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Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Kick Off Lavish Wedding Festivities in Venice
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez have commenced an extravagant three-day wedding celebration in Venice, beginning Thursday, while tightly secured measures shield their high-profile guests from potential protests.
Among the arrivals are notable figures like Bill Gates, Orlando Bloom, and Queen Rania of Jordan, joining the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner, and Kim and Khloe Kardashian.
Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner, who arrived earlier on Tuesday, have taken advantage of their time in the city for sightseeing and shopping.
Queen Rania of Jordan departs from Marco Polo Airport ahead of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s anticipated wedding in Venice on June 26, 2025. — Reuters
An estimated 200-250 A-listers from various realms, including entertainment, politics, and finance, are expected to attend what has been widely referred to as the "Wedding of the Century," with costs approximated at around $50 million.
The opulence of the event has sparked debate regarding its effects on the historic city of Venice, with some protesters arguing that the extravagance caters to affluent outsiders. However, others appreciate the spectacle and the economic benefits that accompany it.
On Thursday, an activist unfurled a banner reading “The 1% ruins the world” from a pole in St. Mark’s Square, voicing opposition against Bezos’s presence in Venice.
Fashion designer Domenico Dolce reacts at the Gritti Palace Hotel before Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s anticipated wedding in Venice on June 26, 2025. — Reuters
Thursday evening saw guests gathering in the cloisters of the Madonna dell’Orto, a medieval church famous for its works by 16th-century artist Tintoretto, as part of the celebrations.
To ensure security and privacy for the attendees, the city council has restricted pedestrian and water traffic in the area from 4:30 PM until midnight.
Luxury Canalside Accommodation
Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, arrived in Venice via helicopter on Wednesday and have settled into the posh Aman hotel, where rooms overlooking the Grand Canal start at a staggering €4,000 (approximately $4,686) per night.
The couple is scheduled to exchange vows on Friday on the small island of San Giorgio, located opposite St. Mark’s Square. However, according to a senior city official, this ceremony will not hold legal recognition under Italian law.
Oprah Winfrey is seen leaving the Gritti Palace Hotel ahead of the wedding on June 26, 2025. — Reuters
Speculations have arisen that Bezos and Sanchez may have already tied the knot legally in the United States, avoiding the complexities of Italian marriage regulations.
The celebratory events will culminate on Saturday with a grand reception planned at one of the halls of the Arsenale, a monumental former shipyard repurposed as an art space in the eastern Castello district.
The movement called “No Space for Bezos” is organizing additional protests against what they deem as a commercial takeover of Venice, though not all local residents share their sentiment.
Economic Prosperity through High-End Events
Local politicians and business owners argue that exclusive events like this one provide more substantial economic benefits compared to large crowds of low-spending tourists, viewing the protesting groups as a small minority.
Corey Gamble and Kris Jenner aboard a boat before the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez in Venice on June 26, 2025. — Reuters
Mattia Brandi, a local tour guide, commented to Reuters, “If you analyze what the Bezos wedding contributes to Venice, there are only positives, no negatives. They don’t realize it’s the protesters who are disrupting the calm of the city.”
Venice has hosted numerous high-profile weddings in the past, including George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin in 2014, and Indian billionaires Vinita Agarwal and Muqit Teja in 2011, without causing any significant disturbances.
Bezos, who is the executive chairman of Amazon and currently ranks as the fourth richest person in the world according to Forbes, became engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years following the end of his previous 25-year marriage to MacKenzie Scott.
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