The Italian city of Venice has been inundated with celebrities as billionaire Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sánchez kicked off celebrations for their multi-million dollar wedding.
Dozens of private jets and yachts delivered celebrities, athletes and influencers to the City of Canals on Thursday for the world’s fourth richest man and his former journalist fiancée’s reported $50 million extravaganza.
On the guest list were Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Ivanka Trump, Tom Brady and Orlando Bloom who were seen getting into water taxis for the start of what promised to be a high-octane three-day celebration.
Details of the event have been shrouded in secrecy, but rumours of world-famous performers, exclusive venues and lavish decorations are all thought to have pushed up the final cost.
Local media have reported the couple will hold a ceremony Friday on San Giorgio island, across the lagoon basin from St Mark’s Square.
But not everyone is celebrating. Local activists, housing advocates and environmental groups have denounced the nupitals as a symbol of inequality and over-tourism in a city already strained by climate change and rising sea levels.
Protests by the movement dubbed “No Space for Bezos” – a nod to both the billionaire’s space exploration company Blue Origin and Sánchez’s own recent space journey – included Greenpeace unfurling banners in St Mark’s Square and demonstators floating a bald-headed Bezos-inspired mannequin down a Venice canal on top of an Amazon delivery box, its hands clenching fake cash in the canals.
When Amazon CEO, Bezos used to shun the limelight, frequently delegating announcements and business updates to his executives. He has a net worth of $231 billion (£168 billion), according to Forbes.
In 2019, he announced he was divorcing his first wife, MacKenzie Scott, just before the National Enquirer published a story about an affair with Sánchez, a former TV news anchor. Sánchez filed for divorce the day after Bezos’ divorce was finalised.
Bezos stepped down as CEO in 2021, saying he wished to spend more time on side projects, including Blue Origin, The Washington Post, which he owns, and his philanthropic initiatives.
Last week, a Venetian environmental research association issued a statement saying Bezos’ Earth Fund was supporting its work with an “important donation.” CORILA, which seeks protection of the Venetian lagoon system, said contact began in April, well before any protests.
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