Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez wedding latest: Stars arrive in Venice for the multiday celebration amid local protests
Wedding bells are ringing in Venice, Italy. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former TV journalist Lauren Sánchez are getting married this week in a celebrity-filled, multiday event in Venice. Stars from Oprah Winfrey to Tom Brady and multiple members of the Kardashian-Jenner clan — not to mention Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner — have come out for the festivities, as have a number of protesters, who are using the week to push back against the mega-rich.
While some sources speculate that Bezos and Sánchez have already (legally) tied the knot in the United States ahead of their lavish ceremony, little is known about the specifics of their arrangements. What we do know comes mostly from photos of the event — and with many photographers eager to snap pics of the stars and power players partying in the Floating City, there's a lot to learn.On June 25, protesters in Venice sent a dummy of Jeff Bezos floating down a canal, dressed in an Amazon jumpsuit and clutching fake cash and a giant Amazon box. It was the latest in a string of demonstrations against Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's wedding. Earlier this week, protesters for the environmental group Greenpeace unfurled a banner in St. Mark's Square featuring Bezos's face. It read: "If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax.".
Kris Jenner, as well as daughters Kim and Khloé Kardashian, arrived in Venice to celebrate the wedding. Kylie and Kendall Jenner also joined for the festivities.
Back in May, Kris and Kim attended Sánchez's bachelorette party in Paris.
Before there was a wedding, there was an engagement ring. Jeff Bezos popped the question to pilot and former journalist Lauren Sánchez on his $500 million yacht, which was docked near the Cannes Film Festival, in 2023.
The ring itself is a doozy. In an interview with Vogue, Sánchez said that the stone in the center is a rare pink diamond with a rose-tinted hue. Sánchez hasn't confirmed the ring's carat weight, but it's estimated to weigh a cool 30 carats.
The former journalist found the engagement ring in a box beneath her pillow.
"When he opened the box, I think I blacked out a bit,' she also told Vogue in 2023.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Olivia Rodrigo Covers Fontaines D.C.'s ‘I Love You' in Dublin
Olivia Rodrigo surprised fans in Dublin with a cover of Fontaines D.C.'s 'I Love You' during her sold-out show at Marlay Park on June 24. The performance comes just days before she's set to headline Glastonbury Festival for the first time, marking a milestone moment in her fast-rising career. More from Billboard Carín León, Kapo, Netón Vega, Myke Towers, Laura Pausini & More Set for Billboard Latin Music Week 2025 Whitney Houston's 'The Bodyguard' Extends Its Lead as the Highest RIAA-Certified Soundtrack of All Time Shania Twain Stars in New Commercial for Clearly Canadian Sparkling Water: 'It's Pure Nostalgia in a Bottle' 'Lately I've been obsessed with this band Fontaines D.C.,' Rodrigo told the audience, referring to the Dublin-based post-punk outfit. 'I've been playing this song alone in my room for fun, and I was wondering if it'd be cool if I played it for you guys.' Her stripped-back rendition began solo before gradually building with the support of her full backing band, culminating in a powerful and emotional climax. The original track, 'I Love You,' appears on Fontaines D.C.'s 2022 album Skinty Fia, which debuted at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart. Rodrigo's choice to perform the song served as both a nod to the local music scene and an intimate moment that resonated with the crowd. The Dublin concert is part of Rodrigo's ongoing global Guts World Tour, which follows the release of her sophomore album Guts. The show also serves as a warm-up for her largest U.K. show to date: a sold-out headline slot at BST Hyde Park on June 27, followed by her highly anticipated Sunday night headline performance at Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage. Rodrigo first performed at Glastonbury in 2022, where she delivered a viral rendition of 'F*** You' alongside Lily Allen. This year, she joins The 1975 and Neil Young as one of the festival's three main headliners. Notably, Neil Young's performance will not be broadcast by the BBC, reportedly due to disagreements over the network's coverage approach. In a summer packed with career-defining moments, Rodrigo continues to elevate her live shows with genre-spanning tributes, star-studded collaborations, and personal flourishes that set her apart. Her cover of Fontaines D.C. not only honored her Irish fans but reaffirmed her reputation as an artist deeply connected to her influences and audiences alike. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
44 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl Halftime Performer Arrested After On-Field Gaza & Sudan Protest
Four and a half months after Super Bowl LIX took place at New Orleans' Caesars Superdome, police have arrested the performer responsible for a Gaza protest during Kendrick Lamar's halftime show. On Thursday (June 26), Louisiana State Police announced that they arrested 41-year-old performer Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu for 'resisting an officer' and 'disturbing the peace by interruption of a lawful assembly' during the 2025 Super Bowl. According to a press release from police superintendent Col. Robert Hughes, Nantambu 'surrendered himself through coordination with his attorney' and has been booked. More from Billboard Ariana Grande, Brandi Carlile & Andrew Watt Among 534 People Invited to Join Motion Picture Academy Brian Wilson's Cause of Death Has Been Revealed Michaël Brun Talks Bringing BAYO Fest to Barclays Center Amid Trump Travel Ban & Increased ICE Presence in NYC During Lamar's performance, Nantambu, who was hired as a backup performer for the show, broke away from his choreography during 'TV Off' and began waving a Sudanese flag with 'SUDAN' and 'GAZA' painted across it. He was then chased and tackled by security personnel and apprehended by New Orleans police. After he was initially arrested, Nantambu was released without charges, but was banned for life from all NFL stadiums and events. A spokesperson for the Super Bowl Halftime Show at the time said that 'no one involved with the production was aware of the individual's intent.' In a statement given to Billboard, Louisiana State Police public affairs supervisor Sgt. Katharine Stegall confirmed that the department 'assumed investigative responsibility' into Nantambu's on-field protest after he was released by New Orleans police. 'Our agency's continued investigation ensured a comprehensive review of all security protocols and actions taken, in coordination with the NFL, and other stakeholders,' she said. The NFL released their own statement following the announcement, thanking the LSP for 'its diligence and professionalism in this matter,' while maintaining its lifetime ban on Nantambu. 'We take any attempt to disrupt any part of an NFL game, including the halftime show, very seriously and are pleased this individual will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,' the statement read. In an interview with NBC News following the halftime show, Nantambu said he wanted to use his performance to 'highlight the human suffering' occurring in Gaza as a result of the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, as well as in the Sudanese civil war. During the interview, Nantambu called on President Donald Trump to 'be empathetic and compassionate to those who are suffering in Palestine' and to 'do what is right by the Palestinians … and if he can, help the Sudanese.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The best that Bezos' money can buy: A wedding for the ages in timeless Venice
VENICE, Italy (AP) — The Italian city of Venice was making waves Friday with the most anticipated wedding of 2025 — that of billionaire Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sánchez. The sky itself is no limit for this couple who has traveled into space, and expectations are about as high. One of the world's most-enchanting cities as backdrop? Check. Star-studded guestlist and tabloid buzz? Of course. Local flavor? You bet. Beyond that, the team of the world's fourth-richest man has kept details under wraps. Still, whispers point to events spread across the lagoon city, adding complexity to what would have been a massive logistical undertaking even on dry land. On Thursday, dozens of private jets touched down at Venice's airport as yachts pulled into the city's famed waterways. Aboard were athletes, celebrities, influencers and business leaders, converging to revel in extravagance that is as much a testament to the couple's love as to their extraordinary wealth. The heady hoopla recalled the 2014 wedding in Venice of actor George Clooney to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, when adoring crowds lined the canals and hundreds of well-wishers gathered outside City Hall. Not so for these nuptials, which have become a lightning rod for protests. Still, any desire to dampen the prevailing fever pitch has yet to materialize. Instead, the glitterati were set to party, and the paparazzi jostling for glimpses of the gilded gala. Whatever happens, it will be a wedding for the ages. Logistics and costs Venice is famed for its network of canals, where gondoliers croon for lovestruck couples and even ambulances are aquatic. But water transport of everything from bouquets to guests makes Venice among the world's most challenging cities for a party, according to Jack Ezon, CEO of luxury travel advisory and event planner Embark Beyond. 'It's a very tight-knit community; everyone there knows everyone, and you need to work with the right people,' said Ezon, whose company has put on a dozen high-end events in Venice. "There's very tight control, especially on movement there with boats.' It at least triples the cost versus staging the same soiree in Rome or Florence, he said. Veneto Gov. Luca Zaia was first to give an estimated tally for the Bezos/Sánchez bash: He told reporters this week the most recent total he saw was between 40 and 48 million euros (up to $56 million). It's an eye-popping, jaw-dropping figure that's over 1,000 times the $36,000 average cost of American couples' weddings in 2025, according to wedding planning website Zola's annual report. Bezos' team has been tight-lipped about where these millions are going. When the youngest son of Asia's richest man married last July, performances by pop stars Rihanna and Justin Bieber pushed up the pricetag. 'How do you spend $40 million on a three- or four-day event?' Ezon said. 'You could bring headliners, A-list performers, great DJs from anywhere in the world. You could spend $2 million on an incredible glass tent that's only there for 10 hours, but it takes a month to build," or expand the celebration to local landmarks. There's no sign Sánchez and Bezos, the former CEO of Amazon, intend to take over any of Venice's tourist-thronged hotspots. Still, intense hand-wringing about the prospect prompted their wedding coordinator, Lanza & Baucina, to issue a rare statement calling those rumors false. On Thursday, a string of water taxis cut through the lagoon to bring Bezos, Sánchez and guests to the Madonna dell'Orto cloister as some onlookers cheered. Paparazzi followed in their own boats, trying to capture guests on camera — Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Ivanka Trump, Tom Brady, Orlando Bloom — as police on jet skis patrolled. Local media have reported the couple will hold a ceremony Friday on San Giorgio island, across the lagoon basin from St. Mark's Square. Associated Press journalists circling the island Thursday saw workers assembling tents and private security personnel stationed at every pier, including a newly built one. Media have also reported a reception Saturday in the Arsenale, a former navy base best known as a primary venue for the Venice Bienalle. 'No Space' There are some who say these two should not be wed in this city. They characterize the wedding as a decadent display of wealth in a world with growing inequality, and argue it's a shining example of tourism taking precedence over residents' needs, particularly affordable housing and essential services. Venice is also one of the cities most vulnerable to rising sea levels from climate change. About a dozen Venetian organizations — including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups — are protesting under the banner 'No Space for Bezos,' a play on words referring to his space exploration company Blue Origin and the bride's recent space flight. Greenpeace unfurled a banner in St. Mark's Square denouncing Bezos for paying insufficient taxes. Activists floated a bald-headed Bezos-inspired mannequin down a Venice canal atop an Amazon delivery box, its hands clenching fake cash. Authorities — from Venice's mayor to the nation's tourism minister — have dismissed the outcry, saying it ignores the visibility and economic boost the wedding brings. 'There will be photos everywhere, social media will go wild over the bride's dress, over the ceremony,' Italy's tourism minister, Daniela Santanchè, told the AP. 'All of this translates into a massive free publicity campaign. In fact, because they will spend a lot of money, they will enrich Venice — our shopkeepers, artisans, restauranteurs, hotels. So it's a great opportunity both for spending and for promoting Italy in the world.' Philanthropy As Amazon's CEO, Bezos usually avoided the limelight, frequently delegating announcements and business updates to his executives. Today he has a net worth of $231 billion, according to Forbes. In 2019, he announced he was divorcing his first wife, MacKenzie Scott, just before the National Enquirer published a story about an affair with Sánchez, a former TV news anchor. Sánchez filed for divorce the day after Bezos' divorce was finalized. He stepped down as CEO in 2021, saying he wished to spend more time on side projects, including Blue Origin, The Washington Post, which he owns, and his philanthropic initiatives. Sitting beside Sánchez during an interview with CNN in 2022, he announced plans to give away the majority of his wealth during his lifetime. Last week, a Venetian environmental research association issued a statement saying Bezos' Earth Fund was supporting its work with an 'important donation.' CORILA, which seeks protection of the Venetian lagoon system, said contact began in April, well before any protests. ___ Biller reported from Rome. AP reporter Barbara Ortutay in San Francisco contributed to this report.
