Protest banners appear across Venice ahead of Bezos ‘wedding of the century'
While some anticipate the glamour and economic boost, others fear the event will transform the iconic city of gondolas and palazzi into little more than an "amusement park."
Despite many details remaining "under wraps," including the exact date, the nuptials are expected to draw a constellation of stars from the worlds of film, fashion, and business. These scores of celebrities are set to arrive in the coming days, provided they can navigate potential local opposition.
A protest group has already plastered banners across the city's famous Rialto Bridge, emblazoned with the message "No space for Bezos!" The group has also threatened peaceful blockades, arguing that the medieval and Renaissance city is in dire need of public services and housing, rather than an influx of celebrities and exacerbating over-tourism.
The impending celebration highlights a growing tension in Venice, as the city grapples with its identity amidst the pressures of global tourism and high-profile events.
"Bezos arrogantly believes he can take over the city and turn it into his own private party venue," said Tommaso Cacciari, a leading light of the "No space for Bezos" campaign.
Mayor Luigi Brugnaro and regional governor Luca Zaia, on the other hand, argue that the wedding will bring an economic windfall to local businesses, including the motor boats and gondolas that operate its myriad canals.
Eleven years ago actor George Clooney married human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in Venice, turning the city into Hollywood on the Adriatic with a weekend of lavish celebrations.
Then, locals and tourists alike were excited to witness a memorable moment in the city's long history of hosting stars for its film festival, the world's oldest.
Bezos, 61, the founder of e-commerce giant Amazon and the world's third-richest man, got engaged to journalist Sanchez, 55, in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to Mackenzie Scott.
After a swirl of media speculation about the venue of what has been dubbed "the wedding of the century" Brugnaro confirmed in March that it would take place in Venice, which last year began charging tourists a fee to enter the city.
The date is expected to be some time between June 23-28 in the midst of three days of stylish celebrations.
In the face of early protests from residents who feared the arrival of thousands of celebrities and hangers-on, the city issued a statement clarifying that it would involve around 200 guests and would not disrupt Venetians' everyday life.
Bezos and Scott had four children together, while Sanchez was previously married to Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She also has a son with NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez.
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The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
The country couples are flocking to for a fast and easy wedding
A Polish-Colombian couple, Magdalena Kujawińska and Heinner Valenzuela, travelled to Copenhagen to marry, circumventing complex bureaucracy at home in Poland. Living in Krakow, the couple had been engaged for over three years but faced significant hurdles. "We realised that it's not that easy to get married in Poland," the 30-year-old Ms Kujawińska said, citing the requirement for a certificate proving they were not already married. A certificate, needed from Colombia, presented an insurmountable challenge due to its three-month validity. "We tried to get it from Colombia, but it's only valid for three months, and it couldn't get to Poland from Colombia in three months. It was just impossible for us," she added. Learning about Denmark 's relaxed marriage laws from a colleague, Ms Kujawińska and her fiancé engaged an online wedding planner. The process proved remarkably swift, with approval granted in just four days. "And in four days, we had the decision that the marriage could be done here," a smiling Ms Kujawińska recounted as they awaited their 10-minute ceremony at Copenhagen 's 19th-century City Hall. Copenhagen attracts couples from around the world Couples who don't live in Denmark, both mixed- and same-sex, are increasingly getting married in the Scandinavian country — prompting some to dub Copenhagen the ' Las Vegas of Europe.' The head of the marriage office at Copenhagen City Hall, Anita Okkels Birk Thomsen, said that about 8,000 wedding ceremonies were performed there last year. Of those, some 5,400 of them were for couples in which neither partner was a Danish resident. 'That's almost double what we saw five years ago,' she said. 'They come from all over the world.' City wants to ensure room for locals But the city sees a downside to that: demand for ceremonies at City Hall now far exceeds the number of slots available. Mia Nyegaard, the Copenhagen official in charge of culture and leisure, said in a statement to The Associated Press that the 'significant rise' in the number of foreign couples getting married in the capital 'poses challenges for Copenhagen-based couples wishing to get married.' Local authorities plan to take action. Nyegaard said about 40 percent of wedding slots available at City Hall will be reserved for Copenhagen residents starting from the end of October. While booking a slot there is the most obvious way to get married in the city, arranging a ceremony with a private registrar is also an option, and that won't be affected. Copenhagen lawmakers will look after the summer break at what else they can do to relieve overall pressure on wedding capacity in the city. Liberal laws Denmark's marriage laws are liberal in several ways. In 1989, the country became the world's first to allow the registration of same-sex civil unions. The legalisation of same-sex marriage followed in 2012. For unions of all kinds, Denmark — unlike many other European countries — doesn't require a birth certificate or proof of single status to obtain a certificate that grants the right to get married in Denmark within four months. Officials might, in cases where divorce papers don't show clearly that a divorce has been finalised, ask for a civil status certificate. Applications to Denmark's agency of family law cost 2,100 kroner ($326), and couples are issued with a certificate within five working days if they satisfy the requirements. Non-resident couples can travel to Denmark and get married with just a valid passport and, if required, a tourist visa. 'We get that thing like, 'Are you sure we do not need a birth certificate?' And we go, 'Yes,'' said Rasmus Clarck Sørensen, director of Getting Married in Denmark. Clarck Sørensen, a Dane, began the wedding planning business with his British wife back in 2014. 'In the last 20, 30 years, people just meet more across borders," he said. 'Marriage rules are often made for two people of the same country getting married.' 'They kind of piled on patches onto marriage law, and a lot of people get trapped in those patches,' he added. His online company's 'Complete Service' package, priced at 875 euros ($1,014), includes help gathering all the necessary documents, processing the certificate application and organising the date of the ceremony. The business says it helped over 2,600 couples last year. Copenhagen, easily Denmark's biggest city with the country's best transport links, is the most popular location and so far appears to be the only one struggling with demand. Any changes to the city's rules will come too late to bother newlyweds Kujawińska and Valenzuela, who are now busy planning a celebration in Poland with family and friends. 'It means a lot for us because we've been waiting a lot for this,' Kujawińska said. 'We're really happy.'
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
The toll Charles and Diana's 'wedding of the century' took on the ailing princess: 44 years on, this is the troubling truth about why Diana felt like a 'lamb to the slaughter' - and her saddening bulimia fit just before
The night before the 'wedding of the century', Princess Diana spent a quiet evening with her sisters and bridal party at Clarence House. The young bride-to-be had only recently turned 20 and admitted to journalist Andrew Morton ten years later that she 'had a very bad fit of bulimia the night before'. Between 1991 and 1992, Diana recorded tapes for Morton, which were the main source of his best-selling authorised biography, Diana: Her True Story. In the tapes, Diana tells how her public persona was often very different to her real personality. 'I ate everything I could possibly find, which amused my sister, and nobody understood what was going on there,' said Diana. 'It was very hush-hush. I was as sick as a parrot that night. It was such an indication of what was going on.' In another room, the Queen Mother and Lady Fermoy, Diana's grandmother, watched Dad's Army on TV. Diana found it hard to sleep and went downstairs, where 'Backstairs Billy', the Queen Mother's Steward, William Tallon, gave her a glass of orange juice. Then she spotted his bicycle, leapt on it and cycled around in circles, ringing the bell and singing: 'I'm going to marry the Prince of Wales tomorrow! And then came the morning. 'I was very, very calm, deathly calm,' said Diana. 'I felt I was a lamb to the slaughter. I knew it and couldn't do anything about it. My last night of freedom was with Jane at Clarence House.' On July 29, 1981, 44 years ago to this day, Diana married Charles at St Paul's Cathedral in front of 3,500 guests. A record-breaking 750million people in 74 countries across the globe tuned in to watch the event on television. 'I remember being so in love with my husband that I couldn't take my eyes off him,' Diana said. 'He was going to look after me. Well, was I wrong on that assumption? 'I realised I had taken on an enormous role but had no idea what I was going into - but no idea.' Charles and Diana had announced their engagement five months prior to the wedding, on February 24, 1981, with an exclusive interview. The Prince told the BBC that he was 'delighted and frankly amazed' that Diana was 'prepared' to take him on. However, he upset his future wife when he was asked if they were in love. Diana replied, 'Of course,' while Charles quipped, 'Whatever in love means' - a comment she was believed to find 'traumatising'. During the discussion, Diana debuted her £47,000 engagement ring from luxury jeweller Garrard. It was a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire, surrounded by 14 diamonds, set in 18-carat white gold. Diana's dress featured a substantial skirt complete with a record-breaking 25ft-train and frothy folds of silk taffeta fit for a fairytale. To make sure it would fit down the aisle, wedding dress designers Elizabeth and David Emanuel secretly measured St Paul's Cathedral with a tape measure. Diana's wedding dress, and it's 25-foot train, has gone down as one of the most famous wedding dresses in history During the couple's five-month engagement, Diana's waist has shrunk from 29in to 23½in and her dress has been taken in five times. She attended around 15 fittings and required five bodices to accommodate her rapid weight loss. In addition to being sewn into the gown after losing more weight ahead of her wedding, Diana accidentally spilt perfume on her dress just hours before walking down the aisle, which she hid by holding that part of the gown. 'That dress!' BBC presenter Tom Fleming exclaimed as the soon-to-be princess smoothed the dress around her. 'What a dream she looks,' commentator Angela Rippon added while noting Diana's tiny waist. According to journalist Penny Junor's book, The Duchess: The Untold Story, Charles sent Diana a signet ring that bore his Prince of Wales feathers, accompanied by a note that read: 'I am so proud of you and when you come up, I'll be there at the altar for you tomorrow. Just look 'em in the eye and knock them dead.' However, Diana's personal astrologer, Penny Thornton, claimed in an ITV documentary that the royal also had a devastating confession for his bride. 'One of the most shocking things that Diana told me was that the night before the wedding, Charles told her that he didn't love her,' Thornton claimed. 'I think Charles didn't want to go into the wedding on a false premise. He wanted to square it with her and it was devastating for Diana.' In 2020, speaking in Channel 5's documentary, Charles & Camilla: King and Queen in Waiting, former BBC royal reporter Jennie Bond said Diana confided to her about her doubts on her big day. Bond, who grew close to Princess Diana while working as a royal correspondent from 1989 to 2003, revealed the fairytale appearance of the 1981 royal wedding was very different behind closed doors. She said: 'Diana told me much later in one of our private conversations that she had felt like a lamb to the slaughter as she walked up the aisle, which is very sad, but I think she knew that things weren't quite right. 'When she saw Camilla in the congregation, she was immediately uneasy about it.' Bond added that Diana found a bracelet that Prince Charles had given Camilla during their engagement, which he had engraved with her initials. 'She was enraged by it, and she wanted to know why he had gifted this to Camilla'. Charles even wore a set of personalised cufflinks, which read C & C, for Charles and Camilla, on the couple's honeymoon. By 1986, both were having extramarital affairs. While Charles was seeing Camilla, the love of his life, Diana was having a dalliance with Army officer Captain James Hewitt. In 1992, Prime Minister John Major announced the couple were to separate, but continue living together at Kensington Palace. Two years after their separation, Charles would admit to his infidelity on national TV, on the same night that Diana wore the outfit later dubbed the 'Revenge Dress '. In August 1996, their divorce was finalised, and they continued to co-parent their sons until Diana's tragic death in a car crash in Paris one year later. It was not until 1999 that Charles and Camilla felt able to 'come out' as a couple. They did so by allowing a photo to be taken of them as they left the Ritz hotel in London, having attended a 50th birthday party. It would take a further six years before they could marry, and that ceremony was nowhere near as lavish or high-profile as Charles and Diana's nuptials. In 2005, Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles at Windsor Guildhall. Charles and Camilla - who had both been divorced - opted for a civil ceremony which was followed by a religious blessing. The couple's wedding ceremony was attended by their children from their previous marriages - Prince William, Prince Harry, Laura Lopes and Tom Parker Bowles. Unlike Charles' first wedding, the couple's civil ceremony was kept private. Buckingham Palace announced that there would be no music or readings featured in the order of service. After the ceremony, the royal newlyweds took the time to greet royal fans who had gathered on the streets of Windsor to celebrate their marriage. Charles and Diana relationship timeline November 1977: Prince Charles and Diana Spencer are introduced when Diana was just 16, and working as a nanny July 1980: The pair was thought to start courting at this time. Charles taught Diana how to fish and Diana was spotted at the Royal Family's Balmoral estate February 1981: The royal engagement is officially announced July 29, 1981: Charles and Diana tie the knot October 1981: Princess Diana makes first official royal engagement in Wales June 21, 1982: Prince William is born 1983: The couple tour Australia and New Zealand September 15, 1984: Prince Harry is born 1986: Both Charles and Diana reportedly start having affairs 1989: Diana reportedly confronts Camilla Parker Bowles July 29, 1991: The pair celebrate a muted 10 years of marriage June 7, 1992: Diana: Her True Story, a biography written by Andrew Morton, is published December 9, 1992: Charles and Diana announce their split June - October 1994: Prince Charles confesses to his affair November 20, 1995: The infamous Panorama interview is broadcast December 19, 1995: Prince Charles files for divorce August 31, 1997: Princess Diana dies
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Foreign couples flock to Denmark to get married. Copenhagen wants to save room for locals
Facing complex bureaucracy at home in Poland, Magdalena Kujawińska and her Colombian fiancé Heinner Valenzuela traveled to Copenhagen to become husband and wife. 'We realized that it's not that easy to get married in Poland,' the 30-year-old Kujawińska said as the couple waited for their 10-minute ceremony at the Danish capital's 19th-century City Hall. 'You need a certificate that you are not married,' she said. "We tried to get it from Colombia, but it's only valid for three months, and it couldn't get to Poland from Colombia in three months. It was just impossible for us.' The couple, who live in Krakow, had been engaged for more than three years when Kujawińska heard about Denmark's relatively relaxed marriage laws from a colleague. Working with an online wedding planner, the couple prepared the necessary documents. 'And in four days, we had the decision that the marriage could be done here,' a smiling Kujawińska said. Copenhagen attracts couples from around the world Couples who don't live in Denmark, both mixed- and same-sex, are increasingly getting married in the Scandinavian country — prompting some to dub Copenhagen the 'Las Vegas of Europe.' The head of the marriage office at Copenhagen City Hall, Anita Okkels Birk Thomsen, said that about 8,000 wedding ceremonies were performed there last year. Of those, some 5,400 of them were for couples in which neither partner was a Danish resident. 'That's almost double what we saw five years ago,' she said. 'They come from all over the world.' City wants to ensure room for locals But the city sees a downside to that: demand for ceremonies at City Hall now far exceeds the number of slots available. Mia Nyegaard, the Copenhagen official in charge of culture and leisure, said in a statement to The Associated Press that the 'significant rise' in the number of foreign couples getting married in the capital 'poses challenges for Copenhagen-based couples wishing to get married.' Local authorities plan to take action. Nyegaard said about 40% of wedding slots available at City Hall will be reserved for Copenhagen residents starting from the end of October. While booking a slot there is the most obvious way to get married in the city, arranging a ceremony with a private registrar is also an option, and that won't be affected. Copenhagen lawmakers will look after the summer break at what else they can do to relieve overall pressure on wedding capacity in the city. Liberal laws Denmark's marriage laws are liberal in several ways. In 1989, the country became the world's first to allow the registration of same-sex civil unions. The legalization of same-sex marriage followed in 2012. For unions of all kinds, Denmark — unlike many other European countries — doesn't require a birth certificate or proof of single status to obtain a certificate that grants the right to get married in Denmark within four months. Officials might, in cases where divorce papers don't show clearly that a divorce has been finalized, ask for a civil status certificate. Applications to Denmark's agency of family law cost 2,100 kroner ($326), and couples are issued with a certificate within five working days if they satisfy the requirements. Non-resident couples can travel to Denmark and get married with just a valid passport and, if required, a tourist visa. 'We get that thing like, 'Are you sure we do not need a birth certificate?' And we go, 'Yes,'' said Rasmus Clarck Sørensen, director of Getting Married in Denmark. Clarck Sørensen, a Dane, began the wedding planning business with his British wife back in 2014. 'In the last 20, 30 years, people just meet more across borders," he said. 'Marriage rules are often made for two people of the same country getting married.' 'They kind of piled on patches onto marriage law, and a lot of people get trapped in those patches,' he added. His online company's 'Complete Service' package, priced at 875 euros ($1,014), includes help gathering all the necessary documents, processing the certificate application and organizing the date of the ceremony. The business says it helped over 2,600 couples last year. Copenhagen, easily Denmark's biggest city with the country's best transport links, is the most popular location and so far appears to be the only one struggling with demand. Any changes to the city's rules will come too late to bother newlyweds Kujawińska and Valenzuela, who are now busy planning a celebration in Poland with family and friends. 'It means a lot for us because we've been waiting a lot for this,' Kujawińska said. 'We're really happy.'
