Jeff Bezos Marries Lauren Sanchez in €40M Venice Bash Amid Cultural Backlash

Venice, Italy- 

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and media personality Lauren Sanchez tied the knot on Friday in a luxurious wedding ceremony held in Venice, Italy—a city now split over the cultural and economic impact of high-profile celebrity events.

The wedding marks the grand finale of a week-long celebration that included private yacht parties and exclusive gatherings with A-list guests. The couple, already legally married in the United States, exchanged vows on the historic island of San Giorgio Maggiore, with the festivities culminating in a Saturday night ball featuring a performance by Lady Gaga.

Captured in a canoe alongside his bride-to-be, a beaming Bezos expressed admiration for the floating city in a video published by La Repubblica. “Look around! This city seems impossible—it cannot exist, and yet it is here,” he said.

However, not all Venetians shared in the celebration.

Chiara Trabuo, a 26-year-old student living on the mainland, voiced concern about the impact of such lavish events on the city’s identity. “This marriage is acceptable to a certain extent because it brings money, but it goes against the culture and nature of the city,” she said.

The celebration spared no expense. The couple reportedly spent millions hosting their guests at the luxurious Aman Venice hotel—housed in a 16th-century Renaissance palace—where rooms begin at €2,000 per night. A flotilla of private yachts also crowded the Venetian lagoon in scenes that some locals found overwhelming.

According to Luca Zaia, the regional president of Veneto, an estimated 80% of the wedding’s €40 million cost will benefit local businesses. “These kinds of events have a direct economic impact on our companies and our people,” Zaia stated.

Among the celebrity guests spotted by AFP photographers navigating Venice’s iconic canals were Ivanka Trump, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kim Kardashian, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, NFL legend Tom Brady, and media mogul Oprah Winfrey.

While the spectacle has brought global attention to the city, critics argue that Venice’s image as a fragile cultural treasure is being overshadowed by its appeal to billionaires and influencers.

Still, for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, Venice provided the perfect backdrop for their romantic celebration—regardless of the controversy swirling just beyond the champagne flutes.