Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and television personality Lauren Sanchez were married in a grand ceremony in Venice, Italy, on Friday, surrounded by celebrities, royalty, and a heavy presence of paparazzi.
The multi-day celebration drew a star-studded guest list, including Oprah Winfrey, Orlando Bloom, Kylie Jenner, and Ivanka Trump. Guests arrived via water taxis, turning Venice into a spectacle of glamour and media frenzy.
Sanchez, 55, wore a custom lace gown by Dolce & Gabbana haute couture, which reportedly required 900 hours of meticulous craftsmanship. “I feel like a princess,” she told photographers, radiating joy as she posed with Bezos, 61, in a photo shared on Instagram, captioned with a heart emoji and the wedding date.
Though around 200 guests were invited — including 70 family members — Sanchez described the event to Vogue as “extremely intimate.”
The wedding ceremony was held on the picturesque island of San Giorgio, where Matteo Bocelli, son of famed tenor Andrea Bocelli, is said to have performed. The celebrations are set to culminate on Saturday with a lavish party at a repurposed medieval shipyard, with expected performances by Lady Gaga and Elton John.
While the precise cost of the wedding remains undisclosed, estimates suggest it could range between $20 million and $50 million.
Despite the glamour, the event sparked protests in Venice, with local residents voicing concerns about over-tourism and environmental activists highlighting the ecological footprint of such opulence.
This marks the second marriage for both Bezos and Sanchez. The couple, who share seven children from previous relationships, became engaged in May 2023 aboard Bezos’ 417-foot sailing yacht, Koru, named after a Māori symbol representing new beginnings.
Their engagement party, held in November 2023 in Beverly Hills, was equally star-studded, featuring appearances from Oprah Winfrey, Salma Hayek Pinault, Barbra Streisand, and Kris Jenner.
