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Venice, Italy — One of the most talked-about weddings of the decade unfolded this week in the floating city of Venice, where billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Emmy-winning journalist and former news anchor Lauren Sánchez officially tied the knot in a spectacle equal parts Hollywood fantasy and lightning rod for criticism.
The high-profile couple, who have captivated tabloids and financial headlines alike since confirming their relationship in 2019, brought global attention to Venice with a three-day-long Venetian extravaganza culminating in a wedding ceremony that is estimated to have cost approximately $55 million. While fans of the couple admired the glamour and romance of the occasion, local residents and activist groups raised sharp critiques of what they say is the city’s increasing transformation into a playground for the global elite — and a stage for excess in a world burdened by inequality.
Originally planned for the historic Scuola Vecchia della Misericordia, the wedding schedule underwent multiple revisions in the face of growing protests and logistical concerns. The main event was ultimately moved to the Venetian Arsenal, a secure and semi-isolated complex accessible only by water. Organizers cited both safety concerns and crowd control due to the presence of high-profile guests, including Oprah Winfrey, Barbra Streisand, Kim Kardashian, Mick Jagger, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Ivanka Trump. Security was especially tight amid rising global tensions linked to the Iran–Israel conflict.
The couple’s celebrations included opulent themed parties such as a Great Gatsby-inspired gala, a foam party, and an intimate pajama soirée. Sánchez, known for her bold fashion choices, reportedly arrived in Venice with 27 carefully curated outfits for the wedding week. Guests were transported in luxury water taxis across the lagoon, while the city’s most exclusive hotels — including the Cipriani, Danieli, and Aman Venice — were entirely booked out. Sources confirmed that more than 90 private jets had landed nearby, ferrying in an estimated 250 VIP guests from across the world.
Bezos and Sánchez’s romance has been anything but low profile. The Amazon founder proposed in 2023 with a 30-carat cushion-cut pink diamond reportedly worth about $5 million. Their engagement celebrations included a party aboard Bezos’s $500 million yacht, Koru, off the Amalfi Coast, and a follow-up bash in Beverly Hills hosted by billionaire Barry Diller and designer Diane von Furstenberg.
While the lavishness of the events was undeniable, so too was the wave of public backlash. Activist collectives — including “No Space for Bezos” — took to the streets and canals in protest well before the wedding began. Demonstrators unfurled large banners from landmarks like the Rialto Bridge and the San Giorgio bell tower, accusing the city and event organizers of turning Venice into a backdrop for the ultra-rich. The movement also threatened symbolic protests, including flooding areas around wedding venues with inflatable crocodiles as a commentary on what they described as the artificiality and danger of extreme wealth in an environmentally fragile city.
“Venice is being treated like a movie set,” one protester told local press. “What about the people who live here? What about the impact of this spectacle on a city already drowning in tourism, climate change, and inequality?”
Critics were particularly vocal about the $55 million price tag attached to the wedding, arguing that such a sum could have been directed to causes like global hunger, climate change mitigation, or pandemic recovery efforts. “To spend this much on a single event — no matter how personal — while much of the world suffers, is an indictment of global priorities,” said a spokesperson from a local humanitarian NGO.
Despite the controversy, moments of awe were not lost on the couple. In a candid and now-viral moment, Jeff Bezos, while boarding a sleek wooden boat with Sánchez, turned to a nearby journalist and marveled, “This city seems impossible! It can’t exist… and yet, here it is!” The comment, delivered with wide-eyed wonder, captured both the surreal beauty of Venice and, ironically, the contradiction many feel about hosting such a lavish celebration in a city so precariously balanced between preservation and collapse. For some, the quote felt like poetic appreciation; for others, a metaphor for wealth’s ability to exist beyond logic or consequence.
Still, the couple attempted to address the tension with a 2 million euro donation to fund research into the preservation of the Venetian lagoon — an ecologically delicate area long threatened by rising sea levels, overtourism, and erosion. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro praised the gesture and described the wedding as an economic boost, estimating that it could generate up to 48 million euros for the city. “This event is bringing international attention, jobs, and income to Venice,” Brugnaro said. “In difficult times, it’s important to also celebrate moments of love and joy.”
But for many residents and activists, the economic benefits don’t outweigh the symbolism. The contrast between unimaginable wealth and growing global inequity cast a shadow over the glittering festivities. While the event may indeed be a “once-in-a-lifetime” celebration for Bezos and Sánchez, for others, it was a stark reminder of the widening gap between the haves and the have-nots.
As gondolas floated quietly past paparazzi-packed docks and guests toasted with vintage champagne, banners in protest waved silently from rooftops: “Venice is not for sale.”