Venus Williams and Italian actor-producer Andrea Preti are officially married, following a series of wedding celebrations nearly a year after their engagement.
The tennis icon, 45, confirmed her marriage to 37-year-old Andrea after the couple tied the knot in multiple ceremonies over the past several months.
Their first “I dos” took place in September in Ischia, Italy, a location they originally envisioned for a larger celebration, eight months after getting engaged.
“We had this dream to do our wedding in Italy,” Venus told Vogue in a Dec. 23 interview. “But we didn’t have enough time to do the paperwork, because I’m a foreigner, it can take about eight months. So we decided to have a second wedding.”
Three months later, the couple celebrated with a grander event in Palm Beach, Florida.
The festivities began six days prior to their Dec. 21 ceremony, when Venus’ sister Serena Williams hosted family and friends on a yacht.
The celebrations included a boudoir-themed bridal shower, a dinner at Miami’s members-only club Sopra, a sports day filled with friendly competition, and daily pool parties at the couple’s home.
On Dec. 20, Venus and Andrea officially made their marriage legal with a private courthouse ceremony at Miami City Hall.
“I can’t describe how beautiful, calm, sacred, exciting, and exalting it was,” Venus said, wearing a Morilee New York gown. “It was just a dream.”
Andrea reflected on the intimate ceremony, calling it “very unique, emotional, and deep” and describing it as “the second-best day of my life.”
For their final celebration at their home, Venus walked down the aisle to “Ovunque Sarai” by Irama, wearing a custom Georges Hobeika gown. “I wanted to wear a dress that I thought Andrea would love,” she said. “And that was magical and perfect for a Florida wedding.”
The bridal party included sisters Serena, Isha Price, and Lyndrea Price, who all wore tailored suits, while men on Andrea’s side dressed in more casual attire.
The couple penned their own vows, which Venus delivered in both English and Andrea’s native Italian.
“We got up there and had the best time,” she recalled. “I finished [my vows] in English, and Andrea told me that I had to do them in Italian.”
Following their ceremony, the couple made their entrance to Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and shared their first dance to The Flamingos’ “I Only Have Eyes for You.”
After hosting a reception for family and friends, Andrea stepped away, leaving the newly minted Mrs. Preti to continue the celebrations on a party bus until 2 a.m.
Reflecting on the joyous occasion, Venus said, “We all love each other so much. It was just the happiest, most beautiful, sweetest day.”
