Game, Set, Marriage! Tennis icon Venus Williams has married Italian actor and producer Andrea Preti in a grand five-day, Palm Beach affair shot beautifully by word-renowned photographer David Bastianoni. The couple originally met back in 2024 at the Gucci show during Milan Fashion Week. In a moment of fate, Venus received a last-minute invite while vacationing in Lake Como, and Andrea, despite being tired, decided to attend. Venus told Vogue, “Neither of us was planning on being there.” (Vogue, 2025)
Photo: David Bastianoni
The couple dove in quickly, immediately starting a WhatsApp chat and soon after met up in London, where Venus invited Andrea for breakfast with her family. After six years of being single, Venus knew what she was looking for. She shared with Vogue, “After our dates in London, I just knew I was going to marry him. People always say they just know, and I just knew.” A brief six months later, on January 31, 2025, Andrea proposed in Tuscany. (Vogue, 2025)
Photo: David Bastianoni
We, at Morilee New York, knew we had the perfect dress for Venus. She met with our Chief Design Officer, Jiyup Kim, who used her expertise and experience at acclaimed design houses, like Vera Wang and Marchesa, to create not one, but 10 gowns for Venus. She shared her surprise saying “I asked Morilee New York for one dress, they made 10 dresses, all custom. The dress I ended up wearing was just divine.” (Vogue, 2025)
Photo: David Bastianoni
In an exclusive interview with our designer Jiyup, she discussed how she selected the gowns we presented to Venus. “She and her stylist, Kesha Mcleod, shared a very clear vision board with us, and once we saw that, we knew exactly what she would respond to. She was especially drawn to the pieces from our Goddess collection, which felt almost poetic given her name and the mythology we reference throughout the design process. It felt too perfect to be a coincidence.”
As Jiyup recounted the fitting, she shared how incredibly exciting and inspiring it was. “Venus was kind and warm. It’s surreal because she's such a legend and icon, yet her generosity, excitement and clarity around her own style made the experience feel very natural. Her energy was infectious!” Venus was impressed by our presentation of custom gowns, with Jiyup noting that she brought such an openness, alongside a strong point of view, which gave us the perfect balance of creative freedom and focus.
Photo: David Bastianoni
For her courthouse ceremony, Venus wore a custom Morilee New York dress, inspired by the Zephira gown from our Goddess collection. The look was clean, classic, and couture. The fit and flare silhouette was designed in butter soft crepe, for a look that is both sculptural yet fluid, with a crisp square neckline to create a beautiful frame. The puff shoulder added subtle volume to the long sleeve gown, while understated appliqué delicately contoured Venus’ figure. Jiyup tells us “The dress captures the essence of the goddess collection with strength and femininity expressed through a confident modern silhouette.” When asked about the dress Venus chose, Jiyup simply stated, “It felt perfect. Modern and traditional at the same time. The kind of choice that feels instinctive and timeless all at once.”
Photo: David Bastianoni
At 4a.m., the couple woke up to prepare for their early morning civil ceremony, where they could have the entire courthouse to themselves. Venus said, “It was such a special experience to have a sunrise City Hall ceremony. I can’t describe how beautiful, calm, sacred, exciting, and exalting it was. It was just a dream.” (Vogue, 2025)
Source: Macon, Alexandra. "Inside Venus Williams and Andrea Preti’s Five-Day Wedding at Home in Palm Beach." Weddings (blog), Vogue, December 23, 2025. vogue.com/slideshow/venus-williams-and-andrea-preti-wedding
