Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, media personality Lauren Sánchez, are set to tie the knot in one of the most opulent weddings of the year. The couple has chosen the romantic city of Venice, Italy, for their three-day celebration, scheduled from June 24 to 26, 2025.
According to the Daily Mail, the venue for the festivities is the historic Scuola Grande della Misericordia—a grand Renaissance building dating back to 1310. Once one of Venice’s exclusive Seven Scuole Grandi, reserved for the city’s elite, the venue now hosts high-profile events and exhibitions. It boasts magnificent frescoes by legendary artists such as Tintoretto, Veronese, and Pellegrini, and can accommodate up to 1,000 guests.
The guest list is expected to feature a who’s who of celebrities and power players, including Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, and Eva Longoria. Despite the scale of the event, Venetian authorities have downplayed concerns, stating that regular city functions will not be significantly disrupted—refuting claims that all water taxis had been booked for the occasion.
Still, the wedding has sparked controversy among some locals. Reports suggest Bezos has reserved five luxury hotels and implemented extensive security measures, including road closures, police patrols, and airspace restrictions—stirring frustration during Venice's busy tourist season.
One vocal critic is Laboratorio Occupato Morion, a local activist group that identifies as “anti-fascist, anti-capitalist, anti-racist, and trans-feminist.” The group has planned demonstrations near St. Mark’s Square and on the wedding day itself. Protest flyers feature a cartoon of Bezos’ head on a rocket, with slogans like “No space for Bezos, no space for oligarchs!”
“Jeff Bezos believes he can purchase the entire city,” the group stated. “Meanwhile, those who actually live in Venice are left to deal with discomfort, exclusion, and instability.”
As preparations unfold, Bezos and Sánchez’s wedding continues to draw global attention—for both its grandeur and its backlash.
According to the Daily Mail, the venue for the festivities is the historic Scuola Grande della Misericordia—a grand Renaissance building dating back to 1310. Once one of Venice’s exclusive Seven Scuole Grandi, reserved for the city’s elite, the venue now hosts high-profile events and exhibitions. It boasts magnificent frescoes by legendary artists such as Tintoretto, Veronese, and Pellegrini, and can accommodate up to 1,000 guests.
The guest list is expected to feature a who’s who of celebrities and power players, including Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, and Eva Longoria. Despite the scale of the event, Venetian authorities have downplayed concerns, stating that regular city functions will not be significantly disrupted—refuting claims that all water taxis had been booked for the occasion.
Still, the wedding has sparked controversy among some locals. Reports suggest Bezos has reserved five luxury hotels and implemented extensive security measures, including road closures, police patrols, and airspace restrictions—stirring frustration during Venice's busy tourist season.
One vocal critic is Laboratorio Occupato Morion, a local activist group that identifies as “anti-fascist, anti-capitalist, anti-racist, and trans-feminist.” The group has planned demonstrations near St. Mark’s Square and on the wedding day itself. Protest flyers feature a cartoon of Bezos’ head on a rocket, with slogans like “No space for Bezos, no space for oligarchs!”
“Jeff Bezos believes he can purchase the entire city,” the group stated. “Meanwhile, those who actually live in Venice are left to deal with discomfort, exclusion, and instability.”
As preparations unfold, Bezos and Sánchez’s wedding continues to draw global attention—for both its grandeur and its backlash.
