Latest news with #anti-Bezos
The Star
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Newlyweds Bezos and Sanchez gear up for final party at Venice gala
Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos and Media Personality Lauren Sanchez Bezos react on the day of their wedding in Venice, Italy, June 27, 2025 in this picture obtained from social media. @laurensanchezbezos via Instagram/via REUTERS VENICE (Reuters) -Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez, flush from their Venice wedding ceremony on Friday, are gearing up for the final day of partying in the lagoon city with scores of celebrity guests from media, fashion and show business. The three-day gala, estimated to cost some $50 million, will culminate on Saturday evening with the closing party in a former medieval shipyard where Lady Gaga and Elton John are expected to perform. Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, exchanged rings on Friday evening 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. The bride at the ceremony wore a high-necked silhouette dress and a tulle and lace veil by Dolce and 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, were 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. The ceremony had no legal status under Italian law, a senior city hall official told Reuters, suggesting the couple may have already legally wed in the United States, avoiding the bureaucracy associated with an Italian marriage. 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 and Domenico Dolce from Dolce & Gabbana were among the 200-250 guests. PROTEST SCHEDULED While the celebrities rub shoulders in the isolated halls in the east of the city, not far away activists will be protesting at what they see as Venice being gift-wrapped for ultra-rich outsiders. A protest march is planned at 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) on Saturday from the railway station to the Rialto Bridge. For days, members of the "No Space for Bezos" movement have been trying to spoil the party, hanging anti-Bezos banners on the iconic Rialto Bridge and laying out a huge canvas in central Saint Mark's Square telling the tech-tycoon to pay more taxes. While some residents and activists see Bezos's extravaganza as a symbol of inequality and arrogance, Venice's businesses and the city authorities have welcomed the event, claiming 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," the city's mayor Luigi Brugnaro told Reuters in an interview. "Bezos embodies the Venetian mentality, he is more Venetian than the protesters," said centre-right mayor, adding that he hoped Bezos, who donated 3 million euros ($3.51 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 MacKenzie Scott. ($1 = 0.8552 euros) (Writing by Gavin Jones and Angelo Amante; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
The Age
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Age
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez marry in lavish Venice ceremony
Amid tight security, there have been glimpses of the celebrities moving around town, the women in summer dresses and high heels stepping somewhat gingerly off boats ferrying them around the city's canals. Celebrations began on Thursday evening in the cloisters of Madonna dell'Orto, a medieval church in the central district of Cannaregio that hosts masterpieces by 16th-century painter Tintoretto. 'This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories,' the bride and groom said on their wedding invitation, in which they asked for 'no gifts' and pledged charity donations for three Venetian institutions. Their donations are worth €3 million ($5.3 million). Protest movement Businesses have welcomed the glitz and glamour, but the event is opposed by a local protest movement whose members resent what they see as Venice being gift-wrapped for ultra-rich outsiders. Bezos is No. 4 on Forbes' global billionaires list. Giulia Cacopardo, a 28-year-old representative of the 'No Space for Bezos' movement, complained that the needs of ordinary people were being neglected in a city that is a tourist magnet and fast depopulating largely due to the soaring cost of living. Venice's city centre has less than 50,000 residents, compared to almost 100,000 in the late 1970s. 'When you empty a city of its inhabitants, you can turn it into a stage for big events,' Cacopardo told Reuters. '[But] the money that Bezos spends on this wedding does not end up in the pockets of Venetians. The owners of luxury hotels are not Venetians.' Cacopardo was one of 30-40 activists who staged a protest in St Mark's Square on Thursday, chanting 'We are the 99 per cent' as a masked couple posed as bride and groom and one man climbed a pole to unfurl a banner reading 'The 1% ruins the world'. Police intervened, forcibly removing the protesters. The anti-Bezos front was planning a march on Saturday, and their activities have already led authorities to step up security and move the location of the closing party to a more secluded part of Venice, the Arsenale former shipyard. Charlotte Perkins, an Australian tourist, said she could understand the locals' resentment at their city being treated as a celebrity playground. 'I'd probably feel the same if I lived here,' she said. But politicians, hoteliers and some other Venice residents are happy about the wedding, saying such events do more to support the local economy than the multitudes of day-trippers who normally overrun the city. 'We are happy and honoured to welcome Jeff Bezos and his consort Lauren Sanchez,' said Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who sent white roses to the bride and a maxi-bottle of Amarone luxury red wine to the groom.
Euronews
14 hours ago
- Business
- Euronews
Jeff Bezos weds Lauren Sánchez in lavish Venice ceremony
Billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez tied the knot in a wedding ceremony on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice on Friday. Sánchez posted a photo to her Instagram of herself beaming in a white gown as she stood alongside tuxedo-clad Bezos, the world's fourth-richest man. Dozens of private jets flocked to Venice's airports and yachts pulled into the city's waterways as guests arrived for the ceremony. Celebrities including members of the Kardashian family as well as Oprah Winfrey were in Venice to attend the wedding. It was the second day of events spread across the Italian lagoon city. On Friday afternoon, Sánchez emerged from her hotel wearing a silk scarf on her head and blew a kiss to journalists before stepping into her water taxi. It carried her through the canals to San Giorgio island, across the lagoon basin from St. Mark's Square, where the couple reportedly held their wedding ceremony. The wedding has divided the Italian city. Some activists protest it as exploitation of Venice by Bezos while ordinary residents suffer from over tourism, high housing costs and the constant threat of climate-induced flooding. About a dozen Venetian organisations, including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups, have united to protest the multi-day wedding under the banner 'No Space For Bezos.' Protesters have staged small-scale protests, unfurling anti-Bezos banners on iconic Venetian landmarks. Critics cite Amazon's labour practices, ongoing tax disputes with European governments and Bezos' political associates as reasons for concern. The city's governor Luca Zaia has strongly defended the wedding as an economic and reputation boon for Venice, saying the price tag he had seen was between €40 million and €48 million. Bezos donated 1 million each to three environmental research organisations working to preserve Venice, according to Corila, the Venetian environmental research association.
Business Insider
18 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
A Venice pastry shop owner was sworn to secrecy about the big wedding he catered this week. Here's what he could say.
Antonia Rosa Salva, the owner of one of Venice 's oldest patisseries, was approached two months ago to help create gift bags for a wedding in the city this weekend. Two weeks ago, he discovered who it was for. He told Business Insider he signed some documents stopping him from sharing who the couple is. But he's keenly aware of the controversy surrounding Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding, which is taking place in Venice this weekend. The A-list event, which will reportedly welcome 200 guests, including Bill Gates and Kim Kardashian, has drawn ire from anti-Bezos protesters and Venetians who are concerned the wedding will contribute to overtourism. Despite the protests, Salva said that he believes the wedding is good not just for his own business — which opened in 1870 and has been in his family for six generations — but for Venice as a whole. He said that the city's large number of hotels makes it a good location for large-scale events, which his business often caters to. Just two weeks ago, he worked on an event with 400 guests — double Bezos' guestlist. "Nobody protested about that," he said. Salva said that anyone should be allowed to host their wedding in the city. "Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I think everyone has the right to get married, to come to Venice, or to have a party or stay in Venice," he said. As for the mystery event, he said he was proud that his business was chosen by its organizers.
The Star
20 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Bezos and Sanchez to exchange wedding vows in star-studded Venice party
VENICE (Reuters) -Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez were set to exchange marriage vows at a ceremony in Venice on Friday, part of a three-day wedding extravaganza that has attracted dozens of celebrity guests but also protests by local activists. Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, will exchange rings on the small island of San Giorgio, opposite St Mark's Square, accompanied by singing from Matteo Bocelli, son of the famous Italian pop-opera tenor Andrea Bocelli. The ceremony will have no legal status under Italian law, a senior city hall official told Reuters, suggesting that the couple may have already legally wed in the United States, avoiding the bureaucracy associated with an Italian marriage. The festivities, estimated to cost around $50 million, culminate on Saturday with a party in a former medieval shipyard where Lady Gaga and Elton John are reportedly set to perform. Bill Gates, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, the queen of Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner and Kim and Khloe Kardashian as well as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner and Domenico Dolce from Dolce & Gabbana are among the 200-250 guests. Amid tight security, there have been glimpses of the celebrities moving around town, the women in summer dresses and high heels stepping somewhat gingerly off boats ferrying them around the city's canals. Celebrations began on Thursday evening in the cloisters of Madonna dell'Orto, a medieval church in the central district of Cannaregio that hosts masterpieces by 16th-century painter Tintoretto. "This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories," the bride and groom said on their wedding invitation, in which they asked for "no gifts" and pledged charity donations for three Venetian institutions. Their donations are worth 3 million euros ($3.5 million). 'GIFT-WRAPPED' VENICE Businesses have welcomed the glitz and glamour but it is being resisted by a local protest movement whose members resent what they see as Venice being gift-wrapped for ultra-rich outsiders. Bezos is No. 4 on Forbes' billionaires list. Giulia Cacopardo, a 28-year-old representative of the "No Space for Bezos" movement, complained that the needs of ordinary people were being neglected in a city that is a tourist magnet and fast depopulating largely due to the soaring cost of living. Venice's city centre has less than 50,000 residents, compared to almost 100,000 in the late 1970s. "When you empty a city of its inhabitants, you can turn it into a stage for big events," Cacopardo told Reuters. "(But) the money that Bezos spends on this wedding does not end up in the pockets of Venetians. The owners of luxury hotels are not Venetians." Cacopardo was one of 30-40 activists who staged a protest in St Mark's Square on Thursday, chanting "We are the 99%" as a masked couple posed as bride and groom and one man climbed a pole to unfurl a banner reading "The 1% ruins the world". Police intervened, forcibly removing the protesters. The anti-Bezos front is planning a march on Saturday, and their activities have already led authorities to step up security and move the location of Saturday's party to a more secluded part of Venice, the Arsenale former shipyard. But politicians, hoteliers and other Venice residents are happy about the wedding, saying that such events do more to support the local economy than the multitudes of day-trippers who normally overrun the city. "We are happy and honoured to welcome Jeff Bezos and his consort Lauren Sanchez," said Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who sent white roses to the bride and a maxi-bottle of Amarone luxury red wine to the groom. Italy's Tourism Ministry said it carried out a study estimating at 957 million euros ($1.12 billion) the overall economic impact of the wedding, including an 896 million euro benefit from "media visibility", and the rest coming from direct or indirect spending related to the event. Bezos, Amazon's executive chair, got engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to MacKenzie Scott. ($1 = 0.8545 euros) (Additional reporting by Yara Nardi, Ali Kucukgocmen and Cristiano CorvinoEditing by Frances Kerry)
