By Charles Pemu 
Billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, 61, tied the knot with former TV journalist Lauren “LB” Sánchez, 55, in a lavish three-day celebration in Venice, Italy, culminating with a ceremony on June 27 at the historic San Giorgio Maggiore island
Guests arrived via private jets and yachts, including celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Kim and Khloé Kardashian, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Tom Brady, Orlando Bloom, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Queen Rania of Jordan.
Sánchez, beaming in a custom Dolce & Gabbana gown inspired by Sophia Loren’s Houseboat, swapped into several haute couture looks from Oscar de la Renta and Versace throughout the festivities Bezos opted for classic black-tie elegance, complete with aviator shades
The event followed a strict “no phones” policy during key events, and guests were gifted curated Venetian-themed goody bags, featuring items like Murano glass and slippers
In lieu of traditional gifts, the couple made charitable donations in guests’ names to support cultural and environmental preservation in Venice.
Despite its glamour, the wedding sparked local protests. Activists displayed banners reading “No Kings, No Bezos” and deployed inflatable crocodiles in canals, citing concerns over tourism and environmental impact on the sinking city
Vestiges of Venetian history and modern opulence intertwined: pre-wedding events at the cloisters of Madonna dell’Orto, a foam party aboard Bezos’s yacht and receptions at Aman Venice and the Venetian Arsenal
Estimates of the event’s cost vary, from $11 million to over $46 million, accounting for expenses like jet security, floral arrangements, and entertainment, including performances by Matteo Bocelli and Ellie Goulding
Officials note only about 200–250 guests attended, helping to manage disruption in the city. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro hailed the event as a tourism boon, projected to inject tens of millions of euros into the local economy
With a retreat from public life into vision obscured by luxury, Bezos and Sánchez concluded the ceremony by reaffirming their union, and for Venetians, the event sparked renewed debate over balancing local heritage with global spectacle.