The two had their first wedding in Italy in September, but hosted a second wedding because paperwork can take a while since Williams was a foreigner.
PALM BEACH, Fla. — American tennis star Venus Williams and actor Andrea Preti are married.
The duo became wife and husband over the weekend in Palm Beach, Florida as part of a five-day celebration at their home.
Vogue said the couple met during Milan Fashion Week in September 2024.
“I was in Lake Como on a sisters’ trip when I got an invite at the last minute and decided to go on a whim, and Andrea was tired. Neither of us was planning on being there,” Williams told Vogue.
Preti recalled seeing Williams in the VIP area after the show and introducing himself to her while in front of her friends and family.
“I told her, ‘You’re so beautiful,’ and then she started speaking with me in Italian,” he told Vogue. “We had a little talk, and I asked if she wanted a drink. I went to the bar to get something, and her sister Lyn came to me and said, ‘Do you mind if we start a WhatsApp conversation? I think my sister likes you.’”
After a few dates with family and friends, and a handful of public outings, they got engaged in Tuscany in January.
The two had their first wedding in Italy in September, but hosted a second wedding because paperwork can take a while since Williams was a foreigner.
Their second wedding was held over five days in Palm Beach, Florida.
“We all love each other so much,” Williams said. “It was just the happiest, most beautiful, sweetest day.”
After becoming the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match in July, the 45-year-old Williams gave thanks to her fiancé, who was in the stands at the DC Open. Preti is a Danish-born Italian model and actor, according to the website IMDB.
Williams hadn’t played in a tournament in 16 months until entering the event in Washington.
The seven-time Grand Slams singles champion plans to play in a 33rd straight season on the WTA Tour, starting in Auckland in January.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.