Serena Williams celebrated her upcoming wedding with her loved ones on Saturday night, gathering with 12 guests for a glamorous bachelorette party.
The four-time Olympic gold medalist, 36, is seen in exclusive images and video with her sister Venus, 37, best friend Ciara, 32, and TV presenter Lala Anthony, 38, during the bash in New York City. Serena, who is engaged to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, 34, arrived with her 12 guests on a party bus to her chosen venue for the first part of the evening.
There, the new mother enjoyed an elegant dinner served by male waiters in an elegant room, with her mother Oracene Price, 65, joining the guests around a long table.
Party on: Serena Williams celebrated her upcoming wedding with her loved ones (including Ciara, right) on Saturday night, gathering with 12 guests for a glamorous bachelorette party
Gathering: The four-time Olympic gold medalist, 36, was spotted with her sister Venus, 37, best friend Ciara, 32, and TV presenter Lala Anthony, 38, during the bash
Night out: Venus was seen stepping out for her sister’s bachelorette party in a mini dress, black low boots, and a small crossover bag
BFFs: Lala was seen stepping out alongside Venus during the night of celebration
Group: Serena wore a bright blue mini dress with a funny face on it, paired with black knee-high group. Ciara went with a black dress and black lace-up boots with a leather jacket
Serena was raised as a Jehovah’s witness, and while she told Vogue she has ‘never really practiced’ the religion, she said it remained ‘important’ to her. Jehovah’s witnesses don’t eschew drinking alcohol and partying, but believe both should be done in moderation.
The new mother gave birth in September to her first child, a daughter named Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr. She and her partner announced their engagement back in December 2016 but have so far kept the wedding date under wraps.
Serena, who won the 2017 Australian Open while eight weeks pregnant, previously pledged to the courts soon after her daughter’s birth, and was eyeing the next Australian Open, which will take place in January 2018, as a possible stage for her comeback.
On Saturday, the dining room that hosted Serena and her guests was decorated with a balloon shaped like an engagement ring, setting the tone of the evening.
Joy: Serena seemed to be enjoying herself as she celebrated her big night in New York City with some of her closest friends
Let’s eat! The new mother enjoyed an elegant dinner served by male waiters in an elegant room, with her mother Oracene Price, 65, joining the guests around a long table
Sisters: During the evening, Serena shared a fun video of her sister dancing, joking that Venus was wearing a lovely ‘T-shirt’ in lieu of a dress
Convenient: A party bus took Venus, Serena and the rest of the guests to several locations over the course of the evening
Decor: The dining room was decorated with a balloon shaped like an engagement ring, setting the tone of the evening
Sweet! A four-tier cake covered in pink frosting and sparkly decorations was also ready for the dessert course
Ride: The party bus rented by Serena and her friends appears to have come from Ultimate Party Bus, a New-Jersey-based limo company, whose buses are equipped with dance poles
Dress code? Lala also went for an all-black outfit, opting for ripped jeans and high boots
A four-tier cake covered in pink frosting and sparkly decorations was also ready for the dessert course.
The party bus rented by Serena and her friends appears to have come from Ultimate Party Bus, a New-Jersey-based limo company, whose buses are equipped with dance poles.
They also include multicolored DJ lighting, a stereo and CD player, and, of course, a bathroom.
After chatting around the dinner table, Serena and her guests got the party started with a DJ.
They left the party room at midnight, and headed to hit the club scene. The group partied at the PH-D Rooftop at the Dream Downtown, north of the Meatpacking district, until 3am, before all getting back on the bus.
To end the night, they headed to a five-star hotel and spa.
During the evening, Serena shared a fun video of her sister dancing, joking that Venus was wearing a lovely ‘T-shirt’ in lieu of a dress.
While Serena was surrounded by her loved ones on the fun night, several of her famous friends were missing from the festivities, including Kim Kardashian and Beyonce.
Helpful: Male waiters made sure Serena and her loved ones had everything they needed during the dinner at the start of the evening
It begins: After chatting around the dinner table, Serena and her guests got the party started with a DJ
Schedule: Serena’s bash began with an elegant dinner around a long table, decorated with bright pink flowers in its center
Missing: While several of Serena’s friends attended the event, some of her famous pals, such as Kim Kardashian and Beyonce, were a no-show
Squad: Serena was accompanied by her friends as the group made its way around the city aboard a rented party bus
Friends: Lala and Ciara were among the 12 guests who came to celebrate Serena’s engagement
Good fun: Serena seemed in high spirits as she and her entourage gathered at the table
Are you lost? Ciara at one point ended up in a rather barren-looking location, along with one of the guests who kept a water bottle at hand
Family: Serena is engaged to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, pictured holding their baby daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. after a bath
Mom and dad: The new mother became engaged to Alexis (pictured with her) in December 2016; they have so far kept their wedding date under wraps
Mid-yawn: Serena Williams shared a sweet snap of herself bonding with her two-month-old daughter Alexis Olympia on Monday morning