding and event sales associate, let me vent to her endlessly. She was so sweet, and everyone else was amazing. We had a wonderfully successful wedding!

We were married in the gardens, surrounded by gorgeous flowers. We used two simple but impactful pillars on either side of us as we said our vows and let the grounds speak for themselves. The ceremony was lovely and made lighter by my veil flying away on a gust of wind. Kathy Thompson, the banquet manager, chased it down for me, going above and beyond in a whole new way!

Cocktail hour was in the Grand Ballroom, but we also had tables outside. Everyone enjoyed being able to see different parts of the castle and really enjoyed the food. We had Italian and Asian cuisines at different stations, as well as seafood and steak. I loved the potatoes, many people complimented the steak house action station and the oysters were incredible!

For our reception in the Terrace Room, we again went with an almost all-white palette. We had low centerpieces with lots of greenery, white roses, and pink and white peonies. Before Gavin and I made our entrance, Sabrina, our bridal attendant, pulled us into a little room off the library to enjoy the various entrées to make sure we were able to eat some of the delicious food.

When we did go in, we felt the castle was ours, dancing around and having an awesome time.
Dinner began with a salad of mixed greens with warm baked goat cheese followed by penne alla vodka. For dinner, our guests chose between grilled sterling filet mignon with chive whipped potatoes and vegetables, pan-seared French-cut chicken with chive whipped potatoes and wild mushroom ragout, or pan-seared Chilean sea bass with jasmine rice and a sweet soy reduction.

Being a sweets person, I was super impressed by their incredible dessert bar. It had everything you could think of with a flambé station, sorbet, gelato, a warm apple strudel station, a cheesecake station, and even more! Daniel Andreotti, the chef, baked us the most beautiful wedding cake with white sugar flowers and green leaves.

Nicole & Gavin’s Wedding at OHEKA CASTLE

After eating, we danced more than we ever have! The ballroom has plenty of space so everyone could dance freely and safely. Our wedding was a fairy tale!

We’d like to thank our parents, without whom the day wouldn’t have been possible. Thank you to our florist, who did an amazing job. Thank you to everyone at OHEKA CASTLE. The customer service was amazing, the food was incredible, and everyone went above and beyond!

OHEKA CASTLE, Huntington, NY, 631.659.1400, www.OHEKA.com