Venetian vows: Bezos, billionaires, and backlash – DW – 06/27/2025
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez were in high spirits as they cruised through the waterways on Thursday for the welcome party for their multi-day wedding in the lagoon city. Entire neighborhoods have been cordoned off. Boat traffic on the busy canals has also been restricted. The couple is staying at the luxury hotel "Aman" on the Grand Canal. Image: Luca Bruno/AP/dpa/picture alliance
US billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of online retail giant Amazon, and former TV presenter Sánchez were set to tie the knot on Friday on the island of San Gregorio Maggiore. The small island, covering around 10 hectares, is located in the Venetian Lagoon and is home to a Benedictine monastery, a church, and the Teatro Verde, where the ceremony is expected to take place. Image: Matteo Chinellato/ipa-agency/dpa/picture alliance
The police are patrolling the entire city and monitoring the canals with jet skis. Due to the protests that have been going on for days and the possibility of attacks, the highest security measures are in place. The dates and details of the multi-day celebration remained strictly confidential. Image: Pierre Teyssot/Maxppp/picture alliance
A few days ago, a large Greenpeace banner caused a stir in St. Mark's Square. The poster, prominently placed on the ground, reads: "If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax." For weeks, local and international activists have been protesting against the wedding and have already announced their intention to disrupt the celebrations. Image: Yara Nardi/REUTERS
On the Rialto Bridge, protesters unfurl a banner reading "No Space for Bezos." The tech billionaire's lavish wedding brings together several controversial aspects: One of the richest men in the world is celebrating in a city that has become a symbol of mass tourism and the dramatic consequences of climate change in recent years. Image: Manuel Silvestri/REUTERS
Tourists pose in front of an art installation by the collective "Konn Artiss," which depicts Jeff Bezos as a mannequin sitting on a toilet made of Amazon boxes. With several provocative installations throughout the city, the artist collective is protesting the mega-wedding in a unique way. Image: Click News/Handout via REUTERS
Despite numerous protests, celebrities are everywhere: Even the Kardashian clan is not missing out on the spectacle, attracting attention on a boat on the Grand Canal. A total of around 200 to 250 prominent guests from politics, business, and entertainment were expected, including Microsoft founder Bill Gates, talk show icon Oprah Winfrey, and actor Orlando Bloom. Image: Guglielmo Mangiapane/REUTERS
Ivanka Trump, daughter of US President Donald Trump, traveled to the wedding marathon with her husband Jared Kushner and their children. The cost of the opulent celebration is estimated at at least $10 million (€8.5 million). The governor of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia, even spoke of up to €40 to €48 million. Image: Luigi Costantini/AP Photo/picture alliance
The coming days are likely to be turbulent for guests and paparazzi alike, as the wedding celebrations are set to last for at least three days. Between June 25 and 28, expect to see numerous impressions of the mega-wedding — as well as further protests. Image: Pierre Teyssot/Maxppp/picture alliance 06/27/2025 June 27, 2025
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