Human Interest Bill Gates Arrives in New York City Ahead of Daughter Jennifer's Wedding to Nayel Nassar Bill Gates' arrival came one day after ex-wife Melinda French Gates and their daughter Jennifer stepped out together ahead of the wedding weekend By Maria Pasquini Maria Pasquini Associate Editor, Human Interest - PEOPLE People Editorial Guidelines Published on October 15, 2021 01:20 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Bill Gates. Photo: Elder Ordonez/SplashNews.com Bill Gates is ready to watch his daughter walk down the aisle. The billionaire Microsoft co-founder, 65, was seen arriving in New York City on Thursday ahead of daughter Jennifer's wedding to Nayel Nassar this weekend. Bill was photographed smiling as he stepped off a helicopter alongside family members. His arrival came one day after Jennifer and mom Melinda French Gates were seen stepping out together. What to Know About Bill Gates' Daughter Jennifer's Fiancé, Equestrian Nayel Nassar "They kicked off the celebrations yesterday in N.Y.C.," a source previously told PEOPLE. "Jennifer was with her family and friends yesterday and Nayel with his." "They both seem very excited about their wedding week," the source added. "It will be a big wedding." Bill Gates and family. Elder Ordonez/SplashNews.com Melinda has also taken an active role in helping Jennifer get ready for her special day — including throwing her an "incredibly special" party last month to celebrate her daughter's exciting new chapter."Jennifer is very close with her mom," the source told PEOPLE. "Melinda is a huge part of the wedding preparations." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. (L-R) Melinda French Gates and Jennifer Gates. splash News Jennifer, who is currently an MD Candidate at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, announced her engagement in January 2020. For more on Jennifer Gates' upcoming wedding and other top stories, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day. "I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives learning, growing, laughing and loving together. Yes a million times over," Jennifer captioned her social media post, as she recounted the surprise proposal, which took place over a romantic ski trip. "I'm feeling like the luckiest (and happiest) man in the world right about now," Nasser, a professional equestrian who competed in the Tokyo Olympics, wrote in his own post. "Love you more than you can possibly imagine, and thank you for making every single day feel like a dream to me. Here's to forever!" Jennifer Gates and Nayel Nassar. Nayel Nassar/Instagram Bill and Melinda announced their separation in May. Court documents filed by Melinda at the time called their marriage "irretrievably broken." The former couple went on to finalize their divorce in August. RELATED VIDEO: Melinda Gates Calls Marriage to Bill 'Irretrievably Broken,' Declines Spousal Support Despite No Prenup Since her parents' split, Jennifer has continued to share kind words about both her mother and father. Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates Finalize Divorce — and She's Keeping His Last Name While spending time with her father in May, Jennifer shared a smiling photo of the pair. "Nothing better than quality time with family members," she wrote. "Happy birthday to our one of a kind mom, woman and hero," she wrote over the summer while celebrating her mom's 57th birthday. "Wishing you the biggest celebrations today and most incredible year ahead."