Venice Buzzes with Excitement as Jeff Bezos’ Lavish Wedding Unfolds
As Bezos and Sánchez prep for “I do” in Venice, the city’s canals are teeming with paparazzi, protesters, and pastries, because nothing says love like a unicorn float and a €30,000 cake.
Venice, the timeless cradle of romance, is abuzz with anticipation and intrigue as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos prepares to marry fiancée Lauren Sánchez in a wedding spectacle set to captivate the world. Scheduled to culminate this Saturday, June 28, the multi-day extravaganza has transformed this iconic city into a glittering stage, promising an economic boon while sparking protests and wild speculation about A-list guests and secret venues.
The city’s luxury hotels, reminiscent of HBO’s White Lotus, including the understated Aman and the opulent Danieli, are fully booked, with Venice’s Marco Polo Airport gearing up for up to 100 private jets and air taxis. Paparazzi are on high alert, chasing rumors of attendees like Oprah, a Kardashian or two, and Ivanka Trump, spotted Tuesday in a Venice water taxi after a culinary detour to Modena. Local artisans, glassblowers, mask makers, and bakers, are raking in euros, with City Hall projecting a low eight-figure economic windfall, helped by a $1 million donation to local research and preservation groups. The buzz is electric, with whispers of nondisclosure agreements adding a layer of mystery to the 200-250 guest affair.
Yet, the excitement is tempered by controversy. Protesters, including Greenpeace and the Britain-based group Everyone Hates Elon, have branded the event a symbol of elite excess, unfurling a giant laughing Bezos banner in St. Mark’s Square Monday with the taunt: “If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax.”
Their “No Space for Bezos” campaign, featuring banners on the Rialto Bridge, has rallied eco-activists, left-wing demonstrators, and overtourism critics against what they see as a One Percent takeover. Plans to disrupt Saturday’s original venue, the historic Misericordia, with canal-jumping antics involving inflatable flamingos and unicorns were thwarted this week when the location shifted to a more secure spot in the Arsenale complex, used for the Biennale and high-security summits. Protesters celebrate this as a “victory,” vowing a less invasive march instead.
The new venue remains a guarded secret, though an underground network of cleaners and caterers has tipped off demonstrators to the Arsenale’s secluded area. Wedding planners Lanza & Baucina dismissed “takeover” rumors, insisting the event minimizes impact with 30 of 250 water taxis booked, proportionate to the guest list, and prioritizes local workers. City officials and business owners defend the event, citing past Venetian blowouts like the 2011 Bollywood “Wedding of the Century” for 800 guests or George Clooney’s 2014 nuptials, which drew no such ire. Councillor Simone Venturini questions the selective outrage, noting the couple will legally wed in the U.S., using Venice for celebrations, as reported by the Washington Post.
Bezos, 61, and Sánchez, 55, have fueled excitement with images from their 417-foot yacht Koru, anchored off Croatia, where a recent “foam party” was captured by People magazine. The $20-30 million event, including five hotel bookings, has Governor Luca Zaia of Veneto welcoming Bezos with “open arms,” highlighting the $18 billion tourism industry’s reliance on such spectacles. Yet, tensions persist, with activists targeting Bezos as a symbol of anti-labor wealth, equating him with Donald Trump, while bakers like Antonio Rosa Salva at the 1879-founded Rosa Salva bakery see a lifeline in the 200 gift boxes ordered.
As mysterious activity hints at venues like Madonna dell’Orto Church or San Giorgio Maggiore, where black gazebos and metal detectors appeared, the city braces for a weekend of glamour and protest. With temperatures nearing 90°F, the drama promises to heat up, testing a new Italian security law and showcasing Venice as both a wedding haven and a battleground of ideals.