Venice has just witnessed a romantic “wedding of the century” of billionaire Jeff Bezos and former journalist Lauren Sánchez. Under the bright afternoon sun, the two walked together, exchanging lifelong vows when entering a new journey. At the same time, the “floating city” Venice has been witnessing prominent social slices around this series of million-dollar events.

A fairytale, lavish and private wedding
On June 26, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez kicked off a series of wedding receptions with a reception at a closed monastery next to the Madonna dell’Orto church. The event welcomed more than 200 guests including many famous and powerful figures from politics, finance, media, and entertainment such as the Kardashian family – Jenner, Bill Gates, Karlie Kloss, Oprah Winfrey, Ivanka Trump, Usher, Leonardo DiCaprio… In order to increase security, Venice City Hall has issued a decree prohibiting pedestrians and waterways from entering the area around the venue from late afternoon to midnight. Information and photos about the event are also strictly controlled when guests are asked not to use social networks.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez left the hotel for a pre-wedding reception in Venice (Italy).
The main wedding ceremony took place on June 27 on the private island of San Giorgio Maggiore. Matteo Bocelli, the son of famous tenor artist Andrea Bocelli, opened the party with the melody of the love song “Can’t Help Falling in Love”. In the sun-drenched garden, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez walked hand in hand to the hall. They exchanged rings and vowed for life, writing a satisfying ending to their four-year journey together.

After that, Lauren Sánchez officially changed her Instagram name to Lauren Sánchez Bezos. She shared her first photo with Jeff with the caption “06/27/2025”, marking the beginning of a new married life. In an interview before the proposal, Lauren once shared: “I am very happy to be getting married and to spend my whole life with my best friend, someone who always watches me, admires me, someone I admire. I am the luckiest woman on the planet.”
The family and friends of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez were in full attendance, witnessing the couple’s big moment.
On the big day, Lauren Sánchez wore a fishtail wedding dress exclusively designed by Dolce & Gabbana, which required more than 900 hours of work by skilled workers. The dress is corset-shaped, high-necked, lace-covered with 180 chiffon silk-coated buttons running along the front. The design was inspired by the high-necked lace wedding dress that Sophia Loren wore when she married Cary Grant in the movie “Houseboat” (1958). Jeff Bezos’ fiancée also wore a pair of Dolce & Gabbana diamond earrings, as traditionally, wearing borrowed items would bring good luck to the bride.

Lively and liberal sleeping party
Following the lavish wedding ceremony, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez held a Dolce Notte post-wedding party on June 28 that lasted until early the next morning. Coming to the nightclub, the guests chose unique pajamas, bathrobes, or personality outfits instead of evening dresses. They enjoyed dinner together, danced to music, and danced at the Arsenal of Venice complex. This is a historical site, once home to shipyards and armory, which is now used as a cultural venue for the Venice Biennale Art Exhibition. The party was originally planned to take place in the 700-year-old Scuola Vecchia della Misericordia, but the venue was changed due to security concerns.
Lauren Sánchez is gorgeous in a pastel pink Atelier Versace dress, hand-embroidered with Swarovski crystals in rose gold, bronze and gold.
In addition, the guests also received gifts from the newlyweds. Male guests will receive a pair of Venetian blue velvet slippers from Vibi Venezia, while female guests will receive a pair of luxurious open-toed black slippers from Amazon. Lauren Sánchez said the spirit of this gift represents the intersection between her and Jeff Bezos, and that they are also part of their personal lives.
The guests continued to attend the third party at the Arsenal of Venice.
Promoting or repelling Venetian culture?
The “wedding of the century” and the influence of the Jeff Bezos – Lauren Sánchez couple sparked a series of protests with the slogan “No Space for Bezos”. Protesters fear the negative effects of Venice’s world heritage site becoming a playground for the super-rich. Above all, the complicated relationship between Jeff Bezos and US President Donald Trump is invisible, making the wedding tinged with politics, different from ordinary entertainment events.

However, businesses and politicians in Venice welcomed the lavish wedding of the Amazon billionaire, in contrast to the wave of public protests. Italian Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè said the three-day event, estimated to cost tens of millions of euros, would boost Venice’s economy by up to 957 million euros (more than US$1.1 billion). The figure is based on a research data by the Italian Ministry of Tourism, which is expected to account for 68% of Venice’s annual tourism revenue.
Billionaire Jeff Bezos travels to the wedding ceremony area in San Giorgio by boat.
More than 80% of the wedding services are sourced from local manufacturers such as Rosa Salva Venezia – a 155-year-old pastry shop, Laguna B – Murano glassware factory. Not only that, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez asked the guests to not give wedding gifts. Instead, the pair took the name of the guests to donate 3 million euros ($3.5 million) to three environmental research organizations working to preserve Venice: UNESCO’s Venice office, the Corila research program on the Venice lagoon and the International University of Venice.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez support environmental and educational organizations that make efforts to preserve Venice.
This shows the honor and preservation of Venetian culture of both, and expresses gratitude to the city for welcoming them and the guests. “Venice is a place that has given us unforgettable memories. We hope that through your contributions and presence, this magical city will continue to inspire generations to come,” the couple shared in the wedding invitation.

The 72-hour wedding of Jeff Bezos – Lauren Sánchez has become the focus of the media last week. “Silent” parties attract attention not only because of their stature and luxury, but also because of the noise around them. The billionaire’s “wedding of the century” has become a symbolic war between the super-rich and the community of residents who are trying to preserve their local identity and the right to own their living space. Will the $1.1 billion from the wedding appease public opinion, create a prosperous signal to restore the city, or is it just a “free and innocent” figure in the face of the pressures that Venice and its people are experiencing?