Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · June 24, 2025 · Entertainment

Wealth Meets Waves: Bezos-Sanchez Wedding Amidst Venice Protests

The ultra-wealthy are descending on Venice ahead of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez 's highly-anticipated nuptials, including Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner

Venice Under Siege: Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding Sparks Protests and Scandal

The City of Canals is bracing for impact as the ultra-wealthy flock in for the most anticipated wedding of the century - Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos and his bride-to-be Lauren Sanchez. But amidst the opulence, controversy is brewing.

As the A-list guests begin to arrive in Venice, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, Oprah Winfrey, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, and Kim Kardashian (who was spotted on Sanchez's bachelorette party), protesters are taking a stand against what they see as a symbol of excess and inequality. Greenpeace and the UK-based collective Everyone Hates Elon have joined forces to disrupt or even prevent the planned wedding celebrations, citing Bezos' notoriously low tax rate and his reported spending tens of millions on the three-day extravaganza.

Ivanka was seen wearing a sand-tone two-piece set with red accents, while her husband Jared Kushner opted for a linen shirt and his usual khakis for the boat ride to their Italian dwellings

"It's like Jeff Bezos is renting Venice for his wedding," reads one massive banner unfurled in St. Mark's Square. "If you can spend hundreds of thousands on a party, you can pay more taxes."

But Bezos' team insists that the billionaire has made significant charity donations to local organizations, including a whopping $1.16 million to Corila, an academic consortium dedicated to studying Venice's lagoon ecosystem.

As the wedding preparations reach fever pitch, the stakes are high - literally. Bezos' superyacht, Koru, is moored off the coast of Croatia, where the couple threw a foam party on Friday night (no surprise that the $500 million vessel includes a bronze goddess statue that bears an uncanny resemblance to Sanchez). And with at least 95 private jets expected to land at Venice's Marco Polo Airport, the city is bracing for chaos.

Ivanka was accompanied by her three children, Arabella, Joseph, and Theodore

But behind-the-scenes drama is brewing too. Guest Orlando Bloom is set to attend sans his popstar wife Katy Perry, who's currently on tour in Australia - and insiders claim he'll be debuting as a "single man" at the billionaire's wedding. Meanwhile, Sanchez's go-to nail artist has apparently pulled out of the celebration at the last minute.

As the big day approaches, questions are mounting about how this lavish event will impact local residents. Will Bezos' pledge to donate $23-34 million to local businesses be enough to offset the strain on Venice's infrastructure? Or will this opulent wedding be a symbol of everything that's wrong with the world?

The Wedding of the Century: A Breakdown

The First Daughter was seen boarding a boat shortly after her arrival and sported a $1,170 La DoubleJ ensemble

  • 200 guests, including A-list celebrities and moguls, have been invited to Bezos' three-day Italian extravaganza
  • The couple has asked guests not to bring gifts, instead suggesting donations to charities working to stop Venice from sinking
  • Bezos has pledged significant charity donations, including $1.16 million to Corila, an academic consortium dedicated to studying Venice's lagoon ecosystem
  • Protests are expected to disrupt or prevent the planned wedding celebrations, with Greenpeace and Everyone Hates Elon leading the charge
  • The event is estimated to cost between $15-20 million, depending on venue exclusivity, location planning, and celebrity headcount
  • Bezos' superyacht, Koru, will be moored off the coast of Croatia, where the couple threw a foam party on Friday night

The Guest List: A Who's Who of Hollywood and Tech

  • Leonardo DiCaprio
  • Mick Jagger
  • Oprah Winfrey
  • Orlando Bloom
  • Tom Brady
  • Kim Kardashian
  • Ivanka Trump and her family
  • Diane Von Furstenberg
  • Bill Miller
  • Shahid Khan

The lavish affair comes just over two years after Jeff Bezos popped the question to Lauren Sanchez. Pictured: The couple at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in March

The Drama Behind the Scenes: A Peek into the Wedding Planning

  • Bezos' original plan was to hold a huge party at the Scuola Grande della Misericordia on Saturday night, but it's been moved to another venue in the Arsenale area of the city due to "easier control" amid expected large-scale protests
  • The couple has reportedly suffered a major setback after being forced to change their venue at the last second
  • Beatrice Bavato, a freelance tour guide, accidentally leaked some of the guest list, revealing that Sanchez's go-to nail artist won't be in attendance

The Scholarly Note: A Special Report

Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg was also seen arriving at the Venice Airport

Stay tuned for further updates from The Scholarly Note as we bring you the latest on this scandalous and star-studded affair.

Diane von Furstenberg is among the high profile arrivals

The couple's arrival in Venice has been anything but smooth for the billionaire, who has been met with protests

Pictured: Protesters in Venice ahead of Bezos and Sanchez's wedding who are furious that the city has been 'sold off' to the Amazon executive, who has a net worth of $224.6 billion

Tom Brady is also set to be among the exclusive list of around 200 guests at the wedding

Other guests, like American Investor Bill Miller and billionaire Shahid Khan, are arriving to the ceremony via yacht. Miller's $70million boat (pictured) was seen moored off the coast of the Italian city

A statue of a human body covered in dollar bills with what appears to be Bezos' head was spotted in Venice as part of the protests

Bezos and Sanchez nuptials has already attracted huge controversy with protests planned by locals angry at the couple for 'taking over the city' for the planned three day festivities. Pictured: Jeff Bezos And Lauren Sanchez at a foam party on Bezos' yacht ahead of the event

Pictured: Protesters display a banner reading 'No Space for Bezos!' on the Rialto Bridge

A team of former US marines has already been hired to provide security for the event by Bezos, which is due to take place over three days from June 26 in the iconic lagoon city. Pictured: A banner against Bezos lies on the ground in St. Mark's Square