According to the Italian newspaper Il Gazzettino, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s Venice wedding venue has moved from the historic Scuola Grande della Misericordia to the Arsenale district. The reason? The latter location, where the Venice Biennale is staged, is easier to secure and control.
The three-day celebration, that is due to start in the sinking lagoon city on 26th June, had already faced criticism from both locals, who are fed up of over-tourism, and environmental activists. There have been reports of planned protests, campaigns to block canals that the wedding party might use, and then, on Monday, Greenpeace activists displayed a banner in St. Mark’s Square with the message, “You can pay more tax if you can rent Venice for your wedding”, in bold lettering placed above Bezos’ laughing face. Elsewhere, locals have taken to popular landmarks, including the iconic Rialto Bridge, to protest the Bezos wedding with banners screaming “No Space For Bezos.”
As if local disdain wasn't enough, escalating tension between the US and Iran – America's Aviano Air Base in Italy is barely 50 miles from Venice – means added security concerns.
Everything You Need To Know About Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s Venice Wedding
If 2024 was the year of the $600 million Ambani wedding, in 2025 all eyes are on billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding. We are not here to compare – after all, not much can hold a candle to Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's wedding celebrations that spanned many countries, multiple A-list performers (Hello, Rihanna) and basically, carried on for months – but make no mistake: Jeff Bezos’s wedding to Lauren Sánchez will be a grand affair we wouldn't forget in a hurry.
Any engaged celeb or member of a royal family hoping to have their nuptials crowned wedding of the year may want to postpone until 2026, when Jeff Bezos’s wedding is over. The Amazon founder and his fiancée, former journalist Lauren Sánchez, are set to wed in June. The summertime soiree will bring big names from the worlds of politics, tech, and entertainment to one of the world’s most romantic locations for a weekend that is sure to befit the billionaire and his bride. Here’s everything we know about Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding so far.
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When is Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding?
According to CNN, the wedding will take place June 24-26, 2025. There has been speculation about the wedding for months, with rumours swirling in December 2024 that the couple was going to host a $600 million wedding in Aspen on December 28. Bezos denied the rumours, posting on X, “This whole thing is completely false – none of this is happening.”
Where is Jeff Bezos’s wedding?
The wedding will be held in Venice, Italy; however, the exact location is not yet confirmed. CNN reported that Luca Zuin, spokesperson for the mayor of Venice, said the event would take place on Bezos’s $500 million superyacht, Koru. The Daily Mail, however, quotes an anonymous friend of the couple who claims that the ceremony would not be held on the yacht, but the Koru could be “involved” in the celebrations. The yacht would be anchored in the Venice lagoon, since it’s too large to enter the city’s Grand Canal.
According to a previous report by The New York Times, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s Venice wedding celebrations were staggered across multiple locations including the island of San Giorgio and Venice’s Lido beach. As mentioned above, the Scuola Grande della Misericordia has given way to the Arsenale.
How did they pick the location?
The couple celebrated their engagement in Positano with a party aboard the Koru, so it’s not surprising that another Italian city made the final cut. But according to The Times, Venice lobbied to be chosen. Morris Ceron, director general of Venice council, told the outlet that he called upon Dolce & Gabbana designer Domenico Dolce to convey his love of the city to Bezos and Sánchez. “Seven months ago, Domenico Dolce told me Bezos was getting married. I got to work to bring this marriage of the century to Venice – that’s how it started,” Ceron told the newspaper Il Gazzettino.
How much does Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding cost?
According to the Daily Mail, the wedding is set to cost the Amazon founder $48 million.
Who is planning Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding?
With A-list clients like George and Amal Clooney, the exclusive London-based firm Lanza & Baucina was hired to plan Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding.
Who’s on Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding guest list?
Puck News senior correspondent Dylan Byers posted on X on March 22 that invitations had officially gone out. Vanity Fair and Page Six report that the star-studded guest list includes Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Oprah, Bill Gates, Brian Grazer, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jewel, Barbra Streisand, Diane von Furstenberg, Barry Diller, Anna Wintour, and Sánchez’s fellow Blue Origin crew members Katy Perry and Gayle King. The couple has also reportedly invited members of the Trump family. CNN reports that several of the city’s luxury hotels are completely booked for the last weekend in June, including the Aman Venice, the Hotel Cipriani, the St. Regis Venice, the Gritti Palace, and the Hotel Danieli. The Daily Mail reported recently that Lady Gaga and Elton John are set to perform at the extravaganza, though representatives for the singers denied this to the tabloid.
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How big will the wedding be?
The wedding is set to have a relatively modest guest list for a celebrity wedding. Luigi Brugnaro, the mayor of Venice, released a statement addressing concerns that the event would result in an influx of people that could impact the UNESCO World Heritage site. “The many speculations and fake news circulating about Jeff Bezos’ wedding are completely unfounded,” Brugnaro said. “Only two hundred guests will have been invited and therefore it will be easy for Venice to accommodate such an event, without any disruption whatsoever to the city, its residents and visitors.” The mayor noted that the city regularly hosts major events such as the G20 Summit, as well as art, architecture, and cinema Biennales. “The organisation has categorically not booked large amounts of gondolas or excessive numbers of water taxis, and it is their utmost priority to make sure the city functions as normal, for all, with no abnormal disruption to anyone,” Brugnaro added.
Who is planning the wedding?
According to the Times, Lanza & Baucina, a global event creation, design, and management company, is planning the opulent event. The London-based firm is known for its absolute discretion, and its previous work includes royal and A-list celebrity weddings.
What will Lauren Sánchez wear for her wedding to Jeff Bezos?
The bride has not revealed any details about her wedding dress, but when asked by Vogue, she listed Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, and Valentino as some of her favourite fashion houses. Another contender could be Oscar de la Renta. Sánchez wore a bridal-coded dress by the brand to the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar party, walking the red carpet in a white strapless gown trimmed with feathers. Oscar de la Renta co-creative directors Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim also dressed Sánchez for last year’s Met Gala, and their brand Monse redesigned the Blue Origin flight suits for the recent all-female flight.
When did the couple get engaged?
Bezos proposed in May of 2023, surprising Sánchez with a 30-carat diamond ring while aboard his yacht. In Vogue’s December 2023 issue, Sánchez described finding the ring under her pillow. “When he opened the box, I think I blacked out a bit,” she told the magazine.
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