“If a fairy told us back in high school, ‘You two are going to get married,’ we probably would have been really shocked,” says art advisor Nikeyu Callaway. She first became close friends with James Augustine while they attended boarding school together in upstate New York, but she had another high school sweetheart. “So, James was never a romantic consideration,” she says. They reconnected years later after Covid and bonded over their shared love of balancing life between the city and the country, as well as their families’ artistic backgrounds. “It was really funny to just dive into a different type of relationship with him, but it worked so well,” says Nikeyu.

Nikeyu had a good idea that James, who works in real estate, was planning to propose one day when they took their dogs Maggie and Bear for a sunset walk on the beach in the Hamptons. They kept walking as she waited for a photographer to appear. “He got down on one knee, proposed, and Maggie, our English Springer Spaniel, just went nuts,” remembers Nikeyu. “She definitely has a little bit of a screw loose, and was just running around, getting wet, and going in the ocean. It just felt perfect, because we love our dogs so much and I feel like we were laughing the whole time.” Her engagement ring would serve as the first “something old” she would wear at the weddings: an heirloom cushion-cut Graff engagement ring set in gold.

Nikeyu admits that finding the fashion for her wedding was a bit daunting. “Honestly, I feel like I just started trying on any dress, even ones that weren’t typically my style,” she says. When she went to Monique Lhuillier’s store, she felt like she found a fit. “I was always attracted to Monique on other people, so when I went to the store, I knew I was going to find the one,” the bride says. She initially decided on a gown with a rose print and bubble hem that would be perfect for their plan to be married at a family backyard upstate.

However, the venue and vibes would need to shift. The couple decided to change their celebration to be hosted at The Bridge, a golf course near Nikeyu’s father’s home in the Hamptons. To fit the vibe of the new venue, Nikeyu decided to swap the dress’s print for a classic white and add some modern touches. “We customized the dress with a sweetheart neckline bust, convertible skirt, and cap sleeves,” she shares.