Jeff Bezos and lauren Sánchez Celebrate Venice Wedding Amidst Extravagance and Protests

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, 61, and journalist Lauren Sánchez, 55, celebrated their marriage with a ceremony in venice, Italy, on Friday, June 27, 2025. The lavish, three-day wedding extravaganza, held on the island of San Giorgio in front of St. Mark’s Square, attracted a host of celebrity guests but also sparked protests from local activists concerned about wealth disparity and the impact on the city.

A Star-Studded Venice Wedding

the ceremony featured a performance by matteo Bocelli, son of famed tenor Andrea Bocelli. While the ceremony was a symbolic exchange of vows, it reportedly lacked legal validity under Italian law. Sources indicate the couple had already legally married in the United States and signed a prenuptial agreement.

The wedding festivities, estimated to cost nearly 50 million euros, culminated on Saturday with a party at a former medieval shipyard, with performances expected from Lady Gaga and Elton John. The guest list included prominent figures such as Bill Gates, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, Queen Rania of Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana of Dolce & Gabbana.

despite tight security, celebrities were seen navigating the city’s canals, adding to the spectacle of the event. The celebrations began Thursday night at the Madonna Dell’Orto cloister, a medieval church in Cannaregio known for its Tintoretto masterpieces. The couple expressed their gratitude in the wedding invitation,requesting guests to make donations to three Venetian institutions in lieu of gifts,pledging approximately three million euros themselves.

did You Know? Venice’s population has dwindled from nearly 100,000 in the late 1970s to less than 50,000 in the city center today, largely due to rising living costs.

Local Protests and Mixed Reactions

While the wedding brought glamour and excitement to Venice, it also faced resistance from local activists who resent the city being used as a playground for the ultra-rich. Jeff Bezos is currently ranked fourth on the Forbes’ list of wealthiest individuals.

Giulia Cacopardo, a representative of the “No Space For Bezos” movement, voiced concerns that the needs of ordinary residents are being neglected in a city struggling with mass tourism and a declining population. she criticized that the money spent on the wedding would not benefit local Venetians, as luxury hotels are often owned by non-residents. Cacopardo was among the activists who protested in St. Mark’s Square, chanting slogans and displaying banners highlighting wealth inequality.

Police intervened to remove the protesters. The Frente Anti-Bezos planned a march on Saturday, prompting increased security measures and