The Bezos-Sanchez wedding party proves it – the age of vulgarity is upon us
One should never be cynical about love, but it is impossible to not be a little bit cynical about the nuptials of Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos and his recently acquired bride, former television host Lauren Sanchez.
The happy couple this week took over Venice for their wedding festival, which commenced with a foam party aboard the $500 million Bezos mega-yacht, moored in view of paparazzi off the coast of Croatia.
For the uninitiated, a pre-wedding foam party seems to be a yacht-based, poolside romp in which the bride and groom-to-be frolic in their swimwear, covered by soapy bubbles that have presumably been prepped by one of the many invisible workers who have toiled to make this $50 million special day come true.
Just as the working-poor labour force that powers Amazon has invisibly toiled to make Bezos one of the world's richest men (currently fourth-richest, as per the Forbes 'Real Time Billionaires List).
We know about the foam party – from which the couple was helicoptered to Venice – because it was abundantly photographed. Like the Zen koan about the tree falling in the forest, there is zero point in a billionaire wedding unless it is telegraphed widely across the world in exquisite detail: the guest list (which included Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Kim Kardashian and sundry other Kardashi), the rolling schedule of parties, the flight logs of the 90-odd private jets expected to land at local airports, the price tags, and the dresses, the dresses (for the bride did not have just one).
The publicity is the point.
The transparent vulgarity is even more the point.
As reported in New York magazine, 'Sanchez, in some respects, represents the aesthetic and moral pinnacle of the Mar-a-Lago era.'
It was not so long ago that stealth-wealth was in vogue, and that so-called quiet luxury was aspirational. But the re-election of Donald Trump, and the slavish compliance the tech-bro oligarchs immediately bestowed on his administration (Sanchez managed to upstage the president by wearing a cleavage-driven inauguration outfit that Vogue noted 'forgoes inauguration style codes'), has changed all that.
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The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Final bash set to end lavish Bezos wedding party
Newlyweds Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez left their luxury hotel on Venice's Grand Canal for a final night of partying, crowning a three-day star-studded wedding extravaganza. Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, exchanged rings on Friday evening local time (Saturday morning AEST) on the small island of San Giorgio, across the water from Saint Mark's Square, accompanied by singing from Matteo Bocelli, son of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, Jordan's Queen Rania, Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner and Kim and Khloe Kardashian, as well as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, were among the A-listers present. Saturday's evening bash - wrapping up celebrations for 200-250 guests estimated to have cost some $US50 million ($A76 million) - was due to take place in the Arsenale, a former medieval shipyard in an eastern district of the lagoon city. About 1000 people marched against the event on Saturday, groups of activists and residents who object to the wedding and to seeing Venice being gift-wrapped for the uber-wealthy. Some guests were seen leaving the Gritti Palace hotel in central Venice wearing their pyjamas, sometimes beneath colourful dressing gowns, before boarding small boats to reach the party. Bezos and Sanchez had a more sober style. He was dressed in a black skirt and suit, while she had a soft-pink off-the-shoulder dress. They kissed on the boat while greeting those around them. At the ceremony, the bride wore a high-necked silhouette dress and a tulle and lace veil by Dolce & Gabbana, which she told magazine Vogue was based on Sophia Loren's dress to marry Cary Grant in the 1958 film, Houseboat. Sanchez was also wearing a pair of diamond earrings by Dolce & Gabbana, which, according to Vogue, was lent to her in keeping with the tradition that it brings good luck for a bride to wear something borrowed. Bezos, who is No.4 on Forbes' global billionaires list, donned a black tuxedo and bow tie over a white shirt. Friday's ceremony had no legal status under Italian law, a senior city hall official told Reuters, suggesting the couple may have previously wed legally in the United States to avoid the bureaucracy associated with an Italian marriage. While some residents and activists raged against Bezos as a symbol of inequality and arrogance, Venetian businesses and political leaders welcomed the luxury nuptials, hailing them as a major boost for the local economy. "Those who protest are in contradiction with the history of Venice, which is a history of relations, contacts and business," Mayor Luigi Brugnaro told Reuters. "Bezos embodies the Venetian mentality. He is more Venetian than the protesters," said the centre-right mayor, adding that he hoped Bezos, who donated three million euros ($US3.51 million ($A5.4 million)) to local institutions, would return to the city to do business. Brugnaro said Bezos had attached no conditions to holding his wedding celebrations in Venice, and City Hall had only learned about his donations after they had already been made. Bezos, Amazon's executive chair, got engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Newlyweds Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez left their luxury hotel on Venice's Grand Canal for a final night of partying, crowning a three-day star-studded wedding extravaganza. Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, exchanged rings on Friday evening local time (Saturday morning AEST) on the small island of San Giorgio, across the water from Saint Mark's Square, accompanied by singing from Matteo Bocelli, son of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, Jordan's Queen Rania, Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner and Kim and Khloe Kardashian, as well as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, were among the A-listers present. Saturday's evening bash - wrapping up celebrations for 200-250 guests estimated to have cost some $US50 million ($A76 million) - was due to take place in the Arsenale, a former medieval shipyard in an eastern district of the lagoon city. About 1000 people marched against the event on Saturday, groups of activists and residents who object to the wedding and to seeing Venice being gift-wrapped for the uber-wealthy. Some guests were seen leaving the Gritti Palace hotel in central Venice wearing their pyjamas, sometimes beneath colourful dressing gowns, before boarding small boats to reach the party. Bezos and Sanchez had a more sober style. He was dressed in a black skirt and suit, while she had a soft-pink off-the-shoulder dress. They kissed on the boat while greeting those around them. At the ceremony, the bride wore a high-necked silhouette dress and a tulle and lace veil by Dolce & Gabbana, which she told magazine Vogue was based on Sophia Loren's dress to marry Cary Grant in the 1958 film, Houseboat. Sanchez was also wearing a pair of diamond earrings by Dolce & Gabbana, which, according to Vogue, was lent to her in keeping with the tradition that it brings good luck for a bride to wear something borrowed. Bezos, who is No.4 on Forbes' global billionaires list, donned a black tuxedo and bow tie over a white shirt. Friday's ceremony had no legal status under Italian law, a senior city hall official told Reuters, suggesting the couple may have previously wed legally in the United States to avoid the bureaucracy associated with an Italian marriage. While some residents and activists raged against Bezos as a symbol of inequality and arrogance, Venetian businesses and political leaders welcomed the luxury nuptials, hailing them as a major boost for the local economy. "Those who protest are in contradiction with the history of Venice, which is a history of relations, contacts and business," Mayor Luigi Brugnaro told Reuters. "Bezos embodies the Venetian mentality. He is more Venetian than the protesters," said the centre-right mayor, adding that he hoped Bezos, who donated three million euros ($US3.51 million ($A5.4 million)) to local institutions, would return to the city to do business. Brugnaro said Bezos had attached no conditions to holding his wedding celebrations in Venice, and City Hall had only learned about his donations after they had already been made. Bezos, Amazon's executive chair, got engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Newlyweds Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez left their luxury hotel on Venice's Grand Canal for a final night of partying, crowning a three-day star-studded wedding extravaganza. Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, exchanged rings on Friday evening local time (Saturday morning AEST) on the small island of San Giorgio, across the water from Saint Mark's Square, accompanied by singing from Matteo Bocelli, son of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, Jordan's Queen Rania, Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner and Kim and Khloe Kardashian, as well as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, were among the A-listers present. Saturday's evening bash - wrapping up celebrations for 200-250 guests estimated to have cost some $US50 million ($A76 million) - was due to take place in the Arsenale, a former medieval shipyard in an eastern district of the lagoon city. About 1000 people marched against the event on Saturday, groups of activists and residents who object to the wedding and to seeing Venice being gift-wrapped for the uber-wealthy. Some guests were seen leaving the Gritti Palace hotel in central Venice wearing their pyjamas, sometimes beneath colourful dressing gowns, before boarding small boats to reach the party. Bezos and Sanchez had a more sober style. He was dressed in a black skirt and suit, while she had a soft-pink off-the-shoulder dress. They kissed on the boat while greeting those around them. At the ceremony, the bride wore a high-necked silhouette dress and a tulle and lace veil by Dolce & Gabbana, which she told magazine Vogue was based on Sophia Loren's dress to marry Cary Grant in the 1958 film, Houseboat. Sanchez was also wearing a pair of diamond earrings by Dolce & Gabbana, which, according to Vogue, was lent to her in keeping with the tradition that it brings good luck for a bride to wear something borrowed. Bezos, who is No.4 on Forbes' global billionaires list, donned a black tuxedo and bow tie over a white shirt. Friday's ceremony had no legal status under Italian law, a senior city hall official told Reuters, suggesting the couple may have previously wed legally in the United States to avoid the bureaucracy associated with an Italian marriage. While some residents and activists raged against Bezos as a symbol of inequality and arrogance, Venetian businesses and political leaders welcomed the luxury nuptials, hailing them as a major boost for the local economy. "Those who protest are in contradiction with the history of Venice, which is a history of relations, contacts and business," Mayor Luigi Brugnaro told Reuters. "Bezos embodies the Venetian mentality. He is more Venetian than the protesters," said the centre-right mayor, adding that he hoped Bezos, who donated three million euros ($US3.51 million ($A5.4 million)) to local institutions, would return to the city to do business. Brugnaro said Bezos had attached no conditions to holding his wedding celebrations in Venice, and City Hall had only learned about his donations after they had already been made. Bezos, Amazon's executive chair, got engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Newlyweds Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez left their luxury hotel on Venice's Grand Canal for a final night of partying, crowning a three-day star-studded wedding extravaganza. Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, exchanged rings on Friday evening local time (Saturday morning AEST) on the small island of San Giorgio, across the water from Saint Mark's Square, accompanied by singing from Matteo Bocelli, son of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, Jordan's Queen Rania, Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner and Kim and Khloe Kardashian, as well as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, were among the A-listers present. Saturday's evening bash - wrapping up celebrations for 200-250 guests estimated to have cost some $US50 million ($A76 million) - was due to take place in the Arsenale, a former medieval shipyard in an eastern district of the lagoon city. About 1000 people marched against the event on Saturday, groups of activists and residents who object to the wedding and to seeing Venice being gift-wrapped for the uber-wealthy. Some guests were seen leaving the Gritti Palace hotel in central Venice wearing their pyjamas, sometimes beneath colourful dressing gowns, before boarding small boats to reach the party. Bezos and Sanchez had a more sober style. He was dressed in a black skirt and suit, while she had a soft-pink off-the-shoulder dress. They kissed on the boat while greeting those around them. At the ceremony, the bride wore a high-necked silhouette dress and a tulle and lace veil by Dolce & Gabbana, which she told magazine Vogue was based on Sophia Loren's dress to marry Cary Grant in the 1958 film, Houseboat. Sanchez was also wearing a pair of diamond earrings by Dolce & Gabbana, which, according to Vogue, was lent to her in keeping with the tradition that it brings good luck for a bride to wear something borrowed. Bezos, who is No.4 on Forbes' global billionaires list, donned a black tuxedo and bow tie over a white shirt. Friday's ceremony had no legal status under Italian law, a senior city hall official told Reuters, suggesting the couple may have previously wed legally in the United States to avoid the bureaucracy associated with an Italian marriage. While some residents and activists raged against Bezos as a symbol of inequality and arrogance, Venetian businesses and political leaders welcomed the luxury nuptials, hailing them as a major boost for the local economy. "Those who protest are in contradiction with the history of Venice, which is a history of relations, contacts and business," Mayor Luigi Brugnaro told Reuters. "Bezos embodies the Venetian mentality. He is more Venetian than the protesters," said the centre-right mayor, adding that he hoped Bezos, who donated three million euros ($US3.51 million ($A5.4 million)) to local institutions, would return to the city to do business. Brugnaro said Bezos had attached no conditions to holding his wedding celebrations in Venice, and City Hall had only learned about his donations after they had already been made. Bezos, Amazon's executive chair, got engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
News.com.au
5 hours ago
- News.com.au
‘Sardine girl summer': Bizarre Gen Z trend takes over the internet
This vibrant, quirky nail trend has reeled in Zoomers — hook, line and sinker. Fishy fads have driven a shocking amount of conversations around style and health this year — and it's not just Gen Z buying into them. In an annual report released earlier in 2025, Pinterest speculated that the fisherman aesthetic would take off among Gen X as well, with both age groups reportedly showing increased interest in search terms like 'fish bag,' 'sardine tattoo' and 'fisherman sandals.' Sardines, specifically, have taken off in popularity as a major wellness movement, with proponents of the craze touting it as a way to improve heart health, boost hair shine and prevent neurological disorders like Alzheimer's — among many other health benefits. Fisherman core dominated runways and New York City streets alike, with fashionable pieces ranging from nautical stripes to cable-knit sweaters to angling-themed accessories. Despite the widespread interest in maritime motifs, the fishy nail craze is all Gen Z. The look is directly inspired by multi-coloured, glittery, eye-catching lures that anglers attach to the end of fishing lines. A-fish-ionados of the eccentric manicure have taken to social media to show off their handiwork, and reactions from commenters have been overwhelmingly positive, particularly because of the length and colour customisation possibilities. Some designs have even boasted intricate details like miniature feathers, chrome-polished scale patterns and bubbles, though perhaps the most over-the-top look is manicures that feature hooks actually pierced through the acrylic tips. Cameron Short, a Dallas-based nail artist who hopped on the trend back in February before it really exploded in popularity, told Vogue: 'I didn't really have a method to my madness, I just knew that I had to capture the nostalgia of fishing as a child.' When working on her first set of fishing lure nails, Short, who posts her work on her Instagram @reallynichenails, gathered over a hundred reference photos of the brightly-hued bait, and has sold dozens of custom press-on nail sets featuring the style. Per comment sections on fishing lure nail photos across the internet, Gen Z loves the trend for the creativity and quirkiness — and many Zoomer girls have shared that their fishing-obsessed partners are equally as pumped about its burgeoning popularity. 'Those are adorable! My man who loves fishing really liked them too,' gushed one user in the comments under a Reddit post. Meanwhile, a chorus of comments to the effect of 'Wait, I'm obsessed' flooded into one of Short's fishing lure-forward posts. Unexpected as this offbeat beauty trend may be, many manicurists are simply happy to catch a break from the food-related fingernail fads — rest in peace, glazed doughnut nails.
AU Financial Review
6 hours ago
- AU Financial Review
Final bash set to end lavish Bezos wedding party in Venice
Venice | Newlyweds Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez left their luxury hotel on Venice's Grand Canal on Saturday for a final night of partying, crowning a three-day star-studded wedding extravaganza. Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, exchanged rings on Friday evening (Saturday AEST) on the small island of San Giorgio, across the water from Saint Mark's Square, accompanied by singing from Matteo Bocelli, son of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. Reuters
