Share this @internewscast.com
Topline
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former journalist Lauren Sánchez will exchange vows on a small Venetian island Friday, the centerpiece of what is expected to be a star-studded, and controversial, multi-day ceremony hosted in Venice, Italy, with protests by angered locals having already interfered with some of the billionaire’s party plans.
Lauren Sanchez and US founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, leave the Aman Hotel in Venice on June 25, … More
Photo by STEFANO RELLANDINI/AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
Bezos and Sánchez will tie the knot on San Giorgio Island on Friday, multiple outlets reported, a small locale off the coast of Venice’s St. Mark’s Square which contains a centuries-old church known for its bell tower.
Though the couple will hold their wedding in Italy, city officials told CNN they have not received an official marriage request from the couple, indicating their celebrations are ceremonial and that they may already have married in the United States.
Friday’s wedding celebration will feature a performance by Matteo Bocelli, the son of opera singer Andrea Bocelli, Reuters reported.
The wedding began its “multi-day celebration” Thursday and is expected to last until Saturday, costing the billionaire tech mogul and his soon-to-be wife tens of millions of dollars, according to multiple outlets.
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who has spoken out against protesters demonstrating against the wedding, told Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera the wedding “will have economic repercussions worth millions of euros for our city.”
Protests by locals, who are upset with overtourism and Bezos’ links to President Donald Trump, have threatened to disrupt the wedding, and sources told Reuters the threat of protests prompted Bezos to move a wedding party from a central nightlife area to the more secluded Arsenale, which is surrounded by water and impossible to reach by land when bridges are raised.
Forbes has reached out to Bezos for comment.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.
How Many Wedding Celebrations Are Jeff Bezos And Lauren Sánchez Planning?
Festivities kicked off Thursday night, after many of Bezos and Sánchez’s celebrity guests arrived, with a party at the Madonna dell’Orto, a 14th-century cathedral, CNN reported. Guests appear to be adhering to strict social media rules, CNN reported, as some of the most social media-savvy guests, like the Kardashians, have not posted any pictures from inside the venue. After Friday’s wedding ceremony, celebrations are expected to conclude with a wedding reception Saturday at the Arsenale, a shipyard and armory that is now the site of an annual Venetian cultural festival. The Saturday reception was initially set to take place at the Scuola Grande Della Misericordia, a 14th-century building, but the event was moved because of concerns over protests, the Wall Street Journal reported, though protests are still planned for the new location. Reuters reported Lady Gaga and Elton John may perform at Saturday’s party, though The Hollywood Reporter said this week Gaga was not asked to perform. Bezos and Sánchez first appeared in Venice on Wednesday, where they had dinner at the home of billionaire Barry Diller and his wife, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, the New York Times reported.
Who Is Protesting The Wedding And Why?
Some locals in Venice, which has dealt with overtourism that has strained the city’s infrastructure and services for years, have staged protests under the name “No Space for Bezos” over concerns the wedding’s scale will worsen some of the issues created by excessive tourist crowds, with more demonstrations planned to disrupt this week’s festivities. Protesters are planning a march on Saturday, according to posts by the “No Space for Bezos” group on Instagram, which will start at the Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia train station, located roughly 1.5 miles away from the Arsenale venue. The group has already held multiple demonstrations. On Monday, the Greenpeace environmental activist organization joined “No Space for Bezos” in Venice’s St. Mark’s Square, unveiling a banner with Bezos’ face that read: “IF YOU CAN RENT VENICE FOR YOUR WEDDING YOU CAN PAY MORE TAX.” Police quickly took the banner away, the Associated Press reported. They previously hoisted a banner that says “Bezos” with an “X” through it on the San Giorgio Maggiore church’s bell tower. Federica Toninelli, a Venetian activist with “No Space for Bezos,” told Reuters the wedding is also a “symbol of the exploitation of the city by outsiders.” Protesters have threatened to block access to canals and city streets in an effort to block wedding attendees from reaching party venues in the city, according to Variety. Oliviero Cassarà, a lead organizer and activist, said in a statement “No Space for Bezos” has zero issue with Americans or people getting married in Venice, instead criticizing Bezos for his links to Trump and blasting the president’s controversial trade policies. “Bezos supported Trump economically and politically and is consequently co-responsible for this drift against us Italian and European citizens,” Cassarà said. Brugnaro has spoken out against the protesters and tried to reassure them the city is capable of handling the event, citing its hosting of the Venice Film Festival and G7 Summit. Brugnaro said he was “ashamed of those who behave like this,” Variety reported.
How Many People Are Attending The Wedding And Who Is On The Guest List?
Venice officials have said the guest list for Bezos and Sánchez’s wedding is limited to 200 people. On Tuesday afternoon, Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner, who were rumored to attend, were photographed arriving in Venice. Other celebrities so far spotted in Venice for the festivities include Kylie and Kendall Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brady, Gayle King, Orlando Bloom, Leonardo DiCaprio and Sydney Sweeney. Investor Michael Kives has also been seen in Venice in addition to Dolce & Gabbana founder and billionaire Domenico Dolce and Queen Rania of Jordan, wife of the country’s King Abdullah II. Bezos invited President Donald Trump to the wedding, the Journal reported, though Trump will not make the trip due to scheduling conflicts.
How Much Will The Wedding Cost?
Multiple reports have said the wedding will predictably cost millions of dollars. Reuters reported an estimated total cost of $46.5 million to $55.6 million. The Journal reported a luxury wedding with 200 guests such as Bezos’ costs about $4 million, citing Jamie Simon, director of events at luxury planning firm Banana Split, which organized the multiday wedding between Sofia Richie Grainge and Atlantic Records CEO Elliot Grainge in 2023.
Who Is Organizing The Bezos-Sánchez Wedding?
The Journal reported Lanza & Baucina, a London-based group that planned George and Amal Clooney’s 2014 wedding in Venice, has been hired by Bezos and Sánchez. A representative for the group told the Journal its principles and the instructions of Bezos call for the “minimizing of any disruption to the city, the respect for its residents and institutions and the overwhelming employment of locals in the crafting of the events.” The 2014 wedding had a generally positive perception, with locals lauding Clooney for his consideration and respect for Venice. Cassará even compared Bezos to Clooney in his statement, saying Bezos “is not George Clooney with his romantic aura.”
Forbes Valuation
We estimate Bezos’ net worth at $234.9 billion as of Friday, making him the fourth-wealthiest person in the world behind Mark Zuckerberg ($252.1 billion), Larry Ellison ($256.1 billion) and Elon Musk ($410.1 billion).
Key Background
Bezos and Sánchez met almost 10 years ago and began making public appearances together around 2019, when the two began dating. They became engaged in 2023 aboard the Koru superyacht, with Bezos offering Sánchez a 30-carat cushion cut pink diamond set in platinum, according to Vanity Fair.
Further Reading
Venice Residents Protest Entry Fee For Tourists Amid Concerns City Will Turn Into A ‘Theme Park’ (Forbes)
