Jeff Bezos’ Venice Wedding Relocated for Security Reasons

This week, the wedding celebration for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez in Venice has been relocated to a more secluded area due to security concerns and potential protest risks, according to sources.

The couple initially planned to host their wedding in Cannaregio, a lively part of the city known for its nightlife, but switched venues to avoid any disturbances from demonstrators.

Local residents and activist groups have raised objections for weeks, expressing worries that the high-profile event will transform the picturesque city into a private playground for the wealthy, and have even threatened to stage peaceful blockades.

While the exact date and venue of the wedding remain confidential—though it is expected to take place sometime from Thursday to Saturday—approximately 200 to 250 VIP guests from entertainment, politics, and finance will now convene at a hall located in the Arsenale, a large 14th-century complex in the eastern Castello district.

This hall, surrounded by water and accessible only when connecting bridges aren’t raised, is considered more secure than the previously selected Scuola Grande della Misericordia in Cannaregio, a historic site that used to be a religious school.

The Arsenale, originally a major shipyard supporting the maritime dominance of the Venetian Republic, has been renovated and repurposed as an exhibition venue for the Venice Biennale art fair.

Bezos, 61, who serves as the executive chairman of Amazon and ranks fourth on Forbes’ billionaire list, got engaged to Sanchez, 55, in 2023, four years after his 25-year marriage to Mackenzie Scott ended.

The couple’s decision to tie the knot in Venice echoes other celebrity weddings in the romantic city, including that of actor George Clooney and human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in 2014.

“The news that Bezos has abandoned Misericordia is a significant win for us,” declared Tommaso Cacciari, a leader of the “No Space for Bezos” campaign opposing the wedding.

The group has announced plans for more protests on Saturday, aiming to disrupt the flow of the event across Venice’s canals, bridges, and narrow streets.

Luca Zaia, the president of the Veneto region, criticized the protests, highlighting that the 90 private jets transporting guests to nearby airports would generate an estimated 48 million euros (about $55.69 million) for local businesses.

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, who are vacationing in Tuscany, reportedly stopped by the Ferrari factory while heading to the Venice wedding, according to a source familiar with their itinerary.