When Did Mark Zuckerberg Get Married?
Mark Zuckerberg, the hugely popular CEO and founder of Facebook, started his mission to make the world more connected with the creation of the social media website in 2004. Since then, he has been at the top of the social media game, leading the company to world-wide success with over 2.6 billion active users
Today, Zuckerberg is highly successful and recently celebrated his wedding with long-time girlfriend Priscilla Chan in 2012. The couple first met when they were both studying at Harvard University in 2003 and by their graduation in 2007, they had been in a serious relationship for four years. On May 19, 2012, the couple tied the knot in a private ceremony at his summer estate in Palo Alto, California.
The wedding came as something of a surprise – even to the guests themselves. When they were invited by Zuckerberg, they were informed that they were being invited to a ‘surprise celebration’ and little did they know what they were celebrating would be the couple’s wedding. The event was heavily guarded with “military-like” security and the bride and groom took their vows in front of “a handful of friends, family, and a few chickens”.
Apart from the surprise, there was nothing surprising about the festivities that followed. It was a classic wedding affair, with a Chinese-style banquet for the guests, featuring half-seafood and half-vegetarian dishes. To stay true to their Chinese roots, Zuckerberg and Chan also made it a point to include Chinese traditions to their special day. For instance, a Chinese lion dance was part of the ceremony.
The couple has gone from strength to strength, even during their marriage. They have been vociferous in their philanthropic efforts about a variety of issues ranging from education to health. Chan is a qualified doctor and philanthropist in her own right and Zuckerberg has pledged over 99% of his Facebook shares to their own charity, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
The Impact of Their Marriage
Since their marriage, the couple has managed to up the profile of their combined influence. They are seen as the power couple of Silicon Valley and owning one of the most valuable companies in the world, their impact is immense. In terms of politics and social issues, they have been quite vocal and recently even released a statement in support of Black Lives Matter. With Chan being a doctor, they have also been quite active in advocating for better healthcare and even opened their own hospital in 2016.
For the savvy businesspeople, their marriage has also been a great financial success. In 2013, the couple invested $12.8 billion in their philanthropy, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and also set up their own venture-capital firm in 2015 – the Breakout Capital.
The Chan Zuckerberg Family
While Zuckerberg and Chan may have the weight of their many business enterprises on their shoulders, they also have their own family to take care of. In 2015, they welcomed their first child, a daughter Maxima Chan Zuckerberg. The same year, they made headlines when they pledged to donate 99% of their Facebook fortune to charitable causes over their lifetime.
The birth of their daughter kick-started an internet movement called the ‘Lean In’ movement. Led by Chan and inspired by Sheryl Sandberg’s best-selling book by the same name, the movement paved the way for women to set and achieve their goals without feeling constrained by social expectations. This was a cause that the couple made it their own, publicly advocating for increased gender equality.
Their Impactful Philanthropic Work
As part of their philanthropy, the couple has also given considerable attention to education. Back in 2010, Zuckerberg donated $100 million to the public school system of Newark, New Jersey, the first major philanthropic endeavor ever undertaken by him. They are also long-term supporters of personalised learning, dedicating funding and resources to a variety of research projects that aim to use computers and data to customise student learning experiences.
In 2016, they teamed up with the Gates Foundation to launch an ambitious project known as the “Personalised Learning Initiative”. Committed to the spend of $45 million, the project is meant to help schools quickly figure out new, more effective ways of teaching. This commitment only reaffirmed the couple’s dedication to improving the education sphere through the clever use of technology.
Higher Education Scholarships
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has also championed increased access to higher education. Recently, they donated $10 million to scholarships for undocumented students. This cause is particularly close to the heart of the couple, as Zuckerberg and Chan both received educational opportunities that allowed them to pursue their dreams.
To help support students who want to study science, technology, engineering and maths, they have also pledged to fund the scholarship of up to 25 Harvard students annually. In addition, they have set up a ‘$100 million fund’ to help students and their families with the costs of attending college or university.
Conclusion
For Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, a lot has changed since they married in 2012. As one of the most powerful couples in the world, they have used the wealth, power and influence available them to push many philanthropic initiatives and make the world a better place for people in need. While the couple has achieved a great deal in the process, their biggest achievement is that of near-perfect family life, which their daughter Maxima, born in 2015, has completed. On their own, and in the public eye, they are absolutely devoted to making the world a better place.
