Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Say 'I Do' in Venice Wedding Marred by Billionaire-Bashing Protests
The Amazon billionaire and former TV anchor tied the knot Friday in a lavish celebration in Venice, Italy.
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The three-day, $10 million extravaganza reportedly took over the whole island of San Giorgio Maggiore, opposite Venice's historic St. Mark's Square, with a guest list that boasted Oprah, Bill Gates, Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, Ivanka Trump, Orlando Bloom, Jewel, Leonardo DiCaprio, Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg.
The couple hosted A-list attendees in heavily booked hotels across the city, including at the Aman, where George and Amal Clooney tied the knot in 2014; Gritti Palace; The St. Regis; Hotel Danieli; and Belmond Cipriani. Vogue boss Anna Wintour reportedly helped Sánchez select her dress for the ceremony, and word spread that Elton John was asked to perform.
It's hard to expect any less from Bezos, one of the world's richest men (valued at $233 billion), whose wedding planners have commandeered many of the city's resources. But a portion of Venice natives were not so welcoming. Blocked streets and boat reroutes prompted a group of them to make their feelings known.
Banners reading, 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax,' and, 'No Space for Bezos' — referencing the American businessman's cosmic aspirations with his space-travel firm Blue Origin — were displayed in Venice ahead of the nuptials. Meanwhile, other protesters threatened to fill the canals with inflatables, dinghies and boats to obstruct Bezos' water taxis. Graffiti and stickers plastered on walls remarked: 'Veniceland: A playground fit for an oligarch.'
Greenpeace Italy and U.K.-based group Everyone Hates Elon, which The Hollywood Reporter recently spoke to about their billionaire-bashing efforts, joined in by unveiling the aforementioned tax-angled message on a 400-square-meter banner in the middle of St. Mark's Square on Monday. It was swiftly removed by police. According to a 2021 ProPublica report based on IRS data, in 2007 and again in 2011, Bezos managed to pay nothing in federal income tax, and his tax rate from 2014 to 2018 was estimated to be just 0.98 percent.
Chief among the concerns are Venice's already-overcrowded streets, worsened by the constant influx of tourists, and climate change contributing to a sinking city. 'Bezos' wedding is a symbol of extreme wealth, privilege and a lot of things that are going wrong currently in the world,' said Greenpeace campaigner Clara Thompson, who added that the wedding took place in 'one of the world's most climate-vulnerable cities.'
Among Amazon's biggest critics are climate activists who denounce the company's carbon emissions, packaging waste and reported destruction of unsold goods.
The pop-up protests seemed to have worked: The BBC reported on Tuesday that a local official confirmed that the wedding celebrations, set to take place at the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, would take place instead at the Arsenale, farther from the city center.
Still, the now-married couple reportedly quietly donated to Venetian charities in April and sourced 80 percent of their wedding provisions from local vendors.
On Monday, Luca Zaia, president of the surrounding Veneto region, announced a 1 million euro ($1.16 million) donation by Bezos and Sánchez to the Corila Consortium, an international scientific research group doing work on the Venice lagoon, according to CNN. 'The generous donation by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez represents an act of great sensitivity and foresight,' Zaia said. 'Venice is not only a symbolic city of Veneto and Italy, it is a heritage of humanity that demands attention, respect and care.'
Conservative Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who has run Venice for 10 years, condemned the protests. 'Whoever loves Venice will always be welcome,' he said, while other city officials promised 'the celebrations, attended by 250 guests, will blend into the daily rhythm of the city.'
Bezos' wedding planners from the London-based Lanza & Baucina events company said in a statement to Page Six that they had been actively working to avoid negative effects on the city. 'We have always acknowledged the wider debate and critical issues surrounding the city's future, and from the outset, our client has been honored to support the city and its all-important lagoon through non-profit organizations and associated projects,' the company said.
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