Tech billionaire and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is all set to marry former journalist Lauren Sanchez on Friday, June 27, in Venice, Italy.
The high-profile wedding, expected to be a star-studded affair, has drawn global attention and is estimated to cost around USD 55 million, according to the President of the Veneto region, which includes Venice.
The three-day celebration began on June 26 and will conclude on June 28 with a grand reception following the wedding ceremony. The event has turned Venice into a temporary fortress, with strict security and restricted access in place to ensure privacy for the couple and their celebrity guests.
Organisers have stated that the wedding is being conducted with full respect for the local community and infrastructure. However, environmental activists and residents have raised concerns, saying the event adds pressure to a city already overwhelmed by over-tourism.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez head to pre-wedding party in Venice, Italy.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) June 27, 2025
Their wedding is set to cost upwards of $50 million with guests including Ivanka Trump, Kim Kardashian and Orlando Bloom.
Source: Extra TV pic.twitter.com/aHhd8vFk0Z
Venice receives over 30 million visitors every year, and many fear that such a lavish gathering of 200 to 250 VIPs will worsen the situation.
Several prominent figures have already arrived in the city to attend the wedding. Sightings have included Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, actor Orlando Bloom, and Queen Rania of Jordan. They are expected to be joined by other celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kris Jenner, and Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, who were seen enjoying pre-wedding festivities earlier in the week.
Life-size mannequins of billionaire Jeff Bezos have popped up throughout Venice in protest of his multi-day wedding to Lauren Sanchez. https://t.co/w3nkKJjdm0 pic.twitter.com/UHsszwCYwi
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 26, 2025
While the star power of the guest list has drawn admiration, the wedding invitation has attracted criticism on social media. A leaked image of the invite circulated online and was widely mocked for its design.
Jeff Bezos, currently the world’s third-richest person with a net worth of \$231 billion according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, began dating Lauren Sanchez in 2019. The couple announced their engagement in 2023.
Although Venice has previously hosted high-profile weddings, such as George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin in 2014 and Indian billionaires Vinita Agarwal and Muqit Teja in 2011, the attention and debate surrounding Bezos and Sanchez’s wedding have made it stand out.
As the final day of celebrations approaches, Venice continues to remain in the global spotlight, attracting both glamour and criticism.
