- Bill and Melinda Gates walk daughter down the aisle
- Father and daughter then dance to ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight’ at $2 million reception
Microsoft heiress Jennifer Gates has married Nayel Nassar, 30, during a beautiful ceremony on Saturday afternoon at her home in Westchester, New York.
It was her second set of nuptials of the weekend having previously tied the knot with the Egyptian equestrian in a secret religious Muslim ceremony on Friday night, DailyMail.com has exclusively learned.
The private Muslim ceremony was held on Friday night in the garden of the family’s 142-acre estate in North Salem, New York where a much larger civil ceremony with 300 guests took place on Saturday afternoon.
After the wedding on Saturday, Jennifer and her father, Bill, danced to Elton John’s Can You Feel The Love Tonight.
The bride, wearing a custom Vera Wang gown, stepped out of her mansion flanked by nine bridesmaids dressed in evergreen, who all appeared to be smiling and laughing as they posed for pictures.
One of the bridesmaids was seen holding up Gates’ long veil as the group gathered for pictures with shades of autumn all around.
It was all hands on deck as photographers took their positions and a wedding planner straightened Jennifer’s dress
Jennifer was seen to be clutching a white flower bouquet, her veil lifted over her face. She wore her auburn hair half up and half down and wore a pair of earrings to accent her dress.
She, together with her parents then headed across the road where hundreds of guests had begun to gather from 3pm to witness the happy couple getting married in a civil ceremony.
Parents Bill and Melinda Gates jointly walked 25-year-old Jennifer down the aisle at the ceremony on Saturday afternoon.
The reception began shortly after 4pm. Bill could be seen in a dark suit, while Melinda, was wearing a flowing purple gown.
The crowd let out a big cheer shortly after 5pm as the couple were finally declared man and wife. Servers could be seen standing at the ready with celebratory glasses of champagne which were handed to guests as they passed by.
The couple could be seen with their heads touching one another as the snappers captured the scene
The couple could be seem beaming from ear to ear as they spent their first few moments as husband and wife posing for priceless pictures on their special day.
The smiles seemed natural as the couple posed for the wedding photographers while proud parents Bill and Melinda Gates looked on with smiles and laughter.
Jennifer’s veil was stretch out from the back of her head in one portrait, while in another she cradled the head of her betrothed in her hands.
Guests, meanwhile, headed into a specially constructed ‘botanical garden’ where the cocktail hour was being held.
The weather remained dry until around 6pm when a stray shower forced guests back inside, but otherwise they could be seen on a specially constructed verandah enjoying the evening with a drink in their hands.
Preparations have been made for the last few days on the estate with the construction of what looks like a special greenhouse where the cocktail hour was held.
It consisted of a series of interconnected, glass-covered rooms which from above could be seen long white benches and dozens of dining table decorated with pink flowers and white dinner plates.
The wedding was held in a specially constructed ‘botanical garden’ that was built on the estate including an area for the cocktail hour, ceremony, dinner and dancing
Saturday’s guest list mostly consists of friends and family, with few celebrities or politicians invited. Georgina Bloomberg, the daughter of billionaire Michael Bloomberg and a fellow professional equestrian who owns a horse farm nearby, is invited.
The daughter of former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was seen arriving at the nuptials drinking a glass of what looked like a beer while sat in the back of her SUV, arriving at the venue just after 4pm.
Friday night’s rehearsal dinner — which secretly served as a reception for the private religious ceremony — was catered by Jean-Georges and included a lobster dish and pasta.
The extravagant two-day event costing an estimated $2 million was orchestrated by famed wedding planner Marcy Blum, whose elite client list includes Kevin Bacon, LeBron James and Billy Joel.
At the rehearsal, father of the bride Bill Gates and his daughter could be seen sitting on the outdoor deck of her Westchester mansion with the pair laughing and joking before appearing deep in thought.
Bill and Melinda Gates, who divorced in August after 27 years of marriage, were also seen mingling with guests at the dinner in their first appearance together since separating.
Following the ceremony, the couple made a quick getaway to have some private wedding photos taken on the estate.
Microsoft heiress Jennifer Gates, wearing a custom Vera Wang gown, takes photos at her Westchester estate flanked by her bridesmaids dressed in evergreen, ahead of her wedding ceremony on Saturday
Jennifer Gates poses for photos with her new husband Nayel Nassar shortly after the ceremony
The happy couple were all smiles as they had their arms around one another’s waist while posing for photographs
Jennifer Gates looks stunning as she has her hair and veil adjusted while posing with Nayel Nassar on their wedding day for pictures
The couple were seen looking lovingly into one another’s eyes as they posed for the cameras
Proud parents, Bill and Melinda Gates looked on as Jennifer Gates posed for wedding pictured with husband Nayel Nassar
The happy couple could be seen posing for wedding photos following their Saturday afternoon ceremony in North Salem
The newlyweds share a tender moment as they kiss one another with several wedding photographers looking on
Guests and servers take cover as a storm rolls in at Jennifer Gates and Nayel Nassar’s wedding
Two rows of white hydrangeas could be seen bordering a white table at the center of the newly constructed wedding pavilion.
The bride and bridesmaids posed for photos on the sprawling estate, beating a line of showers headed for the area
Jennifer was clutching a white flower bouquet, her veil lifted over her face. They were soon to head across the road where hundreds of guests were gathered to witness the happy couple get married in a civil ceremony
Jennifer Gates is pictured in her wedding dress together with a team of bridesmaids on her Westchester estae
Bridesmaids could be seen gathered taking part in a photoshoot at the wedd
Bill and Melinda Gates walk their daughter, Jennifer, into her wedding on the family’s property in North Salem, New York
Guests can be seen arriving for the nuptials on Saturday afternoon in upstate New York
Outside the venue, one limo driver post pictures of dozens of black SUV vehicles that were dropping off guests
Final preparations geo underway on Saturday morning at the country New York home of Jennifer Gates as Bill and Melinda Gates’ daughter prepared to marry Nayel Nassar
Drone footage reveals the amount of building work that has been going on in order to create a special undercover venue
- On Friday night, Jennifer Gates married Egyptian equestrian Nayel Nassar in a secret ceremony (left), the day before the announced wedding date, DailyMail.com has learned. After the secret ceremony she was seen speaking with father Bill (right)
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The private Muslim ceremony (above) was held on Friday night in the garden of the family’s 142-acre estate in North Salem, New York where a larger ceremony with guests is scheduled for Saturday afternoon
Just hours before the second, larger ceremony on Saturday, workers were racing to put the finishing touches in place.
As dark clouds formed overhead on Saturday morning, with a line of storms bearing down on New York, an acapella group was heard rehearsing ‘Shine Your Light on Me’ at the wedding venue.
As the hour of the civil ceremony neared, security precautions kicked into high gear. Local police, with the help of the New York State Police, shut down the road outside the Gates estate to all traffic except for invited guests.
As well, a man in a dark suit walked a German Shepherd dog into the event venue to sniff around, possibly checking for explosives.
The canine had a black vest reading ‘working dog-do not pet.’ No uniformed police were spotted, so there was no suggestion of an actual threat and the precaution was likely routine.
Meanwhile, trucks kept rolling in, including a Gallucci Catering truck filled with trays of food for the event.
Jennifer will marry Nayel Nassar on Saturday afternoon
The owner wouldn’t reveal the menu but their prime offerings include Eggplant Imbottito, Chicken Campagna and scallops with bacon, as well as less chichi offerings such as franks in a blanket.
A green truck from French luxury bakery Ladurée brought the massive wedding cake in separate tiers for assembly, with a wooden dowel through the center to prevent it from toppling.
As the clock ticked down to the civil vows Saturday, workers were scrambling to make last second adjustments. This included a debate over climate control.
‘I’m not sure what temperature to leave the venue so the dance floor doesn’t bubble, and so we don’t kill the trees,’ one crew member warned.
As if on cue, one of the newly-erected trees toppled over onto the dance floor.
‘It’s a bloody mess down here,’ one staffer laughed.
‘I’m on it,’ another replied.
Later on, someone was heard asking to cut the air conditioning down in the artist tent, noting ‘they’re freezing in there.’
Workers were hauling in white flowers in orange Home Depot 5-gallon buckets, to be placed along a walkway leading into the ceremony.
Choral music could also be heard coming from the horse farm as dozens of catering staff who were wearing black shirts walked outside the wooden barns. Silver heaters together with lanterns were all seen seen waiting to be put into place.
The workers brought in their own catering, boxes of Dunkin Donuts and gallons of coffee.
Wedding staff line up in all black, wearing black face masks, and review the final preparations for the wedding
The preparations involved significant logistics to prepare a vast venue complex for the 300 invited guests
Workers wearing face masks prepare to arrange candlelight lanterns in the venue on Saturday
Five ladies who call themselves ‘the Sisterhood of the Walking Pants’ strolled by the event, where a loud bandsaw hurt their eardrums, as they marveled at the vast preparations underway in the tent city
‘Here it’s hours before the wedding and so much still to be done,’ a neighbor told DailyMail.com. ‘If I was the mother of the bride, I’d have so much angst.’
Five ladies who call themselves ‘the Sisterhood of the Walking Pants’ strolled by the event, where a loud bandsaw hurt their eardrums.
‘Here it’s hours before the wedding and so much still to be done,’ Diane, 70, told DailyMail.com. ‘If I was the mother of the bride, I’d have so much angst.’
The curious neighbors were cracking jokes about crashing the party.
Amy, 62, took out a necklace of cultured pearls and placed it over her Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt. She was on crutches.
‘She came out of rehab for this,’ quipped her friend Joan, 56.
Amy was feeling the love, if not totally thrilled that an open field on the Gates estate has been transformed into a tent city.
‘We’re happy for them,’ Amy said. ‘We just want to have nature preserved.’
‘The only thing I don’t like are the fake trees,’ Diane noted. ‘They’re green and they’re hideous. The trees should have looked like they’re fall trees and not summer trees. Somebody wasn’t thinking.’
Diane whipped out her weather app to see the forecast. Clouds are blocking the sun, with storm clouds expected later in the day. ‘Look at that, a line of thunderstorms coming in at 5:15 pm.’ Diane remarked. ‘Bad timing.’
Preparations for the multi-million dollar wedding of Jennifer to Nayel Nassar have been underway for much of the week
The outdoor wedding is set to be held on Saturday afternoon on the family’s 142-acre estate in North Salem, New York
Gates wore an elegant white bridal dress while the groom wore a grey suit for the couple’s pre-wedding photos on Friday. It later emerged that the photo shoot was part of a secret Muslim wedding ceremony
They posed as a happy couple, laughing and strolling down the scenic, tree-lined driveway
Earlier, on Friday, Melinda French Gates could be seen speaking to a man on the driveway of the estate as she carried her heels in her right hand
Melinda could be seen wandering along the private driveway on the North Salem, New York estate on Friday evening
At the rehearsal dinner on Friday, Bill, 65, was seen in a dark suit while Melinda, 57, was seen in a colorful dress at the home in North Salem, New York.
The pair, who were among the most prominent couples in global business, having once worked together, could be seen welcoming guests to the Jennifer’s sprawling estate as a weekend of celebrations began in earnest.
The proud parents of Jennifer could also be seen smiling while wedding photographers took pictures of the occasion.
Earlier on Friday, Jennifer and her dashing groom-to be Nayel also stepped out on the deck of their home to enjoy a quiet moment will Bill and Melinda, together with her younger brother.
They were seen posing for pictures on the deck before moving down to a scenic, tree-lined driveway, where the pair walked as a couple, danced and kissed.
An elaborate tent city has been set up on the property, and on Thursday potted trees were hauled in to block views of the venue from the roadway and give them some semblance of privacy.
Bill Gates could be seen smiling with just hours to go before he will be giving his daughter away in a wedding hosted at her sprawling estate
Beaming bride Jennifer Gates spent a few moments having a heart-to-heart conversation with her father, billionaire Bill Gates on Friday evening before her rehearsal dinner began at her Westchester estate
The pair got to spend some daddy-daughter time ahead of what is going to be an exceptionally busy weekend for the family
Beaming bride Jennifer Gates and her dashing groom stepped out on the deck of their home to enjoy a quiet moment on Friday with her recently divorced parents Bill and Melinda Gates, and her little brother
An eighteen-wheel truck and vans hauled in equipment, while golf carts shuttled staff around the site and down the road to where another set of tents were erected to handle catering.
The police chief, fire chief and town officials stopped by to see the progress. Several cops were stationed alongside the property, along with private security officers who were on hand to protect VIP guests and keep traffic flowing.
The family let out a big cheer as the groom pulled up to the stables around 6 p.m. in a black van, and joined his soon-to-be in laws for a wedding eve celebration.
Bill shared a moment with his daughter Phoebe, sitting on a sofa on the lower deck facing the equestrian area. Then son Rory came and sat down with them, before joining his mother Melinda.
The groomsmen stood on one side, while the bridesmaids gathered on the other. The couple of honor stood in the center, doing a dry run of their ceremony. A woman in a green dress stood between them.