The highly anticipated multi-day wedding celebration for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former TV journalist Lauren Sánchez is underway in Venice, Italy, drawing a constellation of global power players and Hollywood elite. However, the lavish event, reportedly costing upwards of $7 million to $10 million, has also ignited significant controversy and widespread protests, highlighting deep divisions within the historic city over wealth, tourism, and social inequality.
A Lavish Affair in the Lagoon City
Venice, a UNESCO World Heritage site already grappling with the impacts of excessive tourism, is playing host to what some are calling the “wedding of the century.” The festivities are expected to span multiple days, with guests arriving via private jets and moored superyachts. High-profile attendees, reportedly numbering around 200, are believed to be staying in several of Venice’s most luxurious hotels, including the exclusive Aman Venice and The St. Regis.
While precise details are closely guarded, the celebrations are rumored to involve diverse events across the city. The couple was reportedly set to exchange vows on Friday, June 27th, at the San Giorgio Maggiore basilica on the island of the same name. The main wedding reception, or “big party,” was initially planned for the Scuola Grande della Misericordia but has since been reported to be moved to the fortified Arsenale complex.
The guest list reportedly features a mix of high-profile figures from business, entertainment, and politics. Confirmed or reported arrivals include Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, as well as Josh Kushner and his wife Karlie Kloss. Speculated attendees range from A-list celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, Katy Perry, Oprah Winfrey, Mick Jagger, and Elton John to figures like Bill Gates and Queen Rania of Jordan. Sánchez’s recent space travel companions and friends from her Paris bachelorette party are also rumored guests, including Kris Jenner, Eva Longoria, and Tony Gonzalez, the father of her son Nikko.
Protests and the “Crocodile Initiative”
While the wedding guests enjoy Venice’s famed beauty and luxury, the event has become a lightning rod for various activist groups. A coalition including “No Space for Bezos,” Greenpeace Italy, and “Everyone Hates Elon” has voiced strong opposition, arguing that the wedding embodies billionaire excess that exacerbates Venice’s problems with over-tourism, a local housing crisis, and environmental impact. They see the event as turning the vulnerable city into a “playground for the rich” and advocate for increased taxation on the ultra-wealthy.
Protests have taken various forms across the city. Banners reading “If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax” have appeared in St. Mark’s Square, and posters depicting Bezos’s head on a rocket have been displayed. Activists initially threatened to disrupt canal access to wedding venues using boats and even inflatable crocodiles – an action quickly dubbed the “crocodile initiative.”
Venue Change: Protests or Security?
Amidst the planned disruptions, reports emerged that the location for the main wedding reception was changed from the central Scuola Grande della Misericordia to the more secluded and fortified Arsenale. Activist groups, particularly “No Space for Bezos,” have claimed this venue change as a significant “victory,” believing their threat of protests, specifically the potential blockade with inflatable crocodiles, forced the move to avoid negative publicity.
However, local press reports have also cited security concerns as a primary reason for the switch. With high-profile guests like Ivanka Trump in attendance and heightened geopolitical tensions globally, authorities are reportedly implementing increased security measures across Venice. The Arsenale, being a walled complex, offers a more controlled environment.
Following the reported venue change, activist groups like “No Space for Bezos” have altered their plans, shifting from physical obstruction to a “strong, decisive protest, but peaceful” march, demonstrating their vision for the city under the banner “no Bezos, no war.”
Divided City: Locals and Officials React
The arrival of Bezos and Sánchez and their high-profile event has visibly divided opinions among Venetians and officials. Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro has publicly defended hosting the wedding, stating the city is capable of managing large events like the Film Festival or G7 Summit and that the wedding would bring manageable numbers (around 200 guests) and revenue without significant disruption. He has also reportedly expressed shame towards protesters, suggesting they are simply envious and oppose those who “bring riches” to the city. Bezos himself is reportedly planning a €1 million charitable donation towards studying the Venice lagoon system.
Yet, some residents express annoyance at security measures and logistical impacts, while others echo the protesters’ concerns about wealth disparity and the strain such events place on local infrastructure and identity. The contrast between the lavish wedding and the daily struggles of Venice residents highlights the ongoing debate about the city’s future amidst the pressures of global tourism and concentrated wealth.
As the multi-day celebration unfolds, the Bezos-Sánchez wedding in Venice continues to be more than just a private event; it’s a public spectacle intertwining luxury, celebrity, protest, and the complex challenges facing one of the world’s most unique cities.
