EXCLUSIVE Patrick Whitesell is all smiles as he enjoys lunch with friends in LA - while ex-wife Lauren Sanchez weds Jeff Bezos in Venice
Patrick Whitesell proved he has well and truly moved on from ex-wife Lauren Sanchez following her illicit affair with Jeff Bezos six years ago.
The US journalist, 55, and Amazon founder, 61, have now tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Venice, Italy, saying 'I do' in front of their A-list friends.
But Patrick, 60, who is now married to stunning Aussie model Pia Whitesell, didn't have a care in the world on Thursday as he enjoyed lunch in Los Angeles.
The Endeavor Talent Agency executive chairman kept his look casual as he and his pals arrived at Craig's in West Hollywood.
Wearing a pair of white-washed jeans and a black, long-sleeved shirt, the multi-millionaire sat down for a four-hour lunch with his friends.
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The US journalist and Amazon founder have now tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Venice, Italy, saying 'I do' in front of their A-list friends
He appeared to be in high spirits as he paired his look with a set of crisp white sneakers and designer sunglasses.
Patrick even offered a joyful wave for onlookers before he slipped into the ritzy restaurant.
Wife Pia, who is considered one of the most beautiful women in Australia, also appeared content with her life of luxury on Friday.
The former Home and Away star appeared unperturbed by the highly-publicised wedding happening between her husband's ex and Jeff this weekend.
She was spotted going for a stroll in LA with a friend, flaunting her natural beauty as pouring her figure into skin-tight athleisure wear.
The TV star and her wealthy husband appear to be enjoying the quiet life as Lauren and Jeff tie the knot in an ostentatious, three-day ceremony across the ocean in Italy.
Lauren and Jeff made headlines six years ago when their illicit affair came to light, effectively ending two marriages – Lauren and Patrick, and Jeff and MacKenzie Scott.
Now, Lauren has shared the first look at her stunning wedding dress from her and Jeff's $20 million Venetian wedding in front of their glamorous celebrity friends.
The bride took to Instagram moments after saying 'I do' on Saturday to share a photo of the couple together, where she showed off her glamorous Dolce & Gabbana gown.
Described as the 'wedding of a century', the Amazon founder and former journalist have welcomed nearly 200 VIPs to Venice for three days of lavish celebrations.
The nuptials come two years after Jeff asked Lauren to marry him on his $500 million superyacht.
Jeff and Lauren welcomed a slew of their famous friends to witness the nuptials, including Gayle King, Oprah Winfrey, Ivanka Trump, Orlando Bloom, and Usher.
Leonardo DiCaprio, Sydney Sweeney, Tom Brady, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Kendall Jenner, and Kylie Jenner, amongst others, also attended.
The romantic ceremony took place on San Giorgio Maggiore island, and guests were treated to trumpets, violins and a Gospel Choir when they arrived.
The festivities kicked off earlier in the week and the multi-day affair is said to have cost $20 million.
Last night, as the couple enjoyed a pre-wedding party inside the historic Madonna dell'Orto cloisters, it was revealed Jeff and Lauren had already married legally.
But the couple's lavish celebration has been far from plain sailing with a freak thunderstorm forcing guests to take cover during Thursday night's party.
Protesters also planned to disrupt the celebrations and forced a late venue change.
Determined not to let the disruptions dampen her day, Lauren has shared glimpses into her wedding preparations on Instagram.
She revealed it took a massive team to get her into her stunning gown, with one photo showing her surrounded by seven people as she put on the Dolce & Gabbana dress.
Two of them were seen adjusting the back of it while a third worked on the enormous train; the rest stood around the blushing bride.
In the caption, she wrote: 'Not just a gown, a piece of poetry. Thank you @DolceGabbana for the magic you made.'
Another image showed her standing in the gown, while a third featured a man helping her put her veil on.
Lauren also posed in the exquisite wedding dress for a pre-wedding photoshoot with Vogue magazine.
The former Home and Away star appeared unperturbed by the highly-publicised wedding happening between her husband's ex and Jeff this weekend
While chatting with the publication, she recalled feeling like a 'princess' during her dress fitting, which took place in Milan.
'It was more powerful than I thought,' she added of the moment she put it on for the first time.
She also revealed Jeff had begged to see her in the gown, but as is tradition for most brides, she explained she wasn't going to let him lay his eyes upon it until the big day.
'I almost gave in,' she admitted. '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.'
Lauren was quick to change her Instagram username to include her new name, swapping it to @laurensanchezbezos and wiping out all of her old posts.
Just an hour later, she followed up with some behind-the-scenes snaps of her wedding gown.
Guests at the luxurious wedding ceremony were greeted to the sounds of trumpets, violins and a Gospel Choir when they arrived.
The choir also broke out into song again after the couple said 'I do', belting out Whitney Houston's Higher Love.
Guests were heard cheering and singing along during the touching moment.
Opera star Matteo Bocelli kicked off the couple's wedding reception, opening up his set with the iconic Elvis Presley track I Can't Help Falling in Love With You.
The son of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli was called in as his dad is performing in concerts in southern Italy this weekend and couldn't attend.
Hours earlier, Lauren made her first appearance of the day when she was spotted leaving the five star Aman Hotel in a ladylike white Dior puff sleeve suit.
The award-winning journalist paired it with a head scarf and oversized sunglasses.
She also appeared to show off a brand new enormous diamond ring for the occasion.
Jeff and Lauren are said to have rented out a number of places in Venice to celebrate the lavish nuptials.
An insider told DailyMail.com last week San Georgio Maggiore island is largely 'off-limits to visitors' from June 24 to June 29.
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Times
35 minutes ago
- Times
Jeff Bezos wedding: guests watch on as vows exchanged
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos have exchanged vows at their extravagant wedding ceremony, to the applause of their star-studded guests in Venice. The bride wore a long Dolce & Gabbana gown with button embellishments and lace sleeves inspired by the dress Sophia Loren wore in the 1958 film Houseboat. Guests had been welcomed to the Venetian island of San Giorgio Maggiore, where the ceremony took place, to the sound of Matteo Bocelli, the son of the Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, singing Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling in Love. To applause from partygoers, a female singer followed up with gospel-tinged version of Steve Winwood's Higher Love and Candi Staton's You've Got the Love. Sánchez Bezos had earlier left the luxury Aman hotel on Venice's Grand Canal to head for the wedding wearing a headscarf and large sunglasses which again bore a striking resemblance to Loren. She was followed by Bezos who stepped into a motor launch in which champagne in an ice bucket had been placed minutes earlier by staff at the hotel. Earlier in the evening, the couple's guests, enjoying a drink in the garden of the St Regis hotel before heading to the weekend's main event, were joined by a falconer and a falcon to ward off seagulls, which are known to steal snacks in Venice. After Ivanka Trump and Queen Rania of Jordan left the hotel to head for the party, Leonardo DiCaprio was seen leaving the Gritti Palace hotel with a baseball cap pulled down over his face, prompting groans from photographers positioned on boats on the Grand Canal. Soon after the newlyweds exchanged vows, Vogue's front digital cover was released with Sánchez Bezos featured in her wedding dress. The Italian designer Domenico Dolce had been seen arriving at the Aman on Thursday afternoon, fueling speculation that the fashion duo Dolce & Gabbana had dressed Sánchez Bezos for the wedding. It later emerged that Sánchez Bezos had been dreaming up the wedding dress design with Dolce & Gabbana a year and a half ago. 'It went from, 'I want a simple, sexy modern dress' to 'I want something that evokes a moment, and where I am right now',' Sánchez Bezos told the magazine. 'It is a departure from what people expect… but it's very much me.' Her public Instagram was then left with only three posts remaining on her feed — a picture of Sánchez Bezos in her pre-wedding dress, a post from her bachelorette party and a quote reading: 'It's never too late to be what you might have been.' She also changed her Instagram name, adding the second surname 'Bezos'. Venice town hall officials have said the wedding will have no legal status under Italian law since a marriage application was not registered in the city, raising speculation the couple have previously married in a private ceremony in the US. Around 30 riot police with shields were stationed in the small, walled-off public section of the island in case protesters arrived to disrupt the wedding. • Gallery: the wedding in pictures Bezos arrived in Venice on Thursday night and lavished praise on the lagoon city that has been blighted by days of protest over his star-studded, three-day wedding party. 'We love Venice, look at this!' he told The Times, waving his arms around him as he sped down the Grand Canal in a water taxi beside his bride-to-be. 'It can't exist and yet here it is!' the Amazon tycoon added as he passed The Times's boat. ANTONIO CALANNI/AP Bezos, 61, and Sánchez Bezos, 55, a journalist, were on their way to the first party of their nuptials — an event dubbed 'Jeff in Venice' by locals. Throughout the day on Friday, A-list invitees were seen out and about in Venice. Khloé Kardashian and her mother, Kris Jenner, were spotted shopping in Chanel as Khloé celebrated her 41st birthday. Orlando Bloom, the actor, was seen sharing a water taxi with Tom Brady, the former NFL player, after eating breakfast on the terrace of the luxury Gritti Palace hotel — where earlier Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King, the CBS anchor, had been seen eating. Sydney Sweeney, the Euphoria actress, was also pictured roaming the streets of Venice hours before the wedding was due to begin. Other guests to have arrived on Thursday include Bill Gates, Kim Kardashian and the singer Usher. Tom Brady GUGLIELMO MANGIAPANE/REUTERS Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner LUIGI COSTANTINI/AP Before Bezos and Sánchez Bezos left the Aman Hotel on the Grand Canal for the Madonna dell'Orto cloister on Thursday — the location of the first party — two well-dressed women in a water taxi came alongside a boat containing photographers and handed over ice creams and cold water. 'From Jeff and Lauren,' said one of the women. The following day, a camera crew and group of tourists thought they had lucked out by spotting the Amazon boss roaming the streets, with social media users sharing footage of who they thought was Bezos. It was later revealed the sighting was of Cagdas Halicilar, who quit his job last year to become a full-time Bezos lookalike, and who has since secured a role in a Netflix show. The couple will round off the weekend with a party on Saturday at Venice's former shipyard — the Arsenale, which is set to be filled with 80,000 roses, according to Italian media. San Giorgio Maggiore is ideal for a wedding party. When the Vatican decided to enter Venice's architecture Biennale exhibition, it commissioned ten architects to build avant garde chapels among the trees, including one by the British architect Norman Foster. The weather, the one thing even one of the world's richest men cannot plan for, has been far from ideal. A-listers were forced to take cover during Thursday's pre-wedding party as a thunderstorm struck the lavish event at the Madonna dell'Orto, ultimately bringing the party to an early end. For the rest of the weekend, a red alert for extreme weather has been issued with temperatures expected to hit close to 40C. Anti-Bezos protesters are also looking to rain on the wedding's parade, with campaigners No Space For Bezos planning a flash mob protest over the next two days, while a march is scheduled for Saturday at the main Santa Lucia railway station. Extinction Rebellion staged a protest in St Mark's Square on Thursday afternoon, in which an activist unfurled a banner stating 'The One Per Cent Ruins The World', a reference to Bezos's estimated $224 billion fortune. The activist was later detained by police. Over at the supporters' club of local football team Venezia, a group of men enjoying mid-morning glasses of white wine with ice said they did not agree with the protests. 'Why shouldn't they get married? For us it's meant more police, less rubbish and fewer pickpockets,' said gondolier Roberto Orio, 63. 'My only gripe is I wasn't invited,' said retired postman Livio Cappello, 68.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
She's living her best life! Deborra-Lee Furness cuts a stylish figure in Venice as she attends lavish Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos wedding - after finalising divorce from Hugh Jackman
Deborra-Lee Furness was all smiles on Saturday as she celebrated the union between Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos. The Australian producer, 69, who recently finalised her divorce from ex-husband Hugh Jackman, was spotted leaving her hotel with other A-list guests. She boarded a water taxi to head to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore for the lavish nuptials, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Tom Brady and Tommy Hilfiger. Deborra-Lee looked to be having the time of her life in Italy as she slipped into a very conservative black gown with sheer shoulder panels. The actress kept her accessories to a minimum, opting for a simple gold bracelet and dangling earrings. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. She went with a no-makeup-makeup look and coiffed her short silver tresses into an edgy style. Daily Mail revealed on Tuesday that Hugh and Deborra-Lee had finalised their divorce a month after filing. A judgment of divorce was filed on June 12, making it official. However, the document was not made public until June 23. The divorce was essentially disposed of two weeks ago, but the judge needed to sign off on the judgment after a proposed judgment was entered. Deborra-Lee, who has two adopted children with the Wolverine actor, has received a 'handsome spousal support payment,' according to an insider. 'A settlement was reached that Deborra is pleased with which includes a handsome spousal support payment,' they revealed. 'There was some back and forth regarding this financial agreement but, in the end, she got what she believed she deserved. 'Both are coming out of this financially secure. There is not going to be any drama. This gives closure that she needed.' Last month, Daily Mail exclusively broke the news of Hugh and Deborra-Lee filing for divorce to officially terminate their 27-year marriage. Hugh has been dating his former The Music Man co-star Sutton Foster for months, although the timeline of when they began dating has never been confirmed. Meanwhile, Deborra-Lee appears to be making the most of life as she enjoyed the glitz and glam of the three-day Bezos-Sanchez wedding in Venice. The US journalist, 55, and Amazon founder, 61, tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Venice, Italy on Saturday, saying 'I do' in front of their A-list friends. Lauren has already shared the first look at her stunning wedding dress from her and Jeff's $20 million Venetian wedding in front of their glamorous celebrity pals. The bride took to Instagram moments after saying her vows to share a photo of the couple together, where she showed off her glamorous Dolce & Gabbana gown. Described as the 'wedding of a century', the Amazon founder and former journalist have welcomed nearly 200 VIPs to Venice for three days of lavish celebrations. Jeff and Lauren welcomed a slew of their famous friends to witness the nuptials, including Gayle King, Oprah Winfrey, Ivanka Trump, Orlando Bloom, and Usher. Leonardo DiCaprio, Sydney Sweeney, Tom Brady, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Kendall Jenner, and Kylie Jenner, amongst others, also attended.
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Why protesters have vowed to make Jeff Bezos's Venice wedding to Lauren Sanchez a 'nightmare'
Billionaire Jeff Bezos is marrying Lauren Sanchez, a former TV journalist, in a glitzy multi-day event in Venice. The couple have arrived in the city for three days of celebrations from Thursday to Saturday, which are estimated to cost up to €48m (£41m). The main wedding party had reportedly been due to take place at the Scuola Grande della Misericordia on Saturday, but will now be held at the Arsenale, out of the city centre, according to Reuters news agency. The guest list includes the likes of Leonardo Dicaprio, Eva Longoria, Oprah Winfrey and Mick Jagger, as well as pop star Katy Perry, who joined Ms Sanchez in the all-female celebrity crew that travelled to space in April. They and other celebrity guests are set to join the couple for parties on the Amazon owner's super yacht, worth about $500m (£371m), which will dock in the port of Venice for the wedding, Sky TG24 in Italy reports. But not everyone in the city is excited. Why are there protests? Protesters do not have an issue with the marriage itself but with what they say is the "privatisation" and "exploitation" of the city. "He is basically going to treat the whole city as a private ballroom, as a private event area, as if the citizens are not there," said Alice Bazzoli, an activist with No Space for Bezos. The group is a coalition of around a dozen Venetian organisations - including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups - and its name is a play on words also referring to the bride's recent space flight. Members of the group have told Sky News that the event will close parts of the city and make it difficult for locals to get around, as well as posing environmental concerns with the use of yachts in the canals. "This is not what Venice needs. This is not what a city that is already suffering from overtourism needs," Federica Toninelli, another activist associated with No Space for Bezos, said. The city has long struggled with high tourism numbers. Millions come to see the World Heritage Site for its medieval architecture, crammed into a picturesque canal network. However, this pushes up the cost of living for locals and tends to create only low-paid temporary employment. "It's going to bring money, yes, but we are not going to see any money," said Ms Toninelli. The protests are also linked to wider issues around affordable housing and a dwindling local population in Venice's historic centre. "Do we want our city even more invaded by tourists, by oligarchs, and people who buy and privatise the city, or do we want services, jobs, health services, schools, universities? Do we want to live in the city like normal people, or sell it to the best offer?" Ms Bazzoli added. Activists from global environmental lobby Greenpeace and the UK group Everyone Hates Elon have joined the protests, with their focus on some of the wider issues raised by Bezos's critics around the world, such as purported tax breaks for him and fellow billionaires. Mr Bezos has been contacted for comment. What have protesters done so far - and what else are they planning? Members of No Space for Bezos unfurled a massive banner on 12 June from the bell tower of the San Giorgio Maggiore basilica with Bezos's name crossed out. Then on Monday activists from Greenpeace and Everyone Hates Elon unveiled a huge banner in St Mark's Square with an image of Mr Bezos laughing and the caption: "If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax." It appeared to be a nod to Amazon's ongoing tax disputes with European governments. The local activists planned a more organised protest for Saturday, where they were aiming to stop guests from arriving at a party by blocking the canals with boats and their bodies. But the plans have been altered since the party was reportedly moved to Arsenale, a 14th-century complex surrounded by water and impossible to reach by land when bridges are raised. Instead of the blockade there will be a march, with protesters pledging to make the event a "nightmare" for Mr Bezos and his guests. What has the response been to the protests? The mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, has said he is "honoured" that the city is hosting the event, adding: "Once again Venice proves to be a world stage." "Those 20 people who are putting up posters are clearly capitalising on [Bezos's] image," he went on. The city of Venice has previously denied that the event would disrupt locals, saying water taxi services would run normally and that only 200 guests had been invited. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding in numbers €48m price tag The wedding and its parts are expected to cost an eye-watering €40-48m (£34-£41m), Luca Zaia, the president of Venice's local government, said on Tuesday. This includes sizeable charity donations from the Amazon founder, including €1m (£850k) to Corila, a consortium that studies Venice's lagoon ecosystem, local media has reported. 90 private jets The first private jets began landing at Venice airport on Tuesday and there will be around 90 in total, Mr Zaia said. They won't all be arriving in Venice though, as some will land at the nearby Treviso and Verona airports. 250 guests Five of the city's most luxurious hotels have been booked out to host an estimated 200-250 guests. These include the celeb favourite Cipriani, where George and Amal Clooney married in 2014. 30 water taxis Attendees of course won't be hopping on public water buses to get around the city's many islands. The wedding's organisers have booked at least 30 water taxis for them to use instead. "Venice is used to being the stage for events and shows every week, without significant impacts," a statement said, citing G20 and G7 summits, the Architecture and Cinema Biennales, as well as private events. It added that the city has previous experience of hosting big events successfully. A Venetian environmental research association, Corila, issued a statement saying Bezos's Earth Fund was supporting its work with an "important donation". What other events has the cited hosted? George and Amal Clooney famously got married there in 2014. The actor arrived at his ceremony at the Aman Grande Canal Hotel on a boat, alongside guests including Matt Damon and model Cindy Crawford. The city also hosted world leaders for the 2021 G20 summit, as well as its annual Venice Film Festival. How does Venice place limits on tourists? Venice has been struggling with the impacts of overtourism. There were about 50,000 people living in the historic city centre in 2023 - and about 4.9 million tourist arrivals - according to the data gathering website Statista. In 2024, it became the first city in the world to introduce a payment system for tourists, with officials carrying out random checks to make sure people beyond entry points have a QR code. As it stands, those visiting between April and July for a day trip pay a standard fee of €5, unless they have booked less than four days before their visit, in which case they must pay double. The city has also put in place a size limit of 25 people for tourist groups to reduce crowds. Where else have there been tourist protests? Venice isn't the only European city where locals are frustrated with tourist numbers. Protesters in Barcelona sprayed tourists with water guns as part of demonstrations recently over the number of visitors.
