Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his former television journalist fiancée Lauren Sánchez are preparing to tie the knot in a lavish Italian wedding later this month. With its yacht parties, gondola rides, and first-rate Venetian luxury, the high-profile wedding is attracting interest from all over the world. On the other hand, the lavish wedding is also drawing criticism from the residents of Venice.
The wedding celebrations of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are expected to run for several days in Venice, Italy, from June 24 to 26.
The couple decided to get hitched in Venice after being engaged in May 2023. The wedding is expected to take place on board Bezos’s $500 million superyacht, Koru, which is anchored in the Venetian lagoon, however the precise location has not yet been disclosed.
Large vessels, like Bezos’s yacht, which weighs 3,493 gross tons, are prohibited from entering the Grand Canal or approaching historic sites like St. Mark’s Square in Venice due to stringent regulations. Though unconfirmed, there are also rumours that the wedding might take place in a renovated outdoor theatre on a nearby Venetian island.
Several prestigious Venetian vendors have been contracted to provide services for the lavish wedding. According to sources, decorative components will be provided by a local design studio that is renowned for its handblown Murano glass. A variety of classic Venetian delicacies will be prepared by Rosa Salva, Venice’s oldest pastry shop, as per reports.
Made with Veneto cornmeal, lemon zest, and raisins, these treats include the buttery bussola biscuit and zaletti cookies.
According to The Times, London-based event company Lanza & Baucina has been tasked with creating the wedding’s décor. The company has a reputation of handling high-profile events, especially in Venice.
Hundreds of high-profile guests are anticipated to attend the wedding between June 23 and 28. The entire island of San Giorgio, which is situated right across from St. Mark’s Square, is anticipated to be filled with festivities. Italian media reported the Jeff Bezos wedding party has already reserved almost all of the area’s upscale hotels and water taxis.
Despite garnering international attention for its magnificence, the city’s festivities have angered many Venetians. The potential disruption the wedding may cause in the city has led to protests by local activists in Venice against Bezos. Locals fear that a private celebration of this magnitude could put a burden on the city’s infrastructure and possibly force the closure of some areas of the historic city.
The head of the nearby Veneto region, Luca Zaia, referred to the protests as a disgrace. “I want Jeff Bezos to be welcomed with open arms in Venice. Protesting against those who bring visibility and wealth to our territory is, in my opinion, a disgrace,” he said.
Luigi Brugnaro, the mayor of Venice, expressed his optimism that Bezos and Sanchez would not be deterred from their intentions by the protests “We will have to apologize to Bezos. I am ashamed of those who behave like this. I hope that Bezos comes anyway. Not all Venetians think like these protesters,” he told reporters in Venice on Friday
Bezos, 61, has an estimated net worth of $220.9 billion, making him the third richest person in the world. The founder Amazon is also the owner of Blue Origin, an aerospace company that just launched a group of women into space.
Bezos and Sánchez, 55, have both been married before. Preston The former and his ex-wife Mackenzie Scott shares four children together during their 1993–2019 marriage. From 2005 until 2019, Sánchez was wed to Patrick Whitesell. They have a daughter named Ella Whitesell and son Evan Whitesell, who is enrolled at the University of Miami. In addition, Sánchez and her former partner, football player Tony Gonzalez, are parents to Nikko Gonzalez, who was born in 2001.