Billionaire Jeff Bezos is set to marry journalist Lauren Sanchez in Venice this weekend.
The couple has been together since 2019 after the Amazon founder’s divorce from Mackenzie Scott. Bezos and Sanchez became engaged in 2023.
The extravagant affair, which kicked off on Thursday and will continue through Saturday, brings swaths of guests from Hollywood and Silicon Valley alike. But the nuptials have also been met with hostility as locals protest the event’s takeover of the Italian island.
Here’s what to know about the flashy wedding.
Bezos invites Trump
Bezos extended a wedding invitation to President Trump, who he has courted in recent months, the Wall Street Journal reported this week.
The billionaire, also the founder of space company Blue Origin and owner of The Washington Post, has gotten closer with the president over the last several months after he spiked The Post’s endorsement of Trump’s 2024 rival and donated millions to his inauguration festivities.
The alienation of former adviser Elon Musk, who owns SpaceX, from the White House also created an opening for Bezos to further strengthen his relationship with Trump.
Although the Journal reported that Trump is not attending the wedding, his daughter Ivanka Trump is with her husband Jared Kushner and their children.
Celebrities descend on Venice
The three-day bash also boasts a star-studded guest list, including actors, moguls and athletes.
Ninety private jets are expected to fly over Venice over the course of the weekend, according to the Associated Press.
Of the expected 200 or so guests, confirmed attendees include Queen Rania of Jordan, Tom Brady, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom and Mick Jagger.
Fellow tech titan Bill Gates as well as fashion icon Diane von Furstenberg and her husband Barry Diller will also attend.
Activists protest overtourism, prompt venue change
Several local organizations have voiced their opposition to the wedding and influx of high-profile figures in the city.
Venice, a tourist hotspot which recently instituted a fee for day-trippers, comes as locals warn of high housing prices and flooding caused by climate change, the AP reported.
Several groups, including Extinction Rebellion and Greenpeace, have hosted ‘No Space for Bezos’ protests at the St. Mark’s Square and at other popular spots through the city, against the wedding. On Monday, protesters branded a large poster with a photo of Bezos and the words, “If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more [taxes].”
There were also demonstrations planned to disrupt guests as they arrived at venues throughout the weekend. But due to security concerns, wedding organizers changed the initial wedding venue to a more secure one in a less busy area.
Instead, protesters will now gather on Saturday evening at Piazzale della Stazione in the city.
Venetian authorities have condemned the demonstrations. Luigi Brugnaro, the mayor, said he is happy that Bezos is getting married in Venice as it promotes tourism, but warned that cities are hurting the city’s reputation.
“We will always respect the right to speak out, but we reject every form of intolerance and prejudice,” he said in Thursday’s edition of Italian newspaper Il Foglio Quotidiano. “No one in Venice can claim the right of deciding who can enter, who can love, who can celebrate.”
Nuptials costs millions
The days-long celebration is estimated to cost between $46 and $56 million, per the AP.
Bezos, the world’s third richest person, specifically requested no gifts from guests, but said donations will be sent to local organizations supporting the preservation of Venice.
“Donations on your behalf are being made to UNESCO Venice Office to safeguard the city’s irreplaceable cultural heritage, to Corila to restore the vital lagoon habitats that protect Venice’s future, and to Venice International University to support research and education for sustainable solutions,” the invitation reads.
