Preparations for the celebration of Microsoft heiress Jennifer Gates’ $2 million nuptials reached a fever pitch Saturday, as reports surfaced that she secretly married her fiancé in a Muslim ceremony Friday night.
Authorities shut down rural roads Saturday as hundreds of guests arrived at her $16 million Westchester horse farm to toast her union with fellow equestrian Nayel Nassar.
Workers wheeled in masses of hydrangeas and other plants as they geared up for what is expected to be a second civil ceremony today, the Daily Mail reported.
The 300 guests, expected to include Georgina Bloomberg, have been gathering at the 142-acre North Salem estate.
Coldplay is scheduled to perform at today’s reception, as is folk musician Harry Hudson. Vera Wang designed the bride’s custom-made dress, according to the Daily Mail.
“I can hear them over there now making last minute preparations,” said Linda Dupree, whose home backs onto the North Salem land owned by the 25-year old bride. “I thought I heard Michael Buble singing, but it may have just been a recording. The delivery trucks have been coming down the road all morning.”
Choral music could also be heard coming from the horse farm as dozens of catering staff in black shirts and slacks walked outside the wooden barns, and U-Haul and Ryder trucks pulled into the driveway. Silver heaters and lanterns were seen waiting to be put into place.
Dupree said the main stage of the wedding, which has been under construction for the last few days, resembles “a beautiful botanical garden.”
The bride’s parents arrived yesterday at the sprawling $16 million horse farm that they bought for their eldest daughter after she graduated from Stanford University in 2018. It is the first time that the Gates’ were spotted together since their August divorce. The couple had been married for 27 years.
Photos showed the bride and groom posing for photographs on the lush grounds of the horse farm Friday along with Bill Gates and other family members.
“It’s fantastic,” said Peter Van Raalte, 63, an investor who lives in nearby Briarcliff while riding his bike in the area. “Bill bought this place four years ago. How do you build something this beautiful? You can tell this is super high quality construction. Everybody should have a great wedding.”
Another resident, who lives in nearby Bedford, stopped on her bicycle to take a selfie near the property.
“It was pretty nice and quiet in this area for the animals,” said Teri Chargualaf, 41, who works at Google. “Now it’s taken over for one day. It’s a bit extravagant. It’s a royal wedding…Two million dollars spent in one day.”
But not everyone on the tony block of mansions was a fan. Cindy McKean, 64, a psychologist who lives nearby, said she usually walks her dogs on the road near the Gates’ estate but didn’t want to stress them out with all of the excitement going on.
“I think it’s over the top,” she told The Post. “This is a quiet town. I mean they can do what they want but none of that was here before.” She pointed at the elaborate glass houses that had been constructed for the event.
Jennifer announced her engagement to Nassar, 30, who was born in Chicago and raised in Kuwait and California in an Instagram post last year. Nassar’s Egyptian parents, Fouad Nasser and Iman Harby, are principals in Diwan Interiors, an architectural firm based in Kuwait.
“Nayel Nassar, you are one of a kind. Absolutely swept me off my feet this past weekend, surprising me in the most meaningful location over one of our many shared passions,” Gates wrote in the caption.