The high-profile wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former TV journalist Lauren Sánchez takes place in Venice this week.
Since their engagement in May 2023, the couple, 61 and 55 respectively, have dominated headlines and there has been plenty of speculation about the date, location and the guest list for their extravagant nuptials.
Already compared to 2024’s lavish Ambani wedding, here’s everything we know about this week’s event – which has been described as the “wedding of the century”.
When is the wedding?
The wedding will take place from 24-26 June, though some reports have claimed it could be from 26-29 June.
Where is it taking place?
Venice, Italy. Otherwise, hard to say.
Some outlets are reporting that the couple are getting married on the private island of San Giorgio Maggiore.
Conversely, a spokesperson for Luigi Brugnaro, the mayor of Venice, told CNN in March that the wedding will take place on Bezos’ $500 million, 417-foot superyacht – known as the Koru.
Then the “No Space For Bezos”, a local group protesting the event, said the wedding will take place in the historic Scuola Grande della Misericordia, a 14th century charity building. The location previously played host to a papal conclave in 1799, as well as a G7 summit in 1987.
How many people are attending?
Venice officials have said the guest list for Bezos and Sánchez’s wedding is limited to 200 people.
Which celebrities are showing up?
Hard to be sure, but TMZ reported that celebrities on the guest list include Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, as well as Sánchez’s fellow space travellers Katy Perry and Gayle King.
Other Hollywood heavyweights could include Leonardo DiCaprio and Eva Longoria, while there are rumours Mick Jagger will also be in attendance. Jordan’s Queen Rania will officially make this a “royal wedding”.
Guests who attended Sánchez’s bachelorette party in Paris in May included Jenner, Kardashian, Perry, Eva Longoria, philanthropist Natasha Poonawalla and Fox Sports host Charissa Thompson.
Any entertainment?
Word is that Elton John and Lady Gaga have been asked to perform. No confirmation.
Who is organising?
London-based group Lanza & Baucina, which also planned George and Amal Clooney’s 2014 wedding in Venice.
What will the bride wear?
Anna Wintour has reportedly been helping out. She recommended Sánchez wear an Oscar de la Renta gown to the Met Gala, so there’s every chance we’ll see more of that. Plus, the couple has been spotted at the Dolce & Gabbana store in Milan, so it’s likely the brand’s designs will make an appearance.
Whatever the brands, Sánchez has a rumoured 27 outfit changes for the three-day nuptials.
Where are the couple staying?
Bezos and Sánchez are rumoured to be staying at the Aman, on the Grand Canal – the same location where the Clooneys were married. Rooms range from more than $3,000 to $32,000 nightly.
According to Italian media, five of Venice’s most luxurious hotels have been booked for the guests.
What’s the price tag for this extravaganza?
The couple is said to be spending between $7million – $10 million for the three days. Maybe more.
According to Forbes’ estimates, Bezos’ net worth is at $225 billion – making him the fourth-wealthiest person in the world behind Elon Musk ($407.4 billion), Larry Ellison ($251.9 billion) and Mark Zuckerberg ($236.5 billion).
So, $10 million won’t dent the budget too much.
Why the protests?
Venice has always had to deal with overtourism, which strains the city’s infrastructure. The “No Space For Bezos” activists are protesting the wedding as they fear the sheer scale of the event will exacerbate the issues created by an excess of tourism.
Furthermore, the wedding is seen as a way for the city to be exploited by the ultra-rich, without care or consideration for the locals.
It hasn’t helped that many guests are flying into Venice on private jets, and therefore racking up a significant carbon footprint, and that Bezos has reportedly reserved a fleet of gondolas and water taxis.
Banners and stickers have been plastered throughout the city, and protesters are threatening to block access to the canals and streets. All in a peaceful way, they stressed.
Oliviero Cassarà, a lead organizer and activist, said in a statement that “No Space For Bezos” has zero issue with Americans or people getting married in Venice. However, Cassarà said: “Bezos supported Trump economically and politically and is consequently co- responsible for this drift against us Italian and European citizens.”
While protesters state that they do not have an issue with the marriage itself, the common feeling is that the famously sinking city is being privatized and exploited.
How have the protests been met?
The mayor of Venice has tried to reassure protesters and stated that Venice is capable of hosting the event. He cited the Venice Film Festival and G7 Summit as examples. Brugnaro also said he was “ashamed of those who behave like this,” Variety reported – in reference to the protesters.
However, the Bezos nuptials continue to be compared by the majority to the aforementioned Ambani wedding, which was widely described as an “affront” to Mumbai residents living in poverty.
One thing’s for sure: Venice will be brought to a standstill this week and when the world’s fourth richest man comes to town, the concerns of many are outweighed by the mega-wallets of the few.