Lauren Sanchez’s dazzling $100,000 pre-wedding dress has been described as ‘a performance piece’, hinting at the lavish $46 million wedding with technology billionaire Jeff Bezos that is yet to occur, according to fashion experts.

Industry insiders have shared with FEMAIL the deeper significance of the former journalist’s eye-catching corset gown from Schiaparelli’s 2025 haute couture collection, as she and her Amazon founder fiancé, 61, are poised to exchange vows in Venice today.

Just yesterday, the 55-year-old bride made an appearance at their star-studded rehearsal dinner wearing a sparkling outfit designed by Daniel Roseberry and named ‘Icarus.’

The figure-hugging frock was embroidered with designs of swirling vines and florals in blue, green, and gold tones that were set against a champagne fabric. 

Celebrity stylist Rochelle White said the piece was a way for Lauren to reflect her ‘unapologetic and extravagant’ personality. 

‘It wasn’t sublet or muted, but bold and pretty daring,’ she explained. ‘I feel that she knew all eyes would be on her and this could be a tease of what is to come.

‘I am getting high fashion vibes from this piece, alongside good craftsmanship mixed with elegance. I feel that this could divide opinions on it within the fashion community and it be either loved or loathed.’

The expert added that as Lauren is well aware that the world is watching, her ensembles are of course going to be ‘statement conversation pieces’. 

Meanwhile fashion consultant Lisa Talbot described the stunning gown as the ‘perfect editorial balance’ which reflected the weekend’s ‘opulent Italian vibes’. 

‘This look strikes the perfect editorial balance, regal yet body-conscious, dramatic without being overdone,’ she remarked.

Lisa said the pro’s of the gown were the ‘sculptural neckline and luxe embroidery align beautifully with Venice’s glamour’.

She added: ‘The cinched waist delivers a red‑carpet worthy silhouette and high fashion drama. Cohesive styling, from hair to heels feels meticulously curated.’ 

However, Lisa however there was a con to the striking gown, saying: ‘The corset’s rigidity, while visually impactful, may have been slightly cumbersome understatement was minimal. This is statement dressing to the core, which might overshadow subtler surroundings.’

She concluded: ‘Lauren’s fully leaned into the weekend’s opulent Italian vibes, showcasing one of Schiaparelli’s most sculptural and Instagram‑ready looks yet. 

‘It’s a couture curtain‑raiser worthy of the pre‑wedding buzz, elegant, daring, and utterly unforgettable.’

Meanwhile the scale of the nuptial do means it’s been dubbed the ‘wedding of a century’ by some, with the couple having invited some 200 guests for a three-day celebration. 

However, despite the opulence and extravagance of the event, it has not been all smooth sailing so far, and the couple has already faced a number of issues.

Many are unhappy about Bezos and Sanchez choosing Venice at the location for the wedding, and the run-up to the festivities has been beset by protests, carried out by anti-capitalist and environmental advocates.

Elsewhere, there is a potential issue with the venue, which includes the fabulous 15th Century Madonna dell Orto church in Venice’s quaint Cannargio district. The structure, however, is undergoing some maintenance; meaning that what guests will first see when they arrive is the historic bell tower covered in scaffolding. 

Meanwhile, Bezos and Sanchez themselves have not even been the only couple at the centre of headlines, as Orlando Bloom’s break-up with Katy Perry – and subsequent appearance at the event – has attracted scandal of its own. 

Despite some $46 million reportedly spent on the festivities, a two-year engagement, and a guest list crammed with A-listers, it appears Bezos and Sanchez have already suffered a number of disasters during their multi-day nuptial celebrations.

For one, a freak thunderstorm during a pre-wedding party on Thursday night left guests soaked and forced to cower under umbrellas. 

The event, held at the Madonna dell Orto cloisters marked the start of the billionaire couple’s lavish wedding in Venice, Italy, which will come to a close on Saturday. 

However, all kicked off to a poor start, after heavy downpour and intense lightning storms lefts attendees drenched.

The couple’s A-list guests like Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner were forced to take cover from the rain, forcing last night’s star-studded soiree into an early close.

Meanwhile Lauren was surrounded by tuxedo-clad gentleman carrying blue umbrellas over her as she carefully stepped on to her awaiting boat. The TV personality wore a striking off-the-shoulder dress with a dramatic gold corset cinching in her already tiny waist.

Jeff – who popped the question in 2023 with a $3 million engagement ring – was seen following closely behind Lauren with an umbrella over his head.

Guests were seen diving for cover under the vaulted cloisters as lightning ‘bolts flashed across the sky and thunder rumbled overhead at the end of what was a torridly humid day with temperatures nudging 96.8° Fahrenheit.

They then dashed for water taxis which had been called for a good 45 minutes ahead of the midnight finish time. The strong gusts of winds whipped table cloths away and sent waiters scurrying for umbrellas to protect the VIP attendees.

‘It just goes to show you can have all the money in the world but you can’t control the weather – although an Italian saying says a wet bride is a happy and lucky bride’ commented one onlooker.

In footage obtained by DailyMail.com, Lauren appeared to be in high spirits despite the rain ending their soiree early.

Once inside the water taxi, she was seen sharing a laugh with her soon-to-be groom as the downpour intensified.

Another major setback threatening the glamorous event has been protests against the couple holding their wedding in the historic Italian city.

Tensions have been brewing over the past week as locals and protest groups object to the $46 million Venice nuptials due to fears it will ‘take over the city’.

The couple have already been forced to change one of the venues due to ‘rising global tensions’, but as news of protests continued to threaten the wedding, the couple still found themselves mired in controversy.

Around 20 activists were seen on Thursday holding placards in St Mark’s Square, the iconic heart of Venice, with some trying to climb a post. An extinction rebellion flag was waved, and some protestors held signs reading ‘we are the 99 per cent we have the power’.

Another campaigner clutched onto a placard saying ‘the planet burns’ in Italian while they were forcibly carried away by police.

It is speculated that Jeff, Lauren and the wedding’s planners will do everything to keep their V.VIP guests – including Bill Gates, Jordan’s Queen Rania, Kim Kardashian and Ivanka Trump – safe. 

The luxurious event has continued to attract huge controversy, with protests planned by angry locals. A team of former US marines have already been hired to provide security for the event by Bezos, which is due to take place over three days.

Local newspaper Il Gazzettino already stated that the days leading up to the wedding would be ‘tension filled’ and the move to the venue was due to it being ‘easier to control’ as large scale protests are expected.

But they also added ‘the winds of war and rising global tensions between the US and Iran’ were also being taken into consideration – there is a large American airbase at Aviano just 50 miles away.

Bezos and Sanchez were forced to move their final day of lavish celebrations that was set to culminate at the Scuola Grande della Misericordia. They are instead taking place at the Arsenale, which is further out from the city – a move which is an ‘enormous victory’ for Campaign group No Space for Bezos, they said.

Tommaso Cacciari from the group told the BBC: ‘We are very proud of this! We are nobodies, we have no money, nothing! We’re just citizens who started organising and we managed to move one of the most powerful people in the world – all the billionaires – out of the city’.

Meanwhile on Monday Greenpeace activists unfurled a huge banner in St Mark’s Square, the iconic heart of Venice protesting against the wedding. It showed an image of Bezos face and the slogan: ‘If you can rent Venice for your wedding then you can pay more tax’.

Activists from British group ‘Everyone Hates Elon’ were also involved and said they had carried it out to highlight the ‘environmental and social injustice of the wedding’.

‘Bezos encapsulates an economic and social model which is steering us towards collapse’ said one protester.

‘All too often now social injustice travels on an equal par with the climate, on one side the arrogance of a few billionaires who have a lifestyle that devastates the planet, the other people who suffer daily from the environment crisis’.

The official planners of one of the biggest weddings to ever exist, Lanza & Baucina Limited, have dismissed the protests and insisted they have taken every precaution required.

They said in a statement: ‘As event organisers who have been working in Venice for over 24 years, we feel obliged to set the record straight given the misinformation, untruths and misunderstandings circulating about the Bezos wedding.

‘From the outset, instructions from our client and our own guiding principles were abundantly clear: the minimising 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’.