Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez wedding guest list: Who's attending?
Bezos and Sanchez, who went public with their relationship in 2019 and got engaged in 2023, are set to tie the knot in Venice, Italy, the city previously confirmed. The wedding comes about six years after the Amazon founder began dating Sanchez following his split from ex-wife and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
Bezos and Sanchez have been rather tight-lipped about their upcoming nuptials, and the exact date of their wedding has not been revealed.
Reuters previously reported that the three-day wedding is likely to occur between June 26 and 28. But one thing, though, is for sure: The socialites' fete is likely to be star-studded as they both boast dozens of A-list friends.
Possible attendees include husband and wife duo actor Orlando Bloom and singer Katy Perry; media personalities Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner and Khloe Kardashian, TV icon Oprah Winfrey and "CBS Mornings" co-anchor Gayle King; and actress Eva Longoria.
Sanchez's ex and NFL legend Tony Gonzalez -- considered one of the greatest tight ends in history -- and his wife October "Tobie" Gonzalez, friends of "The Fly Who Flew To Space" author, are also expected to attend.
Contributing: Saman Shafiq
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Telegraph
43 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Bezos wedding celebrations met with protests in Venice
Hundreds of protesters marched through the narrow streets of Venice on Saturday to protest against the three-day wedding of billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez. Letting off smoke flares, blaring loud music and chanting 'Bezos out of the lagoon', they marched from Venice's railway station to the Rialto Bridge, which spans the Grand Canal. They carried placards which read 'Money Can't Buy Style', 'F--- Capitalism' and 'No Space for Bezos' – a play on the Amazon founder's Blue Origin space venture and his new wife's recent space flight. The estimated 500 marchers were shadowed by a small phalanx of riot police equipped with batons, helmets and shields. The noisy demonstration came as Mr Bezos, his new wife and their celebrity guests prepared to take water taxis from their luxury hotels to the Venetian Arsenal, the city's historic shipbuilding complex, for a final wedding celebration – a culmination of the three-day nuptials that have divided the city. 'Bezos is acting like he's king of the world' Some have hailed the economic impact of the event and the attention it has brought. But activists accused Mr Bezos, the third wealthiest person in the world, of treating Venice as a rich man's playground, a picturesque backdrop to a wedding believed to have cost between 40 and 50 million euros. The demonstrators are furious about the security arrangements and the fact that some parts of the city have been closed off to the public to allow access for Mr Bezos and his 250 guests, who include Ivanka Trump, Queen Rania of Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio and the Kardashians. 'Our message is that everyone is welcome in Venice but not people who create disruption like he has done,' said Oliveiro Cassala, a 43-year-old protester who works in a hotel in Venice. 'He came to Venice acting as if he was king of the world. He thinks he can pay money and do whatever he likes. But we are proud people in Venice, and we don't like it.' He carried a placard which said that Mr Bezos' donation of three million euros to Venetian causes, from education to the environment, was paltry. 'With an estimated net worth of $230 billion, this donation represents 0.0013 per cent of his wealth,' he said. 'It's as if he had left a tip of three euros. Money does not buy respect, and Venice deserves much more.' Other placards with messages that read 'Free Palestine' and 'Stop Bombing Iran' were paraded down the streets past groups of tourists enjoying the evening sunshine and sipping Aperol Spritz cocktails. Elena Dal Toso, 80, said police had blocked her from walking from her home to a hospital clinic on Thursday evening, when Mr Bezos hosted a gala dinner in the cloister of a historic church called La Madonna dell'Orto 'They told me I couldn't pass – in my own city. It's fine to come here and get married, plenty of people do it, but not to cause this kind of inconvenience,' she said. 'We already have enough problems, like lack of housing and too much dependence on tourism. I feel like the city has been taken over these past few days.' Alice Bazzoli, another activist, said Venice had been 'exploited' by Mr Bezos and his wealthy friends, with mega-yachts moored in the lagoon, private jets landing at Marco Polo airport, and some parts of the city cordoned off. 'Protestors don't represent the majority' Police officers and Italian soldiers guarded narrow alleyways to Venice's centuries-old Jewish Ghetto to block any pro-Palestinian protesters from veering off the main route of the march. There were more police on standby in blue and white motor launches and on jet skis, deployed to surrounding canals. But many Venetians have welcomed the Bezos wedding, saying it would bring huge economic benefits to Venice. 'These protesters don't represent the majority,' said Matteo, who runs a trattoria near the Venetian Arsenal, the venue for Saturday night's celebrations. 'I think it's good that he came here. He's so rich, he could have chosen anywhere in the world. He could have gone to New York or St Tropez or Fiji. But he chose Venice. That says something about what a special place it is.' As wedding guests, including Bill Gates, Orlando Bloom and Oprah Winfrey, headed to the Venetian Arsenal, amid unconfirmed rumours that they would be serenaded by Sir Elton John and Lady Gaga, it remained a mystery as to who would actually provide the evening's entertainment. The menu was to consist of specialities from the Veneto region, including baccalà, or salt cod, and tiramisù. Paparazzi faced a stiff challenge in trying to access the venue – the Venetian Arsenal is surrounded by high crenellated walls and there are just a few entrances, all of them by boat. It evolved over the centuries as a place to construct merchant vessels and warships, built to fend off pirates, commercial rivals and marauding Turkish fleets. 'This won't change anything' Among those who welcomed the presence of Mr Bezos and his high-profile guests was the owner of the legendary Harry's Bar, famous for hosting generations of celebrities, on the banks of the Grand Canal. Mr Bezos and his new bride dropped into the bar on Saturday afternoon, the day after they had exchanged vows on the tiny island of San Giorgio. The Amazon founder is 'a private individual who has come here to get married. I can't see any problem with that. Venice is Venice and this event won't change anything,' Arrigo Cipriani, the owner of Harry's told the newspaper Corriere della Sera. He said only a tiny minority of the city's 48,000 inhabitants were upset, adding: 'And I'd like to know if there is a single person among them who has not bought something on Amazon.' Luigi Brugnaro, the pro-business, centre-Right mayor of Venice, lobbied for the wedding celebrations to be held in the city. 'I understand the protests that have been organised by students – we were all young once. They are idealists and they want to organise these striking actions, especially when there is a chance of attracting lots of media attention. I don't agree with them but I understand their motivations. I was also a rabble rouser when I was young.' But he said it was unfair to criticise the security measures that were put in place, given the international situation and the profile of the wedding guests. He accused Left-wing opposition councillors of trying to exploit the wedding for political ends. 'It is not normal that they criticise the number of police on the ground when, until a few days ago, we risked a world war breaking out and we have here in the city the daughter of the president of the United States.' He rejected criticism that the soul of Venice was being eroded by mass tourism, the proliferation of Airbnb properties and population decline, saying: 'The problem is that around 300 to 400 Venetians die each year and not enough babies are being born. This is affecting the whole of Italy, not just Venice.'
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez wedding leaves Venice divided
The lavish wedding party of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and TV presenter Lauren Sanchez concludes this evening in Venice with the main gala as their celebrity guests step into water taxis from their luxury hotels, paparazzi poised, some Venetians are gathering to protest against the big event. Their causes are varied, from locals opposed to over-tourism in a delicate city, to activists protesting against climate change and capitalism. While they plan to march on Saturday evening, plans to launch themselves into the city's canals with inflatable crocodiles and block the wedding guests' passage have been dropped. In pictures: Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding Protesters gather Spotted heading into Harry Bar's for lunch on Saturday, Bezos blew kisses towards the cameras when a local journalist asked what he made of the city's deputy mayor dismissed the activists as "narcissists" and insisted the wedding was the "high-quality tourism" Venice Venturini, city councillor for economic developments, said he hoped "a lot of people will want to get married in Venice" now and boost the city's wedding sector."We are not Iran. The city cannot say who can or who cannot get married. We have no moral police going around," he told the BBC on the bank of the Grand Canal, as gondolas loaded with tourists drifted by. The activists have already claimed one win, though. Tonight's party was moved further from the city centre for security reasons. The new venue, Arsenale, is easier to protect."I think the main problem is that Venice is becoming like an amusement park," argues Paola, an Italian member of the Extinction Rebellion group. She's especially incensed that wedding guests arrived here on private jets and argues the world's elite are the worst polluters."Of course, mass tourism is eating the city alive, but the fact that billionaires can come here and use the city as their amusement park is an enormous problem." Stars descend for 'wedding of the year' The Italian media have leapt on the glitz and glamour of what they are dubbing the "wedding of the year".Their pages and posts are full of pictures of the 200 or so A-list celebrities now in town, including Leonardo di Caprio and Kim talk of cuttlefish banquets – tonight's spread will feature cod, cooked regional-style – and photos of the bride's white lace Dolce and Gabbana gown, apparently inspired by one worn by Sophia Loren in the seems, however, that talk of this wedding bringing the city to a halt was Trump has been spotted at an art gallery, as has Bill Gates, and the newly married couple have been photographed and filmed in various locations and most tourists, or Venetians, are more likely to bump into a Bezos look-a-like, who made a purpose journey from Germany to pose for photos, than any of the real-life rich and are plenty of water taxis and gondolas still free for hire and no crowds of angry tourists, deprived of their magical streets were briefly closed around the main events but disruption appears to have been of the posters declaring "No Space for Bezos" have been ripped down and just the odd bit of graffiti can be seen. Attempts to project slogans on buildings were quickly stopped by police. A planned march by protesters on Saturday evening is taking place with official permission. Venetians divided But fears of Venice becoming a tourist playground, forcing locals out of town, are no down from the main railway station, police check visitors at random for mandatory day passes. It is a new measure to try to control the crowds. All around, cafes are packed with people shiny-faced from the humidity and pink from the brutally fierce sun. A short walk away is the pretty piazza where Roberto Zanon has spent all his life but which he now has to leave. His landlord has sold his home to out-of-town developers and the 77-year old is being evicted soon together with his two dogs. Finding anything else in his home city is impossible, Roberto says. He can't compete with higher-paying tourists. "One, two, three doors - those are locals, but the rest is all for tourism now," Roberto says, pointing to the wooden doors around his square. "There are fewer and fewer Venetians here," he says quietly, deeply upset at the loss of his home. "There is no purpose any more. You lose your friends. You lose piece of your heart. But sadly this situation is unstoppable." That doesn't mean Roberto is fretting about a billionaire choosing Venice for his wedding, mind you. He worked in tourism himself for many years and calls it "an honour" to have such famous guests in the city he himself loves so much. "I find it positive."He's not alone. In a souvenir shop selling magnets and T-shirts, Leda is all in favour of the Bezos-Sanchez bonanza. She is blunt: "I think there should be more people like Bezos here. Right now we get trash tourism and Venice doesn't deserve that."Leda used to have her own store selling quality Italian goods but had to close it to adapt to a low-spending market. "It's low-cost, hit-and-run tourism," she says. "People take 20 euro flights, come here and don't spend a thing. That's not what Venice needs."So what will be left, when the big party jets out of town? The deputy mayor confirmed tech boss Bezos had donated "around three million euros" to groups working to protect this fragile city-on-the-water, in a gesture of support. As for the 30 million euros the wedding might net the city in other ways - activists call that a "drop in the lagoon" for one of the richest men on earth. "It's around three euros for a normal person, if you put in proportion to Bezos's wealth," Lorenzo from Extinction Rebellion said. "It's a very low amount of money."
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding secrets including Blue Origin tribute
As Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos' lavish three-day Venetian wedding nears the end, all the secrets behind the Amazon founder and his journalist wife's big day have emerged Lauren Sanchez revealed some of the secrets behind her wedding to one of the world's richest men, Jeff Bezos. Former journalist Lauren, 55, admitted she and Jeff didn't stick to many of the normal wedding traditions - and her something blue is out of this world. The Amazon founder, 61, proposed to his new wife in May 2023, by leaving an engagement ring under her pillow aboard his superyacht, Koru. The $2.5 million ring was presented to Lauren by Jeff after the couple had a dreamy starlit dinner aboard his boat while docked near the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. But that was just the start of their nuptials, with their wedding celebration totting up to an estimated $50 million (£36.5 million). The Venetian event has sparked controversy with anti-capitalists and locals alike, who opposed the over-consumption of the whole affair. Lauren wore a stunning bespoke Dolce & Gabbana dress for her big day. The long-sleeved gown had a corseted waist and turtle-neck design, with a mermaid-style skirt. The sophisticated dress boasted 180 hand-finished buttons, covered in silk chiffon, which trailed all the way down the train of the gown. While the handmade dress was presumably one of many items that were new, her "something borrowed" was a pair of Dolce earrings. Her "something blue" comes in the form of a secret souvenir from her flight into space aboard her husband's Blue Origin trip. Lauren told Vogue: "We don't have a lot of traditions that we're keeping. I mean, I love traditions, but for a 55-year-old woman, it's a little different.' Asked about her "something blue", Lauren explained: "Well, Blue Origin. It's something from my space flight." Lauren said the trip was especially meaningful for her, "because it was literally one of the most profound experiences I've ever had in my life. Seeing Earth from space, I came down and I couldn't describe it. "It was the greatest experience I've ever had. Jeff said, 'It's gonna change you more than you think,' and it completely has, visually, spiritually." But one tradition the billionaire couple stuck to was that they kept the gown a secret before she walked down the aisle. Despite Jeff asked to see it, she stayed strong and made sure the first time he saw it was on at the end of the aisle just before exchanging vows. Lauren admitted: "I almost gave in. But I want it to be a surprise. As you get a little older, not many things surprise you. I can't wait to see his face." Her groom was said to have "gasped" when he first saw her in her wedding dress. Sharing a photo on Instagram, Lauren wrote: "Not just a gown, a piece of poetry. Thank you @dolcegabbana for the magic you made." The star-studded 25-minute wedding ceremony saw the pair exchange vows in front of 200 guests, with a number of high-profile celebrities in attendance. The Kardashian-Jenners, Orlando Bloom and Oprah Winfrey all travelled for the wedding, as did Ivanka Trump and her family. Rania Al Abdullah, the Queen of Jordan also watched on, as did supermodels, actors and business-people. Guests were welcomed by a gospel choir, with the singers performing a rendition of Whitney Houston's Higher Love as the bride and groom entered.
