Chris Levy and Nicole Califano were first introduced at Levy's annual Christmas Party on December 23, 2021. Nicole's best friend Lindsay had been pushing for an introduction to Chris for months, always thinking they would get along. She was right! Nicole loved the party and was especially fond of Chris’ trivia-hosting skills. Chris was delighted that Nicole brought over one of his favorite wines as a gift. They hung out again with their group of friends a few days after Christmas, but then Nicole returned home to Manhattan while Chris lived in Albany.

A few weeks later, Nicole was on a first date with another guy but ended up texting Chris late that night to say she enjoyed hanging out together over Christmas. Chris responded that he did as well, but Nicole ghosted him after that. A couple of weeks later, Chris was heading to New York to attend a Rangers game with his family. He texted Nicole, letting her know he would be in town and suggesting they grab a drink. Luckily, their schedules aligned, and they met up that night, talking for hours and realizing they had a lot in common.

For the next year and a half, Chris and Nicole dated long-distance. Chris would travel to New York for “work” quite often, and Nicole would come to Albany for family visits. They rarely went more than a week without seeing each other, as they were committed to making the relationship work. Chris enjoyed going to New York for the great restaurants Nicole introduced him to, leading to a much more eclectic palate (sushi now tops his list!). Nicole loved being around friends and family but most importantly, enjoyed the space of a house as opposed to a cramped city apartment.

In August 2023, after eleven years of living in New York (making her a true New Yorker), Nicole decided it was time to move her life upstate to be with Chris. She gained an appreciation for the simplicities of upstate life, such as not having to wait four hours for a bowling lane or taking an hour to drive two miles.

After getting a giant Christmas tree a few days earlier, Chris and Nicole decorated their tree on December 2, 2023. After finally convincing Nicole to get out of her gym clothes and get ready for dinner, Chris told Nicole he had one more ornament to put on the Christmas tree. With Taylor Swift’s ‘Invisible String’ playing in the background, he got down on one knee in front of their newly decorated tree and asked her to marry him, opening a box with a four-prong circle diamond ring (he listens well; it was exactly what she wanted). Nicole was so shocked; she had no idea the question was coming that evening, but she immediately said “of course,” and the happy couple was engaged.

Chris and Nicole are thrilled to celebrate their wedding with friends and family at The Roundhouse. Nicole was searching for venues online, looking for something that wasn’t a woodsy upstate farm or lodge but classy with a New York City flavor. One night, scrolling through her phone in bed, Nicole came across The Roundhouse. She woke Chris up immediately, telling him she found the perfect venue. Chris said, “yeah I know the place, Pursuit financed it, good choice,” and fell back asleep. They visited a few weeks later and knew it was the perfect place to get married, never looking at another venue.

As they look forward to their life together, Chris and Nicole are driven to create lasting memories, start a family, and follow the wisdom from their parents who have shown how great relationships work. When Chris asked Nicole’s parents for permission to marry her, Mr. Califano said something that has stuck with them since that day: “Great relationships are built on a foundation of trust and respect.” Those words are something Chris and Nicole will continue to live by each day as they lead their life together forever.