Serena’s wedding to Ohanian took place at the Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans on Thursday night with the pair surrounded by a bevy of friends, families and A-listers for the Beauty and the Beast-themed bash.
‘Alexis really wanted to do New Orleans’ Serena told Vogue in an exclusive interview. ‘It’s his favorite city besides Brooklyn. It’s got a heavy European influence; it’s fun and has amazing food. He just loves the vibe.’
She added that the decision to hold it at the Arts Center was ‘a decision we both made. Painting and art is something I’m really passionate about, so it just felt natural and different to do it at a contemporary art museum.’
As well as the couple’s two-month-old daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr, and Venus Williams – who wore a custom Galia Lahav bridesmaid’s dress – was a who’s who of the biggest names in American pop culture.
The Williams’s older sister, Isha Price, was also spotted in a gorgeous green number.
Sadly, one family member who was there only in spirit was Ohanian’s mother, who passed away nine years ago. The couple acknowledged her by holding the event on November 16 – her birthday.
‘It is her birthday, and we wanted her to be represented at the wedding,’ Serena said. ‘Obviously, we wish that she could be here for this, but choosing her birthday as our wedding date was a nice way of making sure she’s still involved and made us feel more connected to her on our day.’
The proposal – which came 18 months after the pair met by chance at a cafe in Rome – was just as thoughtfully organized.
‘I came home one day to find my bags already packed for me, and I had absolutely no idea where I was going until I got on the flight,’ Serena told Vogue.
‘Alexis flew me out to Rome, back to the exact table where we’d met. We were both really nervous but also excited to take this huge step. It was such a beautiful moment.’
Of course, a perfect wedding needs a perfect dress – so Serena went to Alexander McQueen, knowing she wouldn’t be let down.
Fans got to admire the bride’s dress—a Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen princess gown—that totally impressed her husband and Reddit co-founder.
“I flew to London to meet with Sarah and ended up falling in love with the ball gown silhouette, which is completely the opposite of what I ever thought I would choose for myself,” the bride told Vogue. “I loved the idea of doing a really spectacular ball gown, and it has turned out to be such an incredibly special piece.”
As for that star-studded guest list, fans are finally able to get a good look at Kim Kardashian, Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé and more guests’ wedding day looks.
According to Vogue, everyone was able to watch a short video that told the story of Serena and Alexis’ relationship. As for the seating, the bride was hoping for a fashion-show feel.
“I wanted the whole thing to be as nontraditional as possible,” Serena explained to the publication. “We did sofas instead of chairs, with everything facing the aisle instead of the altar.”
In regards to the moment when the couple walked away from the altar officially as husband and wife, well, we’ll let the pictures do the talking.
Williams then swapped that for a shorter, though no less beautiful, Versace number for the first dance, which saw the newlywed couple dancing to ‘Tale As Old As Time’ – a tune in line with the wedding’s theme, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
And on Friday, the tennis star showcased the stamina that’s made her a 23-time Grand Slam Champ, partying for a second day straight.
Congratulations to the happy couple on a picture-perfect day.