Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sánchez officially tie the knot in high-profile Venice wedding
Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez, a journalist, author and helicopter pilot, are officially married.
Sánchez shared an update on Instagram with a photo of the the couple in their wedding attire from their star-studded wedding in Venice, Italy.
Ahead of the wedding, the couple and some of these celebrity guests were photographed on Friday, leaving luxury hotels in Venice for their black-tie wedding ceremony.
Bezos and Sánchez, who reportedly dated for about five years before they got engaged in 2023, were joined by family and friends for the multi-day affair.
Here's what to know about the high-profile nuptials.
Leading up to the wedding, information about the exact dates of Bezos and Sánchez's wedding were not been made public but the couple hosted a pre-wedding party Thursday.
Sánchez shared a photo on Instagram updating followers that she and Bezos are officially married.
The photo showed Sánchez and Bezos smiling as they walked up the aisle surrounded by their guests.
Sánchez appears in the photo wearing a stunning white lace mermaid gown.
Ahead of their big day, the couple was photographed on Thursday sharing a kiss while on their way to an evening reception, held at the gardens of the Madonna dell'Orto Church.
The couple said "I do" in the capital of the Veneto region, although specific venues are not public knowledge.
According to People, the island of San Giorgio Maggiore is expected to be the scene of the main event -- a black-tie ceremony.
Workers were seen assembling tents and police patrolled the area, with extra police boats surrounding San Giorgio Maggiore.
Among the big names on the approximately 200-person guest list for the Bezos-Sánchez wedding are potential celebrity guests including Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner, Khloé Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Ellie Goulding and Ivanka Trump, who were all photographed leaving Venice hotels on Friday.
Tom Brady, Usher and Orlando Bloom were also photographed stepping out in suits for the evening.
Sánchez and Bezos, who Forbes estimates is worth $215 billion, are reportedly relying on about 80% of local Venetian vendors and organizations for their big day, according to the AP, including pastry-maker Rosa Salva, which has been in business for over 140 years, and glassware firm Laguna B, known for its Murano glasswork.
ABC News exclusively obtained a portion of Bezos and Sánchez's wedding invitation, which was sent to guests in May. In it, the invitation asks guests to forgo gifts for the billionaire couple and instead lists three Venetian charities that Bezos and Sánchez will donate to on the behalf of guests.
The wedding has drawn protests, dubbed "No Space for Bezos," among some local residents and organizations like Greenpeace, who are speaking out against over-tourism, disruption to everyday life and more.
One Greenpeace banner, unfurled at Venice's St. Mark's Square, read, "If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax."
Venice locals protest Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' wedding in Italy
"We think that one big billionaire can't rent a city for his pleasure," a protester named Simona Abbate told Reuters.
Despite protests, the mayor of Venice has welcomed the high-profile wedding, saying the city is "very proud" to host Bezos, Sánchez and their guests.
The couple's wedding planners, Lanza and Baucina, the same global events company behind George Clooney and Amal Clooney's 2014 Venice nuptials, added in a statement to ABC News, "From the outset, instructions from our client and our own guiding principles were abundantly clear: the minimizing of any disruption to the city, the respect for its residents and institutions and the overwhelming employment of locals in the crafting of the events."
Simone Venturini, the deputy mayor of Venice, told ABC News that the city didn't have to compete to host the celebrity-studded wedding celebration.
"No, we play in another league, so people compete to get married in Venice," Venturini said.
A man named John, who works in tourism in Venice, also told ABC News that business has picked up amid the wedding festivities.
"The work in the city is at a high level in this moment and everybody is excited or anxious for the event," he said.
Both Bezos and Sánchez have been in past relationships and were married to other people previously.
Bezos made headlines in January 2019 after revealing that he and his ex-wife MacKenzie Scott were divorcing after 25 years of marriage. The former couple share four children.
Sánchez was previously married to talent agent and businessman Patrick Whitesell for 14 years. Both Sánchez and Whitesell filed for divorce in April 2019, as reported by the AP. They share two children.
Sánchez is also mom to model Nikko Gonzalez, her eldest son from a previous relationship with former NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez.
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CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
What happened on Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's big wedding day
It's been both the most public and secretive wedding of the year. On Friday, the main event of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's three-day-long Venetian extravaganza culminated in a private ceremony held on the secluded, historic San Giorgio Maggiore island in the San Marco sestiere. In the afternoon, the some 200 members of the celebrity guest list, including the Kardashian-Jenner family, Bill Gates, Karlie Kloss, Oprah Winfrey and Usher were all photographed stepping onto water taxis to ferry them to the festivities, but their visibility ended there, with guests seemingly adhering to an apparent social media blackout once inside each of the weekend's events. The ceremony ended discreetly, except for a signal from the fashion world — a Vogue digital cover offering a first look at Sanchez's gown. After much speculation (and not-so-subtle sightings of designer Domenico Dolce in Venice), it revealed her dress was a custom design by Dolce & Gabbana and was a year and a half in the making. The high-necked lace corseted gown had 180 silk chiffon-covered priest buttons dotting the front. Over the course of the night, per Vogue, she had two more outfit changes: a sweetheart-neck dress — another reference, this time to the 1946 film 'Gilda' — for the wedding dinner, and an intricate cocktail dress featuring 175,000 crystals by Oscar de la Renta. San Giorgio Maggiore is known for its gleaming marble Renaissance-era basilicas, designed by the Italian architect Andrea Palladio. But there may have been another, more pragmatic reason the couple opted for the island: privacy. After ongoing protests in the city — including the threat of canal blockades, guerilla-style banners and uncanny Bezos mannequins — allegedly forced Sanchez and Bezos to change one of the weekend's locations at the last minute, the security and inaccessibility of the island was reportedly a key factor in their decision. Venice's Ministry of Tourism has estimated the celebrations will generate almost 68% of the city's annual tourism turnover in just one weekend — but protestors have rallied against what they perceive to be a takeover of the idyllic Italian archipelago city by some of the world's wealthiest people. During the ceremony, the Amazon-founder billionaire and the former journalist likely exchanged rings symbolically. It remains unclear when the couple legally wed (or if they already have, prior to this week, in the US). A spokesperson for the mayor's office in Venice had told CNN on Thursday that the city did not receive an official request from the couple, meaning the events this week are ceremonial and will not be legally binding. Shortly after the Vogue photos were released, Sanchez changed her Instagram account handle to Lauren Sanchez Bezos. Prev Next Before the celebration, Sanchez herself made her way to San Giorgio Maggiore dressed in a '60s-inspired tailored white skirt suit from Dior with a printed silk scarf wrapped Hepburn-style around her head, Jimmy Choo heels and an Hermès Kelly handbag. She blew kisses to photographers as she stepped into a water taxi. Guests have mingled all weekend wearing an array of luxury designers, including vintage Roberto Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana, Oscar de la Renta and Versace. On the way to San Giorgio Maggiore, Kylie Jenner wore a powder blue long lace-up corset gown, Kim Kardashian chose a slick dark toffee-colored dress and Oprah opted for a draped pink mermaid silhouette. Though details of the wedding performers, like much else, were largely kept under wraps, Italian media reported that Matteo Bocelli — son of Andrea Bocelli, the revered Italian tenor who performed at both Kim and Kourtney Kardashian's weddings in 2014 and 2022, respectively — began the evening by singing 'Can't Help Falling in Love' by Elvis Presley. And if Bocelli made guests misty-eyed, then Lady Gaga — reportedly set to close out the final day of festivities on Saturday — will no doubt bring the party. The pop mega-star is expected to perform at Venice's former medieval shipyard, the Arsenale — which has been modernized with cultural spaces and hosts the annual Venice Biennale. This story will be updated.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
What happened on Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's big wedding day
It's been both the most public and secretive wedding of the year. On Friday, the main event of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's three-day-long Venetian extravaganza culminated in a private ceremony held on the secluded, historic San Giorgio Maggiore island in the San Marco sestiere. In the afternoon, the some 200 members of the celebrity guest list, including the Kardashian-Jenner family, Bill Gates, Karlie Kloss, Oprah Winfrey and Usher were all photographed stepping onto water taxis to ferry them to the festivities, but their visibility ended there, with guests seemingly adhering to an apparent social media blackout once inside each of the weekend's events. The ceremony ended discreetly, except for a signal from the fashion world — a Vogue digital cover offering a first look at Sanchez's gown. After much speculation (and not-so-subtle sightings of designer Domenico Dolce in Venice), it revealed her dress was a custom design by Dolce & Gabbana and was a year and a half in the making. The high-necked lace corseted gown had 180 silk chiffon-covered priest buttons dotting the front. Over the course of the night, per Vogue, she had two more outfit changes: a sweetheart-neck dress — another reference, this time to the 1946 film 'Gilda' — for the wedding dinner, and an intricate cocktail dress featuring 175,000 crystals by Oscar de la Renta. San Giorgio Maggiore is known for its gleaming marble Renaissance-era basilicas, designed by the Italian architect Andrea Palladio. But there may have been another, more pragmatic reason the couple opted for the island: privacy. After ongoing protests in the city — including the threat of canal blockades, guerilla-style banners and uncanny Bezos mannequins — allegedly forced Sanchez and Bezos to change one of the weekend's locations at the last minute, the security and inaccessibility of the island was reportedly a key factor in their decision. Venice's Ministry of Tourism has estimated the celebrations will generate almost 68% of the city's annual tourism turnover in just one weekend — but protestors have rallied against what they perceive to be a takeover of the idyllic Italian archipelago city by some of the world's wealthiest people. During the ceremony, the Amazon-founder billionaire and the former journalist likely exchanged rings symbolically. It remains unclear when the couple legally wed (or if they already have, prior to this week, in the US). A spokesperson for the mayor's office in Venice had told CNN on Thursday that the city did not receive an official request from the couple, meaning the events this week are ceremonial and will not be legally binding. Shortly after the Vogue photos were released, Sanchez changed her Instagram account handle to Lauren Sanchez Bezos. Prev Next Before the celebration, Sanchez herself made her way to San Giorgio Maggiore dressed in a '60s-inspired tailored white skirt suit from Dior with a printed silk scarf wrapped Hepburn-style around her head, Jimmy Choo heels and an Hermès Kelly handbag. She blew kisses to photographers as she stepped into a water taxi. Guests have mingled all weekend wearing an array of luxury designers, including vintage Roberto Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana, Oscar de la Renta and Versace. On the way to San Giorgio Maggiore, Kylie Jenner wore a powder blue long lace-up corset gown, Kim Kardashian chose a slick dark toffee-colored dress and Oprah opted for a draped pink mermaid silhouette. Though details of the wedding performers, like much else, were largely kept under wraps, Italian media reported that Matteo Bocelli — son of Andrea Bocelli, the revered Italian tenor who performed at both Kim and Kourtney Kardashian's weddings in 2014 and 2022, respectively — began the evening by singing 'Can't Help Falling in Love' by Elvis Presley. And if Bocelli made guests misty-eyed, then Lady Gaga — reportedly set to close out the final day of festivities on Saturday — will no doubt bring the party. The pop mega-star is expected to perform at Venice's former medieval shipyard, the Arsenale — which has been modernized with cultural spaces and hosts the annual Venice Biennale. This story will be updated.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
What happened at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's big wedding day
It's been both the most public and secretive wedding of the year. On Friday, the main event of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's three-day-long Venetian extravaganza culminated in a private ceremony held on the secluded, historic San Giorgio Maggiore island in the San Marco sestiere. In the afternoon, the some 200 members of the celebrity guest list, including the Kardashian-Jenner family, Bill Gates, Karlie Kloss, Oprah Winfrey and Usher were all photographed stepping onto water taxis to ferry them to the festivities, but their visibility ended there, with guests seemingly adhering to an apparent social media blackout once inside each of the weekend's events. The ceremony ended discreetly, except for a signal from the fashion world — a Vogue digital cover offering a first look at Sanchez's gown. After much speculation (and not-so-subtle sightings of designer Domenico Dolce in Venice), it revealed her dress was a custom design by Dolce & Gabbana and was a year and a half in the making. The high-necked lace corseted gown had 180 silk chiffon-covered priest buttons dotting the front. Over the course of the night, per Vogue, she had two more outfit changes: a sweetheart-neck dress — another reference, this time to the 1946 film 'Gilda' — for the wedding dinner, and an intricate cocktail dress featuring 175,000 crystals by Oscar de la Renta. San Giorgio Maggiore is known for its gleaming marble Renaissance-era basilicas, designed by the Italian architect Andrea Palladio. But there may have been another, more pragmatic reason the couple opted for the island: privacy. After ongoing protests in the city — including the threat of canal blockades, guerilla-style banners and uncanny Bezos mannequins — allegedly forced Sanchez and Bezos to change one of the weekend's locations at the last minute, the security and inaccessibility of the island was reportedly a key factor in their decision. Venice's Ministry of Tourism has estimated the celebrations will generate almost 68% of the city's annual tourism turnover in just one weekend — but protestors have rallied against what they perceive to be a takeover of the idyllic Italian archipelago city by some of the world's wealthiest people. During the ceremony, the Amazon-founder billionaire and the former journalist likely exchanged rings symbolically. It remains unclear when the couple legally wed (or if they already have, prior to this week, in the US). A spokesperson for the mayor's office in Venice had told CNN on Thursday that the city did not receive an official request from the couple, meaning the events this week are ceremonial and will not be legally binding. Shortly after the Vogue photos were released, Sanchez changed her Instagram account handle to Lauren Sanchez Bezos. Prev Next Before the celebration, Sanchez herself made her way to San Giorgio Maggiore dressed in a '60s-inspired tailored white skirt suit from Dior with a printed silk scarf wrapped Hepburn-style around her head, Jimmy Choo heels and an Hermès Kelly handbag. She blew kisses to photographers as she stepped into a water taxi. Guests have mingled all weekend wearing an array of luxury designers, including vintage Roberto Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana, Oscar de la Renta and Versace. On the way to San Giorgio Maggiore, Kylie Jenner wore a powder blue long lace-up corset gown, Kim Kardashian chose a slick dark toffee-colored dress and Oprah opted for a draped pink mermaid silhouette. Though details of the wedding performers, like much else, were largely kept under wraps, Italian media reported that Matteo Bocelli — son of Andrea Bocelli, the revered Italian tenor who performed at both Kim and Kourtney Kardashian's weddings in 2014 and 2022, respectively — began the evening by singing 'Can't Help Falling in Love' by Elvis Presley. And if Bocelli made guests misty-eyed, then Lady Gaga — reportedly set to close out the final day of festivities on Saturday — will no doubt bring the party. The pop mega-star is expected to perform at Venice's former medieval shipyard, the Arsenale — which has been modernized with cultural spaces and hosts the annual Venice Biennale. This story will be updated.
