Back in September, major media outlets reported that Venus Williams would get married to Italian actor Andrea Preti on the Italian island of Ischia. When no updates followed, fans assumed the tennis star was keeping her wedding completely private. Now, the story is clarified: Venus and Andrea did have their first wedding in Italy, but they didn’t have enough time to make it legally binding. Since Venus is not Italian, completing the paperwork could take up to eight months, so they decided to organize a second wedding in the United States.
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Venus kept the details under wraps, sharing the exclusive story and photos with Vogue. The magazine also revealed how Venus and Andrea met. They crossed paths at 2024 Milan Fashion Week after the Gucci show, during an aperitivo with VIPs. Venus was with friends and family when Andrea introduced himself and the WTA legend started speaking to him in Italian. They immediately connected, stayed in touch by text, and soon met again in London, where Venus invited him to breakfast with her family. Later that week, Venus invited Andrea to the Serpentine Gala in Kensington Gardens, quickly realizing he would be her future husband.
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The couple got engaged on January 31, 2025, in Tuscany. Their first wedding was on September 18 in Ischia. “We had this dream to do our wedding in Italy,” the 45-year-old Venus told Vogue. “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.”
The second wedding celebration took place over five days in Florida. After days spent with friends at Venus’ house, on a yacht, playing sports, having dinners, pool parties, and a bridal shower, the couple officially tied the knot in Palm Beach on Friday, December 19, very early in the morning, before enjoying breakfast to start their day.
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Later, for the wedding celebration, Venus wore a Georges Hobeika dress she thought her husband would love. “The way it sparkles, the transparency—it reminds me of the ocean and sea,” she explained.
Check out Vogue for 137 stunning photos from the wedding, featuring all of Venus’ gorgeous white dresses, Serena Williams’ all-white suit, the couple proudly displaying their marriage certificate, romantic kisses for the camera, fun moments playing sports with friends and family, and so much more.
