What We Know About Venice Extravaganza

Key Facts

Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.

Where Will Jeff Bezos And Lauren Sánchez’s Wedding Take Place?

Bezos and Sánchez are reportedly getting married on a Venetian island, according to the Journal. The geography of the small city is spread out across over 110 small islands, with the historical center taking up approximately two square miles. However, a spokesperson for Brugnaro told CNN in March the wedding will take place on Bezos’ $500 million superyacht known as the Koru. The Koru is a 417-foot sailing yacht, the second-largest of its kind in the world, meaning it would need to be anchored away from Venice’s Grand Canal due to its size. Conversely, “No Space for Bezos,” a local group protesting the event, has said the wedding will take place in the historic Church of the Abbey of Misericordia, according to the BBC.

Who Is Protesting The Wedding And Why?

Some locals in Venice, which has dealt with overtourism that has strained the city’s infrastructure and services for years, will protest the wedding over concerns its scale will worsen some of the issues created by excessive tourist crowds. Activists have organized a “No Space for Bezos” campaign opposing the wedding, posting banners and stickers throughout the city. Federica Toninelli, a Venetian activist with “No Space for Bezos,” told Reuters the wedding is also a “symbol of the exploitation of the city by outsiders.” Protesters have threatened to block access to canals and city streets in an effort to block wedding attendees from reaching party venues in the city, according to Variety. Oliviero Cassarà, a lead organizer and activist, said in a statement “No Space for Bezos” has zero issue with Americans or people getting married in Venice, instead criticizing Bezos for his links to Trump and blasting the president’s controversial trade policies. “Bezos supported Trump economically and politically and is consequently co- responsible for this drift against us Italian and European citizens,” Cassarà said. Brugnaro has spoken out against the protesters and tried to reassure them the city is capable of handling the event, citing its hosting of the Venice Film Festival and G7 Summit. Brugnaro said he was “ashamed of those who behave like this,” Variety reported. Protest organizers have criticized Brugnaro, insisting demonstrations will be peaceful.

How Many People Are Attending The Wedding And Who Is On The Guest List?

Venice officials have said the guest list for Bezos and Sánchez’s wedding is limited to 200 people. It is not known for certain who will be attending the wedding, but TMZ reported a handful of celebrities received invites including Eva Longoria, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Jewel Kilcher, noting Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, in addition to Karlie Kloss and husband Joshua Kushner also made the list. Many people on the purported list, such as Longoria and Perry, are friends with Bezos and/or Sánchez. Guests who attended Sánchez’s bachelorette party in Paris in May included Jenner, Kardashian, Perry, Longoria, entrepreneur Elsa Marie Collins, philanthropist Natasha Poonawalla and Fox Sports host Charissa Thompson.

When Is The Wedding?

The wedding will take place from June 24 to June 26, CNN reported, citing Brugnaro’s spokesperson, though some reports have claimed a June 26 to June 29 celebration.

How Much Will The Wedding Cost?

Multiple reports have said the wedding will predictably cost millions of dollars. The Journal reported a luxury wedding with 200 guests such as Bezos’ costs about $4 million, citing Jamie Simon, director of events at luxury planning firm Banana Split, which organized the multiday wedding between Sofia Richie Grainge and Atlantic Records CEO Elliot Grainge in 2023.

Who Is Organizing The Bezos-Sánchez Wedding?

The Journal reported Lanza & Baucina, a London-based group that planned George and Amal Clooney’s 2014 wedding in Venice, has been hired by Bezos and Sánchez. A representative for the group told the Journal its principles and the instructions of Bezos call for the “minimizing of any disruption to the city, the respect for its residents and institutions and the overwhelming employment of locals in the crafting of the events.”

Forbes Valuation

We estimate Bezos’ net worth at $225 billion as of Friday, making him the fourth-wealthiest person in the world behind Mark Zuckerberg ($236.5 billion), Larry Ellison ($251.9 billion) and Elon Musk ($407.4 billion),

Key Background

Bezos and Sánchez met almost ten years ago and began making public appearances together around 2019, when the two began dating. They became engaged in 2023 aboard the Koru superyacht, with Bezos offering Sánchez a 30-carat cushion cut pink diamond set in platinum, according to Vanity Fair. The couple’s upcoming wedding in Venice is not unprecedented, as the floating city also hosted the wedding of George and Amal Clooney in 2014, when the two tied the knot at the Venice Town Hall. The wedding had a generally positive perception, with locals lauding Clooney for his consideration and respect for Venice. Cassará even compared Bezos to Clooney in his statement, saying Bezos “is not George Clooney with his romantic aura.”

Further Reading

Venice Residents Protest Entry Fee For Tourists Amid Concerns City Will Turn Into A ‘Theme Park’ (Forbes)