India, June 27 -- Love was certainly in the air in Venice this week.

Bill Gates and his girlfriend, Paula Hurd, were seen hand in hand as they arrived at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's welcome party ahead of their wedding.

On Thursday, the Microsoft co-founder and his partner were photographed arriving at the exclusive pre-wedding gathering, which was held in a historic cloister next to the iconic Madonna dell'Orto church.

Gates kept it classic with a black suit and crisp white button-up shirt. Hurd, always poised, matched the formal tone in a sleek black off-the-shoulder dress, accented by a shimmering necklace and subtle stud earrings. The couple looked relaxed and in sync as they mingled among guests.

Notably, Gates and Hurd were ...