Bezos and Sanchez to exchange wedding vows in star-studded Venice party
Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, will exchange rings on the small island of San Giorgio, opposite St Mark's Square, accompanied by singing from Matteo Bocelli, son of the famous Italian pop-opera tenor Andrea Bocelli.
The ceremony will have no legal status under Italian law, a senior city hall official told Reuters, suggesting that the couple may have already legally wed in the United States, avoiding the bureaucracy associated with an Italian marriage.
The festivities, estimated to cost around $50 million, culminate on Saturday with a party in a former medieval shipyard where Lady Gaga and Elton John are reportedly set to perform.
Bill Gates, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, the queen of Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner and Kim and Khloe Kardashian as well as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner and Domenico Dolce from Dolce & Gabbana are among the 200-250 guests.
Amid tight security, there have been glimpses of the celebrities moving around town, the women in summer dresses and high heels stepping somewhat gingerly off boats ferrying them around the city's canals.
Celebrations began on Thursday evening in the cloisters of Madonna dell'Orto, a medieval church in the central district of Cannaregio that hosts masterpieces by 16th-century painter Tintoretto.
"This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories," the bride and groom said on their wedding invitation, in which they asked for "no gifts" and pledged charity donations for three Venetian institutions.
Their donations are worth 3 million euros ($3.5 million).
Businesses have welcomed the glitz and glamour but it is being resisted by a local protest movement whose members resent what they see as Venice being gift-wrapped for ultra-rich outsiders. Bezos is No. 4 on Forbes' billionaires list.
Giulia Cacopardo, a 28-year-old representative of the "No Space for Bezos" movement, complained that the needs of ordinary people were being neglected in a city that is a tourist magnet and fast depopulating largely due to the soaring cost of living. Venice's city centre has less than 50,000 residents, compared to almost 100,000 in the late 1970s.
"When you empty a city of its inhabitants, you can turn it into a stage for big events," Cacopardo told Reuters. "(But) the money that Bezos spends on this wedding does not end up in the pockets of Venetians. The owners of luxury hotels are not Venetians."
Cacopardo was one of 30-40 activists who staged a protest in St Mark's Square on Thursday, chanting "We are the 99%" as a masked couple posed as bride and groom and one man climbed a pole to unfurl a banner reading "The 1% ruins the world".
Police intervened, forcibly removing the protesters.
The anti-Bezos front is planning a march on Saturday, and their activities have already led authorities to step up security and move the location of Saturday's party to a more secluded part of Venice, the Arsenale former shipyard.
But politicians, hoteliers and other Venice residents are happy about the wedding, saying that such events do more to support the local economy than the multitudes of day-trippers who normally overrun the city.
"We are happy and honoured to welcome Jeff Bezos and his consort Lauren Sanchez," said Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who sent white roses to the bride and a maxi-bottle of Amarone luxury red wine to the groom.
Italy's Tourism Ministry said it carried out a study estimating at 957 million euros ($1.12 billion) the overall economic impact of the wedding, including an 896 million euro benefit from "media visibility", and the rest coming from direct or indirect spending related to the event.
Bezos, Amazon's executive chair, got engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to MacKenzie Scott.
($1 = 0.8545 euros)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
40 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Christian Bale and his glamorous wife join Erling Haarland and his girlfriend at the star-studded Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda fashion show
Christian Bale and Erling Haarland looked classically handsome as they brought their partners to the Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda fashion show on Monday. Batman actor Christian, 51, cut a dapper figure as he arrived at Foro Romano in a black two-piece suit which he layered over a black T-shirt. He looked happier than ever as he linked arms with Sibi Blažić, his wife of 24 years, at the luxury fashion event. Sibi looked sensational as she slipped into a little black dress which featured intricate black sleeves. The long-time couple met through actress Winona Ryder while she and Christian were working on Little Women in 1994 and Sibi was Winona's assistant at the time. The two hit it if off, eloped to Las Vegas in 2000 and welcomed their two children, daughter Emmeline in 2005 and son James in 2014. Meanwhile Erling was seen attending the show alongside girlfriend Isabel Haugseng Johansen. Premier League striker Erling arrived in a tailored white two-piece suit which he layered over a crisp white shirt. He finished his striking ensemble with a pair of brown suede loafers and a pair of bold black sunglasses. Isabel looked sensational as she stepped out in a nude sheer wrap dress which she layered over gold shorts and a matching bra. She added inches to her frame and slipped into a pair of gold stilettos and accessorised with a gold clutch. Elsewhere Isabella Rossellini commanded attention in a black cape gown which was embellished with intricate floral designs. Francesca Fagnani looked classically chic in a little black dress which she paired with a set of towering leopard print stilettos. Edward Enninful cut a sophisticated look in a navy blue two-piece suit which he layered over a pale blue shirt. Anna Wintour also stepped out to the star-studded event as she arrived in a white wrapped trench coat which featured a red rose design Skye Hankey put on a very leggy display for the event as she slipped into a black mini dress which was adorned with an intricate pearl design. Lady Kitty Spencer turned heads as she arrived in a regal olive dress which featured a colourful floral design. Anna Wintour also stepped out to the star-studded event as she arrived in a white wrapped trench coat which featured a red rose design. In her usual classic style, Anna accessorised with a pair of large black sunglasses and slipped into a pair of cream strappy heels.
Daily Mail
40 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Kourtney Kardashian shares images from daughter Penelope's lavish 13th birthday party in Italy
Kourtney Kardashian celebrated her eldest child Penelope Disick's 13th birthday on July 8 in Lake Como. And on Sunday, she shared a group of photos from the newly minted teenager's party. She gushed over her daughter in the comments and most assuredly made Penelope's eyes roll when she called her 'the coooolessssst.' 'My little lady is 13,' the Poosh founder's caption began. 'Being her mommy is one of the greatest things I have ever done. 'She inspires me to be a better person every day. I won't ever have the words for how much joy and love she brings to my life. She is the cooooolessssst,' Kourtney, 46, wrote. The first photo of Penelope featured her in a highlighter yellow top and shorts with a cow print handbag over one shoulder. The second photo was a scenic shot of the lake beyond some buildings. In the third photo, Penelope wore a black-and-white striped top with a long, pink skirt. She sat in a window seat and had a Fendi baguette handbag over one shoulder. The fourth slide in Kourtney's post was a loop of Penelope sitting at a table with her loved ones blowing out the candles on her chocolate cake. The rest of the post revealed pink and white balloons, 13 balloons and a video of fireworks over the lake. The former Keeping Up With The Kardashians personality shares Penelope, as well as Mason, 15, and Reign, 10, with ex-boyfriend Scott Disick. She took to Instagram last week to highlight the special occasion and express her gratitude for motherhood. 'My daughter is 13 today,' she wrote over a photo of a floor covered in balloons. 'My heart is exploding with gratitude and love for her.' Kardashian didn't specify exactly where they traveled, but scenic photos resembled Lake Como in Italy. 'I am so indescribably grateful for my sweet girl,' Kardashian wrote over a photo of a balcony view. 'She inspires me every day to be a better person.' The mother-of-four, who also shares toddler Rocky with husband Travis Barker, also noted the trip was extra special for a sentimental reason. 'My parents spent their honeymoon here 47 years ago, so special to get to bring my daughter here,' she typed over another image featuring a Riviera. It comes one month after Kourtney used social media to share that she was 'crying bc my baby girl is done with 6th grade.' Last year Penelope celebrated her birthday by going on a three-day getaway with her friends. Taking to Instagram afterward, Kourtney posted photos from the soiree and wrote in the caption, '9 girls (and a baby), 2 moms (shoutout @natalie5382), 3 days of casual, perfectly slowed down beach days to celebrate my little lady. 'Toe rings, sound baths, night swims, painting bikini boxes, frozen bananas, mamma mia and lots of frank ocean forever.'
Daily Mail
43 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Who is Joe Rogan's VERY private wife Jessica Ditzel as the podcaster's family are seen enjoying mega-yacht vacation
While his bond with US President Donald Trump seems to be fraying, Joe Rogan 's relationship with his wife of 15 years, Jessica Ditzel, is still going strong. While the controversial podcast host of The Joe Rogan Experience is known for his divisive opinions - and publicly sharing them on multiple platforms - his wife is the opposite. Ditzel, 49, is known as a very private person - she rarely makes appearances at events and doesn't have any public social media accounts. Sharing her stance on privacy in her Instagram bio, it states: 'Anonymity is underrated.' The former model was spotted over the weekend with her husband and two youngest daughters on a super yacht, with Rogan and Ditzel looking loved up in exclusive pictures obtained by Daily Mail. The media mogul, 57, who is known for his UFC commentating and has cultivated a large MAGA following, was seen on board the OKTO, a 218-foot vessel, off the coast of Venice on Saturday. The massive 2014-vintage yacht (and its 16-member crew) costs between $561,000 to $642,000 a week to charter. The luxurious OKTO boasts a huge infinity pool on the main deck, jacuzzi, cinema, gym, helipad and five staterooms for 10 guests. With Ditzel spotted on board enjoying some time with Rogan, FEMAIL takes a look at their relationship and what is known about the mysterious wife of the podcast host. Who is Jessica Ditzel? Ditzel was born in Sugar Land, Texas. She then went on to complete a bachelor's degree in arts and technical theatre at California State University, per Sportskeeda. She later attended the University of Arizona where she got a degree in phycology and molecular biology. The blonde beauty has worked as a model as well as several sources reporting she previously worked as a product analyst. But she was working as a cocktail waitress at a bar in Los Angeles when she first met Rogan in 2001. The couple married in 2009 despite Rogan previously saying that he is against marriage. 'I had to [marry her],' Rogan told the Palm Beach Post in July 2009. 'Not really had to, but you know, she made a baby. [It's] like, "God, all right, I'll sign a silly legal contract." What she did was way more of a commitment.' Rogan has spoken about his wife several times, telling comedian Andrew Schultz earlier in the year that he and his wife don't hold back in their conversations. 'If she wants to talk about something, she'll bring it up,' he explained on his podcast. 'Like if she wants to talk about something heavy, it's not like I wouldn't talk about something heavy with her, but generally like I come home from work, she's been with the kids she's doing this and that, we eat dinner, we have fun, "How was school?," have a good time, maybe we'll watch a little Severance together,' he added. The couple share three daughters Ditzel has a daughter from a previous relationship, Kayja Rose, who was born in 1996. After Kayja's biological father, whom several publications have reported was Keven 'Dino' Conner of the R&B group H-Town, died in a car accident in 2003, with Rogan adopting Kayja in 2009. Rogan spoke to host Rosie O'Donnell on a January 2012 episode of The Rosie Show, describing his adopted daughter was not just his child but also 'like his friend.' 'I've worked really hard on making sure we talk to each other as openly as possible, even about boys, weird stuff she feels uncomfortable talking about, it's really important that I have conversations with her where she never feels like she's out of the loop,' he explained at the time. The couple also share Lola, 17, and Rosy, 14. The family now live in Lake Austin, Texas. Rogan describes his wife as 'dedicated' and 'kind' While the media personality doesn't talk about his family that often, he has shared small details of his life at home throughout the years. In 2015, he told Rolling Stone that Ditzel lets him do 'whatever I do,' which is part of why their relationship is successful. 'That's how we get along well. She doesn't f*** with me. A prenup? Of course. I'm ridiculous and dumb, but I'm not stupid,' Rogan added. Rogan appeared on the Lex Fridman Podcast in 2022, where he described his wife as 'really nice.' 'You wanna be with someone who's like genuinely kind,' he said passionately. 'That's one of the things that I really love about my wife,' the UFC color commentator added. 'She is a dedicated disciplined person. She is also really nice. That's one of the things I like the most about her.' He added his advice for couples is to 'find someone you can grow with,' and with whom you share the same values. 'You don't wanna be with someone who makes excuses, you don't wanna be with someone who's lazy,' Rogan listed as examples. Rogan has also described Ditzel as 'fun' and as someone who is 'always smiling.' 'She's happy, she's a happy person,' Rogan told Fridman. 'She's happy to be around - that's the kind of people you could have in your life as friends, as coworkers, as lovers, as wives and husbands. When you find those people, your life is better.' Ditzel and Rogan moved around together before settling in Texas Ditzel and Rogan currently live in Austin, Texas, after moving from Bell Canyon, California in 2020. Rogan has previously said that California's strict COVID-19 restrictions were partly why they made the move to Texas. 'Everything's shut down, everything's staying shut down,' he recalled of the pandemic in California,' per 'All my friends that were in the restaurant industry were struggling.' Rogan gushed about his new city in a 2023 episode of the Oil and Whiskey podcast, describing it as 'cool as hell.' 'Austin is a f***ing great town! The people are cool as hell, the food's amazing, and it's a great live music scene,' he said enthusiastically. 'It's just a great place to live and for comedians.' The couple were living in Gold Hill, Colorado, before they tied the knot, and had plans to move Denver before Ditzel found out she was pregnant in 2008. 'I was there for four months. We planned on living there for a year, then maybe permanently,' Rogan said in an episode of his podcast, per Newsweek. 'But, along the way, my wife got pregnant and we were at 8,500 feet above sea level. And it was just, it's brutal.' Rogan and Ditzel's $14.4 million family mansion on Lake Austin is also where he records his highly-successful podcast. The couple purchased the home in 2020, with the 4-acre property comes with 300 feet of Lake Austin frontage, according to the original listing. The 11,000-square-foot mansion was built in 2008 and offers eight bedrooms and 10 baths.
