Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Begin $50 Million Wedding Celebrations
VENICE, ITALY – Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez have kicked off a lavish three-day wedding celebration in Venice, drawing international celebrities and stirring both excitement and controversy in the historic city.
Dubbed the “wedding of the century,” the estimated $50 million event began Thursday under heavy security. Up to 250 high-profile guests from the worlds of politics, business, and entertainment are expected to attend the celebrations, which are being held across multiple iconic Venetian landmarks.
Global Guest List, Historic Venues
Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, arrived in Venice via helicopter and are staying at the ultra-luxurious Aman Venice hotel on the Grand Canal, where nightly rates begin at over €4,000.
The festivities officially launched Thursday evening at the 14th-century Madonna dell’Orto Church, famed for its Tintoretto artworks. Authorities closed surrounding streets and waterways to protect guest privacy.
The couple is expected to hold their symbolic wedding ceremony on Friday at San Giorgio Maggiore Island, opposite St. Mark’s Square. However, officials confirm the event will carry no legal standing in Italy, sparking speculation that the couple may have already tied the knot in the U.S.
The final celebration—a grand reception—is scheduled for Saturday at the historic Arsenale, Venice’s former shipyard turned cultural venue.
Star-Studded Celebrations
A-list attendees already spotted in Venice include Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, actor Orlando Bloom, and Queen Rania of Jordan. Oprah Winfrey, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner are also among the guests enjoying Venice’s luxury and scenery during the celebration.
Public Criticism and Local Tensions
While the wedding has captivated international media, it has also ignited backlash from local activists. On Thursday, a protester from the “No Space for Bezos” movement climbed a pole in St. Mark’s Square and unfurled a banner reading “The 1% ruins the world,” protesting the event’s symbolism amid rising inequality and overtourism.
Critics argue that such high-profile private events are contributing to Venice’s transformation into an enclave for billionaires, excluding everyday citizens and overburdening the city’s already strained infrastructure.
“There’s a growing feeling that Venice is no longer a city for Venetians,” said one protester.
However, local businesses and officials see the event differently. “The Bezos wedding brings nothing but advantages for the city,” said Mattia Brandi, a Venetian tour leader. “It’s the protesters who are disrupting the peace.”
Supporters argue that exclusive, high-spending tourism offers more economic value than mass tourism, which has long been a point of concern for Venice’s fragile ecosystem and infrastructure.
Venice’s Ongoing Celebrity Magnetism
Venice has a longstanding reputation for hosting elite weddings. From George and Amal Clooney’s 2014 nuptials to high-profile Indian billionaire weddings, the city continues to be a magnet for international glamour.
Bezos, currently ranked the fourth richest person in the world, proposed to Sanchez in 2023, following his 2019 divorce from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
As Venice basks in the global spotlight once again, the city finds itself walking a tightrope between hosting billion-dollar dreams and preserving its cultural soul.
