Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, have officially begun their opulent three-day wedding celebration in Venice, with VIPs zipping through the city by speedboat on Thursday. Simultaneously, protesters demonstrated in St Mark’s Square.
Among the high-profile guests, US reality TV personalities Kim and Khloe Kardashian were photographed boarding water taxis in stilettos, followed by US talk show host Oprah Winfrey in an all-white ensemble, including comfortable trainers.
Tech magnate Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, have reportedly invited approximately 200 guests to their multi-million dollar nuptials. The festivities are expected to commence with an open-air soiree in the cloisters of the 14th-century Madonna dell’Orto church. Sanchez, who arrived with Bezos on Wednesday, was seen wearing a black dress adorned with silver sequins, one of an alleged 27 outfits she plans to wear during the celebrations.
Local Opposition Mounts as Wedding Proceedings Unfold
Protesters, chanting “we are the 1%!”, gathered in St Mark’s Square, accusing authorities of pandering to the super-rich while the city struggles with overtourism. As police dispersed the demonstration, Veneto’s Regional President Luca Zaia announced that the couple had increased their donation to the city from one million euros to three million euros (approximately $1.7 to $3.5 million).
Wedding guests and their bodyguards were observed navigating the lagoon in speedboats, closely trailed by paparazzi in boats rented at exorbitant prices by the world’s media. Guests spotted so far include US football player Tom Brady, Ivanka Trump (daughter of US President Donald Trump), and American fashion designer Spencer Antle.
Wedding Ceremony Details Emerge Amidst Environmental Concerns
Bezos and former news anchor and entertainment reporter Sanchez are reportedly staying at the Aman hotel, a luxurious 16th-century palazzo on the Grand Canal offering views of the Rialto bridge. According to Italian media reports, they are set to exchange vows on Friday during a black-tie ceremony on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. The wedding itself is expected to take place in a vast open-air amphitheater on the island, which sits directly across from St Mark’s Square. Reports indicate that the newlyweds will then be serenaded by Matteo Bocelli, the son of famed opera singer Andrea Bocelli.
The celebrations are reportedly scheduled to conclude on Saturday with a party at the Arsenale, a sprawling shipyard complex dating back to Venice’s era as a naval powerhouse.
While some locals argue that the influx of A-list guests and their entourages brings positive business, with the city’s famed luxury hotels fully booked, and potentially inspires others to marry in Venice, critics have accused billionaire Bezos of using the UNESCO site as his personal playground. Environmental activists have also highlighted the carbon footprint generated by the mega yachts and dozens of private jets transporting the wealthy and famous to the canal city. American tourist Christine Baker, 51, expressed her view to AFP, calling it “an excessive display of wealth and greed.” She added, “I understand why people are upset.”
