Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez face growing backlash over wedding extravaganza

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

With a $20million budget, the most high-profile of A-list guests and the backdrop of one of the most beautiful cities in the world, the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez was one of the most highly anticipated events of the year.
But now that the sun has finally set on the three-day extravaganza - dubbed the 'wedding of the century' - it appears the nuptials have left a sour taste.
Even before they arrived, protests by Venetian locals accusing the Amazon founder, 61, and his journalist bride, 55, of 'taking over the city' had suggested the wedding would not be as smooth sailing as had been hoped for.
When Charlize Theron gave an eviscerating takedown of the nuptials referencing the politics and the 'backwards' handling, she appeared to sum up the growing backlash towards the couple.
While A-listers had flocked to the Italian city - including the likes of the Kardashian sisters, Sydney Sweeney and Orlando Bloom - there were some notable no-shows, such as Sanchez's long-time best friend Eva Longoria.
And one of the most famous faces present - climate change warrior Leonardo DiCaprio - seemed to want to hide completely underneath a baseball cap following backlash at his attendance.
Even the non-controversial details, from Lauren's dress to the choice of carpet at the ceremony, are now being scrutinised.
Accused of ripping off royal wedding dresses
It was the wedding of the year, complete with yachts, billionaires, and a bride who wanted to feel, in her own words, 'like a princess.'
But has Lauren Sánchez done more than feel like royalty? Has she borrowed, or even copied, the style of Britain's very own royal sisters, Kate and Pippa Middleton?
Sánchez walked down the aisle in Venice dressed in an opulent Dolce & Gabbana lace gown featuring a high-necked silhouette adorned with 180 silk chiffon-covered priest buttons and a tulle-and-lace veil.
The Italian couture gown ticked all the boxes of a fairytale princess fantasy, delicate lace, a modest yet alluring high neckline, long sleeves, and a cinched waist.
More than just classic elegance, Lauren Sánchez's bridal look was very familiar, because over a decade ago, all eyes were on another woman in lace, Kate Middleton.
When the Princess of Wales married Prince William in 2011 her gown designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen featured a regal high neck, hand-sewn lace overlay, and timeless silhouette.
Fast forward to 2025, and Lauren's gown displayed more than a passing resemblance. Her choice of Dolce & Gabbana might have been different in name, but in spirit? It's a royal twin.
Sánchez's gown similarly featured a high, scalloped lace neckline that swept elegantly across the collarbone, almost identical to Kate's wedding dress.
The long lace sleeves also mirrored Middleton's, a shift away from the modern, strapless silhouette she tends to favour for red carpets, towards a demure, refined and timeless creation which was unmistakably reminiscent of Westminster Abbey on that April morning in 2011.
Both gowns were crafted from rich, intricate, floral lace that covered the bodice and sleeves with delicate precision.
Kate's lace was handmade by the Royal School of Needlework, and while Lauren's version may hail from Milan, the effect was strikingly similar, feminine, sophisticated, and steeped in traditional bridal grandeur.
Highlighting the waist in dramatic fashion, Kate's McQueen gown featured a structured corset bodice that nipped in tightly, enhancing her already slender frame.
Lauren, not to be outdone, had her Dolce and Gabbana dress tailored to give her the same regal hourglass figure. It's the kind of tailoring that whispers couture and shouts look at me.
When it comes to the skirt, this is where things take a twist. Because while the upper half of Lauren's gown is pure Kate, the lower half veers cheekily into Pippa territory.
Who could forget the moment Pippa Middleton walked into Westminster Abbey behind her sister, in that now-iconic ivory satin Alexander McQueen bridesmaid gown. The dress hugged her curves so perfectly it even sparked fan pages dedicated to her derriere.
Well, it seems Lauren didn't forget either. Her bridal gown featured a similarly figure-hugging lower half, a tailored silhouette that clung to her hips and bottom, before flaring out gently into a soft train.
Not just flattering, it's a nod to the woman who stole the show at a royal wedding without even trying.
Lauren's dress is an homage to the Middleton wedding aesthetic, borrowing heavily from Kate's iconic look but updated with the figure flattering silhouette of Pippa's famous bridesmaid frock.
It also echoed Pippa Middleton's own 2017 wedding gown, designed by British couturier Giles Deacon which was crafted from bespoke lace, featuring a high neckline and an elegant, fitted bodice, blending the same romantic lacework as Lauren.
It doesn't stop at the dress, even Lauren's soft bridal waves and natural makeup echoed Kate's fresh-faced wedding day beauty look. And just like the British royal, Lauren kept jewellery to a minimum, letting the gown shine.
In an interview with Vogue, Lauren shared, 'I want something that evokes a moment,' a statement that now seems laced with a double meaning. She also revealed that the dress was tailored meticulously to fit her 'perfectly,' a detail that created Pippa-inspired curves.
Royal wedding gowns have long set trends that ripple across bridal fashion for years. Kate's dress itself was a nod to Grace Kelly, and Lauren looked to Sophia Loren for her bridal look.
Both 1950s screen goddesses with an effortless elegance, while Grace was the epitome of cool sophistication, Sophia brought Mediterranean sensuality to Hollywood with her hourglass figure.
Grace and Sophia shared a taste for Old Hollywood glamour, favouring silhouettes that celebrated the female form, without ever revealing too much. Modesty, it seems, was part of their magnetism, summing up the Middleton sisters and something Lauren Sánchez borrowed for her big day.
Eva Longoria's no-show
Although there were more than 200 guests present at the lavish nuptials - from A-listers to tech moguls - there was one very noticeable absence.
Eva Longoria, who has been friends with Sanchez for more than 20 years - and even attended the former journalist's Paris bachelorette party earlier this year - was one of the celebrities who did not end up attending the wedding.
Longoria was instead photographed on a beach in Spain (one of the countries her family splits its time in) just a few days prior to the wedding, and fans assumed she would be heading over to the festivities afterwards.
But, while Sanchez and Bezos were saying 'I do,' Longoria not only wasn't in attendance but she was also reposting Instagram Reels of people discussing mass deportations occurring in the U.S. and how the government is targeting Latino communities.
The actress is currently busy filming the third installment of her CNN series Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain.
Even so, Longoria's lack of attendance comes as a surprise as she was gushing over the bride at her bachelorette party.
'I had to pop in and out, so I wasn't there as long,' she told People after the party.
'But yeah, it's so nice to celebrate love. It's just the best feeling in the world to be there and go, "Yay, love."'
Longoria and Sanchez both have Mexican roots, something the actress emphasized when once ironically saying, 'In the Mexican culture, we never miss a baptism, a birthday, a baby shower, a wedding shower, a wedding.
'You must show up. Otherwise, you'll be in big trouble.'
DailyMail.com contacted Eva's representatives for comment at the time.
But Eva wasn't the only no show among Sanchez's inner circle because Katy Perry, who was also in attendance at her bachelorette party, was another absentee - while Orlando Bloom, from whom she's rumoured to have split - was spotted partying it up in the company of Kim Kardashian.
And Kourtney Kardashian was also a no-show despite her famous siblings attending, instead spending the weekend with her husband Travis Barker and their children.
Leonardo DiCaprio's face covering
He was one of the best-known A-listers attending the Bezos-Sanchez wedding - but Leonardo DiCaprio clearly wanted to stay under the radar.
Departing Venice on Sunday morning following Saturday night's final party, Leo attempted to keep a low profile by covering his face throughout his journey to the airport.
Climbing into the waiting Venetian water taxi, he hid beneath his trademark low sitting baseball cap and for extra concealment, pulled up his hooded jumper over his head.
On Friday night, the Oscar winner, 50, was also mocked for wearing a low sitting baseball cap in another attempt to go incognito.
He has received some backlash for attending, due to his pro-climate change stance.
In 2014, he made a speech in front of the United Nations about climate change after marching with 400,000 others on the streets of New York.
In 2021, he hoped his Netflix film Don't Look Up, inspired by world leaders' failures to take action, would be a 'wake-up call' about climate change.
The self-proclaimed climate change warrior jetted to Venice - alongside a fleet of high-profile guests on carbon-emitting private planes - for the Amazon tycoon.
One fan wrote: 'Leo's giving baby elephant' while a second typed: 'The way Leo is wearing that hat is beyond parody.'
Others typed: 'Leo trying to hide because he's embarrassed to been seen there or what?
'What a sellout. Youre a climate activist you say, Leo?'
Leo has previously come under fire for his use of gas-guzzling private jets.
In 2016, he was ridiculed for an 8,000 mile trip via private jet from Europe to New York City to accept an award for his environmental activism.
DiCaprio attended the event with current girlfriend and supermodel Vittoria Ceretti, 27, whom he has been dating for two years.
The carpet
People were left baffled at the 'industrial' grey carpet in a snap shared by newlywed Lauren on Instagram
Bezos - the world's second richest person - and the former journalist exchanged vows in front of nearly 200 VIPs on San Giorgio Maggiore island on Friday.
The bride, 55, took to Instagram moments after saying 'I do' to share a snap of her and Jeff together, which she captioned with the date.
In the photo, the couple beamed from ear to ear, with Jeff wrapping his arm lovingly around her waist.
Lauren showed off her stunning wedding dress in the image, which contained lacy, floral sleeves, a tight bodice, high neckline, long flowing skirt with an enormous train, and buttons down the front.
Her new husband, 61, for his part, donned a chic black tuxedo.
But while much of the attention focused on Lauren's wedding dress, others were left baffled after spotting the carpet, which was dubbed 'industrial'.
One person wrote: 'Everybody's talking abt the outfits but can we talk abt the millennial grey hellscape carpet pls? $50M and they chose to look like your local HR Block went overboard for Mother's Day?'
Another said: 'I need to know why Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez chose to get married on a grey office carpet'
People joked that the couple had 'saved' on the red carpet after splashing out on the rings and wedding ceremony
A third noted the carpet was also rather impractical, and said it would be impossible for 'walking in heels', while another said the carpet choice made the venue so dark that they 'didn't even clock it was an outdoor wedding.'
Others joked that the couple had 'saved' on the red carpet after splashing out on the rings and wedding ceremony.
Lauren's pink diamond engagement ring is said to be worth $2.5million, while her wedding band is $1.5 million and $3 million.
Social media users speculated that the carpet choice could even have been a nod to Jeff's early days at Amazon.
One person said: 'It was a nostalgic relic from early Amazon office days, OKAY?!'
But another added: 'Couldn't it have been the books?'
The uncomfortable staff
Behind-the-scenes snapshots of Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos' wedding have started going viral... for all the wrong reasons
In the background of one of the snaps were two Dolce & Gabanna atelier tailors wearing outfits reminiscent of maid uniforms - consisting of white pinafores with black detailing to the collars and belt ties
Soon after the ceremony, behind-the-scenes snapshots of the wedding started going viral... for all the wrong reasons.
Lauren took to Instagram just moments after saying 'I do' to begin her huge rebrand as she deleted all of her old Instagram posts and changed her profile to include her new surname, Bezos.
The only two uploads that currently show include a snapshot of the newlyweds standing hand-in-hand which was uploaded alongside a simple date caption.
The other is a carousel of behind-the-scenes snaps of Lauren's wedding preparations.
In the post, the former journalist was seen standing inside a decadent room at the wedding venue, wearing her dress and showing off its dramatic silhouette.
The second photo, a black and white image, showed Lauren and her team helping her get into the gown, while the third image featured designer Domenico Dolce placing the lace veil on her head.
'Not just a gown, a piece of poetry,' she captioned the post. 'Thank you @dolcegabbana for the magic you made.'
But unfortunately for Lauren, fans quickly got hung up on one small detail.
Because in the background of one of the snaps were two Dolce & Gabanna atelier tailors wearing outfits reminiscent of maid uniforms - consisting of white pinafores with black detailing to the collars and belt ties.
The forlorn duo looked somewhat pained as they stood awkwardly and gazed toward Lauren who posed up a storm for the camera.
And their apparent discomfort was quickly picked up on as the pictures began circulating on social media - with some slamming it as another distasteful display of wealth to keep them cropped in the picture.
Highlighting the pair with a large arrow, one user wrote: 'She willingly posted this.
'Ma'am. If ever there was an image to encapsulate this nightmare.'
'It's giving Handmaid's Tale,' another said, in reference to the best-selling novel about a totalitarian society ruled by a fundamentalist regime that treats women as property of the state.
'Why is this radicalizing me?' another quipped.
'Peak dystopia!' someone else shared.
Others joked that their outfits were a 'fetishized' nod to the 1950s after Lauren told Vogue that she had researched pictures of brides from the era before being inspired by Sophia Loren's wedding dress from the 1958 movie Houseboat.
Charlize Theron's takedown
Charlize Theron eviscerated Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez 's wedding guest list at her charity event Block Party on Saturday night.
The lavish nuptials boasted A-listers in entertainment and sports, from Tom Brady, the Kardashians, Ivanka Trump, Oprah Winfrey and more attending the Venice, Italy soiree.
However, the three-day affair has also attracted criticism, with many in Venice unhappy the couple chose to hold their wedding in town, sparking protests in the city.
Theron, 49, weighed in on the attendees as she hit the stage at her event, which benefits her non-profit Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project.
'I think we might be the only people who did not get an invite to the Bezos wedding. But that's OK because they suck and we're cool,' she deadpanned, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The comment was likely a joke, but Theron continued expressing her outrage over politics and the 'backwards' handling of various issues.
The Monster actress thanked everyone for 'taking the time to be a part of this, especially when the world feels like it's burning because it is. Here in Los Angeles, in the U.S. and across the globe, we're moving backwards fast.
'Immigration policy has destroyed the lives of families, not criminals; women's rights are becoming less and less every day; queer and trans lives are increasingly being erased; and gender-based violence is on the rise. This isn't just policy, it's personal,' she said, before adding, 'Yeah, f**k them.'
Created in 2007 by Theron, CTAOP 'invests in and advances the health and safety of young people in Southern Africa to create a more equitable future for all,' according to their website.
Theron herself has a personal connection to the issue of immigration - she originally hails from South Africa and came to the United States, however was deported at age 19 after she overstayed her work visa, according to THR.
Ultimately, she was granted permission to return and in 2007 became a U.S. citizen.
'I got deported when I was 19 for producing and financing a documentary on Cuba,' she told OK! in 2008.
'You don't want to keep pushing your luck. I only became an American citizen last year,' she added.
Protests
This photo released by Greenpeace shows a large banner against Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' planned wedding, in St. Mark Square, in Venice, Italy Monday, June 23
About a dozen Venetian organizations — including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups — have been protesting under the banner 'No Space for Bezos' amid complaints he has 'taken over the city.'
The banner is a play on words referring to his space exploration company Blue Origin and the bride's recent space flight.
The protestors have been made up of left wing and environmental groups as well as social forums and one group held a banner saying: 'Money cannot buy style.'
Another banner read: '55 million dollars spent on the wedding just to get a divorce in three days.'
Greenpeace activists unfurled a huge banner in St Mark's Square, the iconic heart of Venice protesting against the wedding.
It showed an image of Bezos face and the slogan: 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding then you can pay more tax.'
Activists from British group 'Everyone Hates Elon' were also involved and said they had carried it out to highlight the 'environmental and social injustice of the wedding'.
Lauren and Jeff, however, seemed unbothered by all the criticism of their ostentatious display.
The couple were hounded by local journalists as they left the Aman hotel - where rooms start at well over $1,000 a night - on Saturday, with one reporter asking: 'What do you think about the protests, Jeff?'
But while Sanchez valiantly ignored the yelled questions, the Amazon founder - who is worth some $230 billion - simply said: 'Love you guys.'