Latest news with #RialtoBridge
Times
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Is Drake's six-pack shaming good for feminism? I'm going to say yes
G ood day, dearest Times reader, and welcome to the week that should theoretically be remembered as 'the week the multibillionaire Jeff Bezos got married', but which will instead be remembered as 'the week everyone had an opinion on Jeff Bezos's wedding'. Venetians hung 'No space for Bezos' flags over the Rialto Bridge; a first-night 'foam party' — where revellers are covered in, yes, foam — on a $500 million yacht was deemed 'tacky'. I'm sure the new Mr and Mrs Bezos have remained unaffected by this reaction — there is something about having $235 billion that just makes everything, at all times, awesome — but the backlash for some of their guests will have been more difficult to cope with, simply because they do not have that sweet $235 billion buffer. To this point, the comedian Rosie O'Donnell launched into a critique of her fellow talk show host Oprah Winfrey for RSVPing positively to 'the wedding of the century'.
The Independent
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Protest banners appear across Venice ahead of Bezos ‘wedding of the century'
Venice, renowned for its historic charm, is facing a stark division as it prepares to host the high-profile wedding of US tech-tycoon Jeff Bezos and Laura Sanchez. 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.
Reuters
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Venice divided ahead of billionaire Bezos' 'wedding of the century'
ROME, June 20 (Reuters) - Venice is divided ahead of next week's celebrity wedding of U.S. tech-tycoon Jeff Bezos and Laura Sanchez, with some looking forward to the glitz and glamour, while others fear it will turn the scenic city of gondolas and palazzi into an amusement park. Many details of the wedding are still under wraps - including the precise day it will happen - but it is certain that scores of stars from film, fashion and business will arrive to see Bezos tie the knot - provided they can get past the protesters. One group has plastered banners on the city's famous Rialto Bridge reading "No space for Bezos!" and threatened peaceful blockades, complaining that the medieval and Renaissance city needs public services and housing, not celebrities and over-tourism. "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.
New York Times
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
A Dream Wedding for Jeff Bezos in Venice? No Way, Locals Say
If a bunch of irate Venetians have their way, the star-studded dream wedding that Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder, and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, are planning in the ancient city at the end of June could be a nightmare. On Friday evening, representatives of various citizens groups gathered in a square near Rialto Bridge and vowed to organize a series of protests on June 26, 27 and 28, when hundreds of guests are expected to descend on the lagoon city for the lavish nuptials of Mr. Bezos and Ms. Sánchez, a journalist. Though details of the festivities have been wrapped in secrecy, 'we have our moles,' said Federica Toninello, a protest organizer, revealing that one of the venues could be the The Misericordia, a former charity turned events hall. 'Bezos will never get to the Misericordia,' she vowed, urging the roughly 300 people present to take a stand. 'We will line the streets with our bodies, block the canals with lifesavers, dinghies and our boats,' she said to loud applause. She spoke under a large banner that read: 'No Space [an image of a spaceship] For Bezos,' playing on his ownership of Blue Origin, the spaceflight venture. 'We have to block Bezos, we have to block this idea of this city' as a tourist haven that has driven up housing costs so that most ordinary Venetians can no longer afford to live here, she said. Representatives for Mr. Bezos and Ms. Sánchez did not respond to a request for comment. Their wedding coincides with peak season in Venice, as tens of thousands of visitors arrive in the city daily, prompting City Hall to impose a controversial entry fee on weekends and holidays. Protesters said they were also concerned that the logistics of the wedding, including security for some top-tier guests, will further disrupt the life of Venice's dwindling resident population. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Aman Venice hotel review: a palatial stay on the Grand Canal
A n opulent but discreet Grand Canal hideaway for Hollywood royalty — and actual royalty — Aman's Venetian outpost is set in a spectacular palazzo still owned and partially occupied by Italian nobility. Steps from the landmark Rialto Bridge, its 16th-century stucco details, leather wall coverings and swirling staircases shine against sleek modern, minimalist furnishings, while a rare courtyard garden and restaurant overlooks the water. Accessed via boat straight off the city's most famous stretch of canal, this singular hotel oozes Venetian mystique from top to tail; and with snap-your-fingers-and-it's-there service to boot, little wonder George and Amal Clooney chose to tie the knot here in 2014. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Score 9/10 With a minimum size of 50 sq m, rooms are ultra-spacious in a city where every square inch counts. Despite occupying an entire multi-storey grand palazzo, the hotel has just 24 rooms, most with Grand Canal views and some with unique original features like gold-painted stucco or frescoed ceilings. Decor is Aman's signature Japanese-inspired minimalism, with neutral cream and taupe hues. Orchids and pedestals of seasonal fruit — three perfect, juicy peaches in July, say — join biscotti, chocolate truffles and nuts as welcome amenities.
