Stars descend on Venice for Jeff Bezos' €48 million three-day wedding extravaganza
The 61-year-old founder of Amazon already legally married Sánchez, 55, in a private ceremony in the US a month ago, with the inclusion of a hefty prenup agreement,
according to reports
.
Sánchez is no stranger to the spotlifhgt herself; she is a former television news anchor and reporter, appearing on Fox 11 News at Ten, Good Day LA as well as in minor cameos for various films such as Fight Club and White House Down.
The build-up to the rolling nuptial events have been mired by controversy for what protestors say is a lavish demonstration of wealth inequality.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez leaving for their pre wedding reception today.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
About a dozen Venetian organisations – including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups – have united to protest over the multi-day event under the banner 'No Space for Bezos', a play on words also referring to the bride's recent space flight.
They have staged small-scale protests, unfurling anti-Bezos banners like one which read: 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax.'
Around 200 high-profile guests will be attending the wedding ceremony of the multi-billionaire couple, estimated to cost up to €48 million.
Leonardo Di Caprio keeping a low profile in Venice.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
The wedding reception is scheduled to take place on Saturday at the Arsenale, an ancient complex of former shipyards and armories located on the eastern side of the historic center.
Advertisement
The location is used as an exhibition space for the Venice Biennale art fair, and Bezos and Sánchez are planning to source 80% of the provisions for the wedding from local vendors. Attendees include Oprah Winfrey, Salma Hayek Pinault, Barbra Streisand, Miranda Kerr, Suki Waterhouse, Robert Pattinson and other celebrities.
Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Khloe Kardashian arrive at Campo della Madonna dell'Orto, Venice.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
PEOPLE reports
that Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner were all invited. Sánchez's close friends Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian also made the cut, along with her fellow Blue Origin space crew members Katy Perry and Gayle King.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Other guests include Leonardo DiCaprio, Sarah Foster, Tommy Hilfiger, Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan, Andy Jassy, Karlie Kloss, Queen Rania of Jordan, Sarah Staudinger, Edward Enninful, Vittoria Ceretti, Natasha Poonawalla, among others.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
The couple hired event planners Lanza & Baucina Limited to organise their ceremony.
The planners are known for producing Venice weddings for A-list couples like the Clooneys in 2014 and Hayek and François-Henri Pinault in 2009.
US Rapper Usher is also attending among one of the many music artists, and he is joined by industry royalty such as Mick Jagger, Elton John and Lady Gaga.
Usher
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
The latter are expected to perform during the wedding ceremony, as too is Andrea Bocelli's son Matteo.
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More
Support The Journal
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Disgraced Huw Edwards spotted with new beard & carrying bottles of Prosecco on birthday – year on from paedo conviction
Edwards has kept a low profile since being convicted last summer SHAMED STAR Disgraced Huw Edwards spotted with new beard & carrying bottles of Prosecco on birthday – year on from paedo conviction DISGRACED Huw Edwards is seen clutching three bottles of Prosecco - days after The Sun told how he had refused to repay the £200,000 he earned from the BBC after his child abuse images arrest. Shamed Edwards broke cover as he went for a lonesome stroll on his birthday. 7 Huw Edwards was snapped in Swansea after buying three bottles of Prosecco Credit: Splash 7 The ex-newsreader was spotted out and about on his 64th birthday Credit: Splash Advertisement 7 He was clutching the bottles, as well as a cap, car keys and receipt Credit: Splash 7 Edwards at a parking machine near his car Credit: Splash The paedophile - sporting new grey facial hair and glasses - looked grim-faced as he was spotted on Monday, the day he turned 64. Our exclusive pictures show the ex-BBC presenter holding his car keys, a parking receipt, a blue cap and three bottles of Tesco finest Prosecco Brut - £3.35 each at the supermarket - as he returned to his car. Advertisement The fallen star, whose wife Vicky has filed for divorce, was wearing a wedding ring when he was seen in his native South Wales. It is the first time former News at Ten host Edwards has been seen since we revealed pictures of him spluttering on a vape in February. And it comes as the Beeb confirmed it had failed to claw back the salary Edwards earned between his November 2023 arrest and his resignation five months later. 'A shadow of his former self' An onlooker said: "Edwards looked very different, with glasses very grey hair and a beard and moustache. Advertisement "He was dressed smartly but also looked like he had put on a bit of weight. "And he looked a shadow of his former cocky and super-confident self. "Edwards struck a very odd figure - and it was quite a peculiar sight seeing him heading back to his car with the mini-Prosecco bottles. It made me wonder who they were for, or if they were a gift to him. "Whatever the situation, Edwards looked a bit tragic - which he is. BBC failed to tackle 'unacceptable' stars' behaviour - as Huw Edwards victim's family called report 'too little too late' "He was quite near Swansea train station and looked like he could have been to see any remaining friends he has before heading off in his car. Advertisement "There are a few nice places nearby including a hotel he could have come from. "Although he looked different he was very recognisable. "But considering who he is he looked pretty relaxed and was strolling about freely - not trying to hide his identity. "No-one bothered him though and he seemed comfortable being out and about. "He just looked like a middle-aged man going about his business, but it does make you sick when you consider what he's done." Advertisement BBC failed to claw back salary Our pictures come after we told on Monday how BBC were furious that bosses had failed to claw back any of the £200,000 Edwards' post-arrest salary. The BBC said - after a Sun Freedom of Information probe: "Huw Edwards has not returned any money paid to him by the BBC after his arrest, in respect of any of his work. "The BBC has asked for all the money paid to Huw Edwards by the BBC for the perioed November 2023 (arrest) and April 2024 (resignation) to be returned." Edwards - once the BBC's star news anchor who fronted coverage of elections and state events including the Queen's funeral - was allowed to step down on medical grounds. The shamed star - spared jail by Westminster Magistrates last September over child abuse images - was last pictured wearing a quilted jacket and puffing on a vape in Wales. Advertisement Those pictures came as The Sun revealed the BBC was struggling to recoup money from their former star man. The ex-newsreader - paid £475,000 per year by the BBC - was arrested in November 2023 over the most serious category of child abuse images shared in a Whats App chat. But he was not sacked by the Beeb although some senior staff knew he had been nicked. Paedo's pattern of behaviour By Scarlet Howes NIGHT after night he sternly delivered the most important news to the nation, with his authoritative style winning countless awards. But away from his famous desk, as we have discovered, Huw Edwards was a manipulative paedophile who used the same pattern of behaviour time and time again to feed his relentless desires. Some 437 days since the Sun's bombshell front page - Edwards today appeared in court to learn his fate, his once glittering career in ruins. Our exclusive that he paid a youngster thousands of pounds for sexual pictures made headlines around the globe and set into motion a series of events which plunged the BBC into crisis. And Edwards - at the time the BBC's highest earning newsreader - never again appeared on our screens. Today, a court heard Edwards paid a younger convicted paedophile £1,500 for child sex images and videos of children which he described as "amazing". The case centred on messages between sex offender Alex Williams, who was a teen when they struck up a relationship, and 63-year-old Edwards. We must be clear, the facts of that case are unrelated to our original story. But there are some alarming similarities in his exchanges with both young people - and a pattern of deeply disturbing behaviour. He made contact with both on social media, messaged them on WhatsApp, harassed them for pictures, and then gave them money. There were kisses involved and Christmas presents given. Chillingly, he even bought both of them, who are decades younger, a pair of trainers. And all in exchange for sexual pictures. Cash was used as leverage to the men, one homeless, the other a student, who could only dream of earning his top salary. What The Sun uncovered was a pattern of behaviour and had we not done so Edwards' could well have remained undetected. Welshman Edwards – who had been revealed as paying a young man £35,000 for sex pictures after a separate Sun investigation – was instead allowed to step down from the BBC on "medical grounds" in April 2024. We then revealed last July he had been charged with making indecent images. Advertisement Edwards was charged with three counts of making indecent images of children between December 2020 and April 2022. The charges were not made public until they were revealed by The Sun. He admitted the three counts in July – and then avoided jail when he was sentenced last September. The court heard he paid money to young paedophile Alex Williams for obscene material. He described a batch of depraved paedophile videos as 'amazing' – and replied 'go on' when offered pictures and videos of a boy later estimated to be aged between seven and nine. Advertisement Seven of the 41 images sent by Williams were of the worst Category A level. But Edwards was handed a suspended six-month jail sentence and ordered to undergo a sex treatment programme and rehabilitation sessions. He was also placed on the sex offenders register. The Sun has campaigned for paedophiles who hoard serious child abuse images to face automatic jail. Edwards, who has separated from producer wife Vicky – mum of his five children – has been spending time in his native Wales where he has family including his elderly mother. Advertisement 7 Edwards' mugshot was released after his sentencing last July Credit: PA 7 Edwards was sentenced to six months in prison suspended Credit: PA
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Tragic tales of UK's biggest lottery winners including man who died months later & woman spiralling into heartbreak
LOTTO WOE Tragic tales of UK's biggest lottery winners including man who died months later & woman spiralling into heartbreak A LUCKY lotto player scooped £210million in the EuroMillions superjackpot draw last night - but tragic tales of past winners should serve as a warning. The ticket holder from France has now become richer than Adele - who has a reported net worth of around £180million - after winning the eye-watering prize. 14 John McGuinness lived on a council estate before winning a £10million jackpot Credit: Alamy 14 Keith Gough scooped £9 million in 2005 Credit: PA:Press Association Advertisement 14 Margaret Loughrey scooped £27m in 2013 Credit: Pacemaker While most lottery winners choose to be anonymous, some welcomed the spotlight. And while you might think they're the luckiest people alive, many have gone on to have some serious misfortune. There's plenty of reports of financial feuds and couples broken up by the "lottery curse". Advertisement John McGuinness John McGuinness was working as a hospital porter and living on a council estate when he won £10million in 1997. READ MORE NEWS GOT YOUR TICKETS? EuroMillions LIVE: National Lottery numbers and Thunderball draw tonight He lived with his parents in a council house at the time and earned £150 a week. After the win, he spent more than £3million on close family members, swapped his Vauxhall Astra for a £140,000 Ferrari Modena Spyder and bought a £500,000 seafront apartment in Majorca. At one stage he had six cars on his driveway, including a Bentley, Mercedes, Jaguar and BMW. Advertisement And he bought a £1.3million mansion in Bothwell, South Lanarkshire, which he moved into with his wife Sandra and family. He moved to another mansion just 20ft away in 2004 so he could fit a snooker table in. But John lost all his winnings after a devastating turn of events. Lottery player 'illegally' banned from taking $83.5m win over loophole even though she played by the rules, lawyer says The die-hard Livingston FC fan's fortunes were left in tatters when he used his sudden wealth as a guarantee against the club's loans. It meant that he was liable for all of the football club's debts. Advertisement He had put £4million into Livingston before it went into administration. And he lost millions in a venture to buy Livingston with former Celtic director Dominic Keane. Keane was accused in court of tricking him into signing an extension to a £2million loan but was found not guilty. 14 John lost all his winnings through a disastrous investment in his beloved Livingston FC Credit: Alamy 14 He splashed out on six cars including a £140,000 Ferrari Credit: Alamy Advertisement John said at the time: "Keane broke down in the witness box and said he'd lost his house. But I'm the only one who has lost everything. "I had the Ferraris, the designer wardrobe and the luxury holidays. I had everything I had ever dreamed about and more. "Now I'm worried about how to pay for the shopping." John is now understood to live as a virtual recluse who struggles to pay bills. Keith Gough Keith Gough said his £9million prize ruined his life and he drank himself to death. Advertisement The former baker died in 2010 aged just 58 after battling alcoholism and going through a divorce. Keith, from Bridgnorth, Shropshire, gave up his job and splashed out on a top-of-the-range BMW, a group of racehorses and an executive box to watch his beloved Aston Villa after scooping the jackpot in 2005. However, just two years later, he and his wife of 27 years Louise separated after he started drinking heavily out of "boredom". This led to a stint in the Priory, a rehab facility in Birmingham, and divorce. Keith said in a 2009 interview that the win had "ruined" his life. Advertisement He recalled: "Without routine in my life I started to spend, spend, spend. In the end I was just bored. 14 However, he said the win 'ruined his life' as he split with his wife and turned to drink Credit: Newsteam 14 He died of a suspected heart attack in 2010 at the age of 58 Credit: Newsteam "Before the win all I would drink was some wine with a meal. I used to be popular but I've driven away all my friends. I don't trust anyone any more. "When I see someone going in to a newsagent, I advise them not to buy a lottery ticket." Advertisement Following the collapse of his marriage, he moved to a £1 million rented home in Cheshire, complete with a chauffeur and gardener, but blew the cash on gambling. He also lost £700,000 to conman James Prince, who he had met in rehab and who persuaded him to invest in fraudulent business schemes. Prince admitted money laundering and fraud in 2009 and was jailed for three years and four months. Keith passed away at the Princess Royal hospital in Telford the following year from a suspected heart attack. John Homer, who owned the newsagents where the tragic winner bought his unlucky ticket, told The Guardian: "It was a Wednesday and a rollover from the previous Saturday. It all went downhill from there. He and his wife split. Advertisement "He did have a drink problem and it got progressively worse. "It's very sad because it should have made him a very happy man, but he didn't get the best out of it. "You never expected any sorrow or problems, but he must have had some, although he never spoke about them to me." Margaret Loughrey EuroMillions winner Margaret Loughrey said the money destroyed her life. She built a mansion and bought a fleet of luxury cars before tragically dying. Advertisement She scooped the staggering £27m jackpot in 2013, and gave loved ones £1m each. She picked up the ticket on a whim after applying for a charity job - matching five numbers and two lucky stars to bag a total £26,863,588. The prize was the largest ever jackpot won in Northern Ireland at the time. Despite her huge win, Margaret continued living in a bungalow in her hometown of Strabane, in Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and vowed to "spread" the cash around. But she did spend some of the sum on herself, splashing out on a string of properties - including a pub, houses, and a mill. Advertisement 14 She built a dream home with a six-bay glass-fronted showroom for a fleet of luxury cars despite not being able to drive Credit: Pacemaker 14 Margaret built her dream home and six-bay glass-fronted showroom for a fleet of luxury cars despite not being able to drive Credit: Pacemaker But one of her biggest expenditures was building a dream home with a six-bay glass-fronted showroom for a fleet of luxury cars despite not being able to drive. Among the motors was a £70,000 Jaguar XJ50, a vintage motorbike with sidecar, a vintage VW Campervan, a classic VW Beetle and a vintage Land Rover jeep. But just four months after her win Margaret was sectioned after being told she was 'a danger to herself and others". Advertisement She left hospital but her plight sadly continued as her life became blighted by mental health problems. In 2015, she was ordered to carry out 150 hours of community service after she assaulted a taxi driver by smashing his glasses and SatNav. Three years later, she had to pay £30,000 to a former employee for bullying and firing him on a "vindictive whim". Her mental health deteriorating, her weight at one stage plunged to five-and-a-half stone. Margaret later said the win had "sent her to hell and back" even though she was living on benefits and unemployed at the time. Advertisement She also claimed she was left with just £5million in 2019 and said she had been targeted by thieves. The millionaire added: "Money has brought me nothing but grief. It has destroyed my life. 'I have had six years of this. I don't believe in religion, but if there is a hell, I have been in it. It has been that bad." Tragically, Margaret had just finished her dream home when she was found dead in September 2021. She never got the chance to live in it. Advertisement Police confirmed they were called to Margaret's bungalow following reports of a "sudden death". They added: "A post-mortem is due to take place but at this stage, the death is not being treated as suspicious." Following her death, Margaret's brother Paul Loughrey said she was potentially vulnerable to people taking advantage of her. Joshua Winslet 14 Josh Winslet spent the last £9 in his bank account to buy the winning lottery ticket Credit: Facebook 14 He was just 22 years old when he won the huge cash prize in 2017 Credit: Courts SA Advertisement Joshua Winslet was found dead in his home after his £11million prize caused his life to spiral out of control. The Australian plumber was just 22 years old when he landed the fortune in 2017, but he blew it all in just three years after he was crippled by addiction. His parents tried to help him manage the eyewatering sum of cash by stashing it in a trust fund, but tragically, that wasn't enough to save him. In 2022, he died at home from health complications caused by excessive drug use. His death was not reported by New Zealand or Australian press at the time. Advertisement His tragic end came shortly after he was arrested and sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for supplying drugs and possessing a firearm. A friend of Josh spoke of his death and told the MailOnline: "It was such a shock and absolutely devastating, but sadly a lot of us were so worried this is what it was coming to." Looking back at his lottery win, she said: "When I found out he won through the grapevine, I thought, 'Oh, wow, that's extraordinary.' "I was so happy for him. Out of everyone from our school, and after all the bullying he copped, he deserved it more than anyone," she added. Another said how he called her and her boyfriend to break the news of his Powerball winnings. Advertisement 14 A horde of illegal substances, including 28.3 grams of MDMA and 2.27g of cocaine, was also seized Credit: Courts SA 14 A Mauser handgun and ammunition was hidden in his bathroom Credit: Courts SA 14 His house was littered with bongs, empty bottles of booze and MDMA Credit: Courts SA She said that she initially thought he was joking, but after he sent her a screenshot of his Lotto app, she realised he was being serious. But how did the hardworking tradie's life take such a drastic turn? Advertisement Josh was living on New Zealand's South Island at the time and had suffered severe bullying over his 'physical deformities' that were caused by Duane syndrome and Goldenhar syndrome. Duane syndrome stops the eye muscles from developing properly, which affects eye movement. Goldenhar syndrome causes abnormalities in the formation of the bones in the face and head. It can also cause spinal issues and benign cysts to form on the eye, as well as impacting internal organs. He'd had a string of surgeries as a child to treat the syndromes. Advertisement Josh was also born with a singular horseshoe-shaped kidney and an irregular heartbeat, stopping him from playing contact sports. The torment inflicted on him by his peers was so severe that when he was in Year 10 he left school and studied at Adelaide University Senior College in South Australia. He studied for around six months before leaving to do a plumbing apprenticeship. When he was 20, he moved to New Zealand's South Island to look for work. Around this time, he used the last £9 ($19) in his bank account to buy a last-minute ticket for the Powerball draw and won £11million ($22milion). Advertisement But the cash began to burn a hole in his pocket, and he soon started splashing it on a-class drugs. In 2020, cops raided the "party house" and found an unlicensed firearm Mauser handgun and ammunition hidden in his bathroom. A horde of illegal substances, including 28.3 grams of MDMA and 2.27g of cocaine, was also seized. Investigators received a tip-off the lottery winner was allegedly manufacturing drugs at the property. Josh, who was 27 at the time, pleaded guilty to supplying MDMA and possessing a firearm without a licence. Advertisement He was sentenced to three years and nine months, with a non-parole period of 18 months. The sentence was suspended on a two-year good behaviour bond, with supervision. Shocking images released by South Australia's District Court showed the inside of his trashed New Port mansion at the time. Empty bottles of booze, bongs, bags of MDMA, cocaine and marijuana appeared to be littered around the bachelor pad. Nitrous oxide canisters, cigarettes and half-drunk glasses of wine were also seen strewn across a marble table. Advertisement Another snap showed a large bowl filled with a mystery white powder inside his fridge, alongside a pack of Red Bull cans and beer boxes. Chaotic jumbles of rubbish and clothes were left dumped on the floor in an "appalling" state. Judge Heath Barklay said that Josh had "lost motivation" for life and had adopted a "hedonistic lifestyle". He said: "Because of the money that you had won, there was no motivation on your part to work or do anything other than enjoy yourself. "You had lots of money so you could afford to buy large amounts of drugs, which you would use yourself and supply to your so-called friends from time to time." Advertisement
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Most iconic TV theme tune of all time revealed… as telly addicts admit biggest bugbears when watching with others
See the top 10 list below TELLY TUNES Most iconic TV theme tune of all time revealed… as telly addicts admit biggest bugbears when watching with others DOOF, doof, doof, doof, do do doof... the most iconic TV theme tune of all time belongs to EastEnders, according to research. A poll of 2,000 adults found soap rival Coronation Street placed second on the list, followed by iconic sitcom Friends. 3 EastEnders stars Louisa Lytton and Lacey Turner Credit: Alamy 3 The Simpsons is among the shows with the most popular theme tune Credit: Alamy Advertisement 3 Sam Thompson and Scarlett Moffatt host M&M'S Couch Confessions pop up at Battersea Power Station Credit: Will Ireland/PinPep Rounding out the top five were The Simpsons, and Will Smith vehicle The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. But Gen Z were the age group most likely to rank animation Family Guy as having their favourite theme. It also emerged, on average, Brits will watch TV with other people four times-a-week. Advertisement With the top telly bugbears found to be people asking loads of questions about a show, switching between channels - and accidentally giving away spoilers. A quarter (24 per cent) who watch with others get cheesed off when their sofa-mates eat snacks too loudly. While 21 per cent find it frustrating when other people keep the volume too low. The research was commissioned by M&M'S to launch its latest platform, It's More Fun Together, turning TV quirks into something worth celebrating, with a Couch Confessions pop-up in London, hosted by TV-lover celebs Sam Thompson and Scarlett Moffatt. Advertisement Reality TV star Scarlett Moffatt, said: 'TV nights at home are my love language, chaotic, full of theme-tune singalongs and subtitle debates. 'But hunkering down on the couch with Scott and Jude is what makes it so special. 'I love celebrating the little quirks that turn ordinary nights into unforgettable family moments, because watching together is always more fun, even if Jude is the remote-control-king nowadays.' A quarter of those polled confessed to being a nightmare to watch TV with, because they're always asking questions themselves. For 40 per cent of them, they're just trying to understand a plot point better - but 31 per cent admitted they simply weren't paying enough attention. Advertisement The research also revealed what TV viewers would like to make watching telly collectively better - with 20 per cent opting for snack bowls that perfectly divide portions between people. And 19 per cent would like a family-sized footstool, so everyone could put their feet up, and 15 per cent long for a device that sets the TV at the 'perfect' volume. Brits also found an appetite for celebrity company in front of the box, with David Attenborough, Ant and Dec and Olivia Colman ranking top three of Britain's most sought-after telly companions. TV personality and radio host, Sam Thompson, added: 'I'm all about turning TV nights into a proper event with bean bags, onesies and volume up. 'It's my favourite time to just hang out with mates, even if it takes us an hour to agree on what to watch and someone always falls asleep halfway through.' Advertisement
