Incredible scenes as Bezos' ‘wedding of century' kicks off
The spectacular festivities are in full swing as hundreds of A-List celebrities and business leaders descend on Venice for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former Fox News anchor Lauren Sanchez's wedding.
Much of the 'floating city' has been cordoned off to accommodate the three-day extravaganza that is reportedly set to cost the billionaire around $86 million.
Kim and Khloe Kardashian have been spotted numerous times moving from venue to venue, newly single Orlando Bloom has been doing the rounds and Oprah Winfrey has touched down after making the trip to Italy.
Security around the hotels and wedding venue has been tight as local residents and tourists voice their disapproval over travel and venue restrictions, as more and more high profile visitors pour into the city. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez leave the Aman Hotel to go to dinner with guests ahead of their wedding. Credit: GC Images.
Mr Bezos and Ms Sanchez landed in Venice via helicopter on Wednesday and took up residence in the luxury Aman hotel, where rooms with a view of the Grand Canal go for at least $7155 per night.
The couple was spotted around dinner time as they left the hotel in a water taxi, waving at photographers and crowds, with Ms Sanchez blowing air kisses in a vintage Alexander McQueen dress. Oprah Winfrey is one of the latest stars to arrive in Venice for the Bezos/Sanchez wedding. Credit: GC Images.
US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner have also been spotted shopping in Venice after arriving earlier in the week, American sporting superstar and NFL Hall of Famer Tom Brady is also in town and Hollywood megastar Leonardo Di Caprio has been trying to keep a low profile ahead of the big day.
Numbers for the nuptials are expected to be around 200-250 in what has been dubbed the 'wedding of the century', with guests set to gather on Thursday evening in the cloisters of Madonna dell'Orto, a medieval church in the central area of Cannaregio that hosts masterpieces by 16th century painter Tintoretto.
The city council has banned pedestrians and water traffic from the area from 4.30pm local time until midnight, blocking out protesters who have pledged to spoil the party.
Mr Bezos and Ms Sanchez are set to exchange vows on Friday on the small island of San Giorgio, opposite the main St Mark's Square, in a ceremony which, according to a senior City Hall official, will have no legal status under Italian law. Kim and Khloe Kardashian is Venice for the wedding extravaganza. Credit: SGP/Sipa USA.
Some have speculated that the couple have already legally wed in the United States, sparing them from the bureaucracy associated with an Italian marriage, such as it having to take place in an approved venue and the local town hall needing to be notified in advance. US television personality Kris Jenner takes pictures of Khloe and Kim Kardashian. Credit: AFP.
Celebrations will conclude on Saturday with the main wedding bash to be held at one of the halls of the Arsenale, a vast former medieval shipyard turned into an art space in the eastern Castello district.
The 'No Space for Bezos' movement is planning demonstrations against an event they see as a sell-off of Venice to the uber-wealthy while the needs of ordinary citizens are ignored — but not all the locals are hostile.
Politicians, hoteliers and other residents say high-end events, rather than multitudes of low-spending daytrippers, are a better way to support the local economy, and dismiss the protesters as a fringe minority. Leonardo Di Caprio was keeping a low profile in Venice. Credit: GC Images.
'We're not talking about hundreds or thousands of people, we're talking about a few dozen,' said Daniele Minotto, vice president of the Venetian Hoteliers Association.
Davide Busato, an archaeologist behind the 'Yes Venice Can' pro-Bezos group, said billionaire tourism gives the city a chance to show off its specialities.
'The idea that a 'morality office' should decide who gets to marry in Venice is a disturbing concept, unworthy of a free city,' he wrote on Facebook.
Venice has hosted scores of VIP weddings. US actor George Clooney and human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin tied the knot there in 2014, and Indian billionaires Vinita Agarwal and Muqit Teja did so in 2011, without significant disruptions.
Mr Bezos, executive chair of e-commerce giant Amazon and No.4 on Forbes' billionaires list, got engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to MacKenzie Scott.
with AAP.
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Courier-Mail
an hour ago
- Courier-Mail
Lavish Bezos wedding out of control
Don't miss out on the headlines from Celebrity Life. Followed categories will be added to My News. COMMENT In an arts centre slash club in Venice's least touristy neighbourhood they gather. A high school teacher. A receptionist from a small hotel. A university researcher. They are here for one reason – to tell one of the richest men in the world where he can shove his superyacht. In a matter of weeks the grassroots No Space For Bezos campaign, spearheaded by everyday locals, has become a global story and the wedding this weekend of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez has become a tipping point. The brewing public anger and antipathy towards tech billionaires has truly boiled over and they have become the bad guys of 2025. It's not just about Bezos but also Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Silicon Valley's 0.0001 per cent of the one per cent with their competing rockets that definitely aren't compensating for something. Not that long ago these men were being hailed as visionaries and hoodie wearing prophets the subject of fawning Time covers but who are now some of the most publicly hated people on earth who don't have their nuclear stockpiles. (Yet.) The techno-oligarchy? The Bezos wedding has crystallised the global turn against them. In an increasingly polarised world where we are all segregated in our filter bubbles, there is, shock horror, a very clear trend in sentiment. 74 per cent of Americans disapprove of Zuckerberg and 67 per cent disapprove of Bezos, according to polling commissioned by the Tech Oversight Project this month. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez leave their pre wedding reception, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 26, 2025. Picture: AP Photo/Luca Bruno Musk is disliked by 57 per cent of Americans, according to a survey from The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research at around the same time. Around the world, the campaigns against them is only growing. In Marion in South Australia a proposal for a Tesla battery factory saw about 950 people going to the hassle of lodging submissions to try and block it. Such was the vehemence, the Guardian reported, official records had to be redacted, with the paperwork including comments like 'Elon Musk and Tesla are a [redacted] on humanity', 'Elon Musk is a full blown [redacted],' and 'Elon Musk is a [redacted] human being and a [redacted]!'. In London, for much of this year, real-looking ads began appearing at bus stops with slogans like 'ELON MUSK IS A BELLEND. Signed, the UK'. They are the brainchild of a British group called Everybody Hates Elon that grew out of a 'ranty group chat' into such a force the New Yorker recently profiled them. In April, a private donor provided the group with a Tesla and invited the public to smash it. One hundred people turned up. In London, for much of this year, real-looking ads began appearing at bus stops with slogans like 'ELON MUSK IS A BELLEND. Signed, the UK'. Picture: AP Photo/Susan Walsh In New York, in April, the Washington Post reported on an 'anti-billionaire bash' that drew 50 people dressed up as Bezos, Zuckerberg and Sanchez to cheekily voice their antipathy towards this new class of men. I'll keep going. Across the US, in states from California to Louisiana, to Nebraska, Utah and Texas more than 100,000 people got off their couches to support Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's recent 'Fight Oligarchy' tour. Hollywood has picked up the anti-tech billionaire theme and is running with it. One the buzziest movies of the moment is Succession creator Jesse Armstrong's Mountainhead about four tech bros who gather at a remote Utah mansion while an algorithm one of them created triggers global violence and apocalyptic danger. Even the new Toy Story is joining in, with the baddie of the fifth movie, set to be big tech in the form of a tablet called Lillypad. What has changed is that Bezos et al are longer seen as, or at least just, bright thinkers giving us exciting new digital toys, but men defined by naked grasping for more sticky billions and unmitigated, unchecked self-entitlement. Zuckerberg, a man who reportedly used to shout 'domination' at the end of staff meetings, was recently photographed landing in a helicopter on his superyacht and does interviews wearing a $1.3 million watch. The couple in Venice, Italy. Picture: AP Photo/Luigi Costantini Kim and Khloe Kardashian arrive in Venice ahead of Jeff Bezos' wedding. Picture: AP Photo/Luigi Costantini Musk has 14 children and had a go at dismantling Washington because it took his political liking. Fundamentally, they treat the world and the people in it like their playthings. Bezos wanted to stage what sounds like a little, wee coup of Venice so he could celebrate his second marriage. Musk dumped nearly $440 million into Donald Trump's campaign and, many believe, swung the election in the favour of a man with 34 felony convictions and who was found by a New York court in 2022 of having sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll in the 90s. In 2018, Facebook admitted the platform had been used to incite violence in Myanmar. The year before, the country's military unleashed a sweeping campaign of massacres, rape, and arson, according to Human Rights Watch. Zuckerberg, Bezos, Musk and countless other billionaires zip around the planet in carbon emission spewing private jets and have homes, boats, choppers and transport fleets that have to be counted by the dozen. Basically, they come across as people with absolutely zero regard for what their actions, business and choices might be doing to lesser mortals. They act like demi-deities. Now it feels like all of this has boiled over in Venice. It turns out that even hundreds of billions of dollars and your own space force can't guarantee you the wedding of your dreams. This week, Everyone Hates Elon joined in on the action, banding together with Greenpeace to take over Venice's famed San Marco square with an enormous banner reading 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax'. Mark Zuckerberg has a strong property portfolio with properties in Hawaii, California, San Francisco and Lake Tahoe. Picture: At the time of writing, the anti-Bezos movement appears to be winning. In a matter of weeks the group of everyday Venetians have forced a man with more money than Midas armed with a tungsten Amex to, at the 11th hour, rip up his plans and move the reception to a far less historic backup venue. (Think more concrete by the cubic tonne and less Cannaregio-ish.) This weekend the Bezos-Sanchezes will be forced to toast one another in a building in the city's Arsenale area, full of warehouses, and not the majestic 16th-century Scuola Grande della Misericordia after protesters threatened to block canal access with hundreds of inflatable crocodiles. 'Obscene wealth,' Marta Sottoriva, a 34-year-old Venetian protester told the Guardian, should not 'allow a man to rent a city for three days'. And 'obscene' is exactly the word. This wedding, by some accounts, will cost $71 million. Sanchez will have 27 outfits, reportedly. More than 90 private jets are currently parked on the runway at the Marco Polo airport. It has been rumoured that the bridegroom has flown in ex-marines to secure the event where 200 guests, including Queen Rania of Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio and Ivanka Trump, will stay in $16,000-a-night hotel rooms. Kardashians? They've got two. A large banner against Amazon founder Jeff Bezos lies on the ground, placed by Greenpeace Italy activists and UK activist group Everyone Hates Elon. Picture: Reuters/Yara Nardi All of this in a tiny city where 1000 council homes have been abandoned and are crumbling for lack of funds. You have to wonder how well the Bezos-Sanchezs have thought about their plans. Reportedly also on the schedule, a pyjama party, a foam party and a Great Gatsby-theme event. Things don't turn out too swell for Jay Gatsby, shot dead, the famed novel in part, a take down of the rich. This year F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic turns 100 and in it he writes of a super wealthy couple who are 'careless people'. 'They smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness … and let other people clean up the mess they had made'. Maybe Jeff should buy himself the book. Daniela Elser is a writer, editor and commentator with more than 15 years' experience working with a number of Australia's leading media titles. Originally published as Truth behind the Bezos lavish Venice wedding
Perth Now
4 hours ago
- Perth Now
Shocking detail revealed about the lavish Venice wedding of billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez
Billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding will not be legal under Italian law, with officials confirming no-one has filed paperwork to formalise the lavish nuptials. The Amazon founder, who is worth about $US226 billion ($345 billion), is expected to tie-the-knot in San Giorgio on Friday, Italy time, in a star-studded ceremony that will include guests Kim Kardashian and Ivanka Trump. The series of events is expected to cost some 40 million ($A71 million) to 48 million euros, or $US46.5 to $US55.6 million. On Friday, journalist Nick Pisa spoke about the wedding on Sunrise. 'I spoke to Venice Town Hall earlier this week and asked them 'how does an expat couple get married in Italy? How do they go about it? Is the mayor going to do the ceremony?',' Pisa said. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez will not be legally married under Italian law at their lavish ceremony, according to Vencie officials. Credit: Stefano Mazzola / GC Images 'They said, 'actually, Nick, no-one from here is going to do the ceremony. No-one from here has been asked to carry out a civil service, so any wedding event that takes place there, will have no legal bearing or legitimacy. 'No religious minister is doing it. No Justice of the Peace is doing it, and no-one from Town Hall is doing it. 'Basically, it looks like an excuse for a three-day mega-party.' Pisa went on to explain a massive thunderstorm bearing down on Venice has affected the couple's welcome party, which was packed full of celebrity guests, including Oprah Winfrey and Orlando Bloom. 'The thunder is rolling and lightning flashing across the sky,' Pisa explained. 'We had hail and a huge amount of rain which I would imagine has curtailed the celebrations earlier than originally planned. 'The party kicked off 7pm local time with a flotilla of water taxis arriving outside the Madonna dell'Orto, a beautiful church in the north of Venice where the artist Tintoretto is buried. 'To the right-hand side of it, a beautiful open area space which is used for parties and exhibitions in Venice. '(It was) beautifully laid-out with tables and candles and even the pontoons where stars like Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Oprah Winfrey (all came together). 'Also, the key players Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez got off the boat, which was beautifully illuminated with old-fashioned antique 18th century streetlights. 'The party went inside after that. 'I could hear music, both Italian and English, I understand on the menu, it was mainly Italian food. 'I saw pizza ovens brought in, pizza dough, a lot of prosciutto.' During the festivities, Sanchez is expected to turn an array of luxury looks. Spotted leaving the five-star Aman hotel on Wednesday by luxury water taxi, Sanchez opted for a vintage Alexander McQueen one-shoulder gown for one of her first appearances in the city. On Thursday, local time, she wore a shimmering brocade corset dress from Schiaparelli's most recent couture collection. Details of Sanchez's wedding gown will no doubt be one of the event's most closely guarded secrets. Luxury Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana is the strongest contender — with Domenico Dolce photographed at Venice's outdoor Riva Lounge on Thursday — though Oscar de la Renta also being floated as a brand she may turn to for one of her many looks this week. Last year, Sanchez sat front row for Dolce & Gabbana's Alta Sartoria show in Sardinia as her son, Nikko Gonzalez, walked the runway, making it a family affair. She was also photographed for Bezos's 60th birthday in a sheer gown by the Italian label, though she opted for Oscar de la Renta for her 2024 Met Gala debut and for the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in March. Venice's famed waterways and winding streets have hosted an array of high-profile weddings including François-Henri Pinault and Salma Hayek-Pinault in 2009, George and Amal Clooney in 2014, and Alexandre Arnault and Géraldine Guyot in 2021. But protesters associated with the group No Space for Bezos have already shifted the impending wedding plans, with their threat of canal blockades moving one of the weekend's events from a grand, centrally located space, to a former shipyard on Venice's perimeter, according to the group. The complex wedding is being orchestrated by Lanza and Baucina — the planners who similarly oversaw the Clooneys' star-studded Venetian union. They told CNN that their clients' instructions have been to minimize 'any disruption to the city,' while insisting they use an overwhelming number of local suppliers to help craft the event. The couple is sourcing some 80 per cent of wedding provisions from local vendors, including pastries from the Rosa Salva pastry shop, the oldest in Venice, and gifts from Murano glassware designer Laguna B. Around 30 of the city's elite water taxis, out of 280 total, are also thought to be reserved. One taxi driver told CNN he has been booked from June 25 through June 30 for 'a big wedding,' but declined to say more on the subject. Gondolas have also been put on hold, with the city's gondola association confirming they are ready for the event. - with CNN
Sky News AU
6 hours ago
- Sky News AU
The end of an era: Dame Anna Wintour steps down as Vogue editor-in-chief after 37 years in the role
After 37 years of setting trends, breaking rules, and defining what it means to be "high fashion", Dame Anna Wintour is stepping down as editor-in-chief of Vogue's American edition. Wintour, 75, announced the move to staff in New York on Thursday, marking the end of an era that saw the once-traditional fashion mag become a cultural institution under her signature bob and black sunglasses. But don't call it a goodbye - Wintour isn't walking away from the fashion empire she helped build, instead, she's simply stepping sideways. The mother-of-two will remain Vogue's global editorial director and continue her role as Condé Nast's global chief content officer, still presiding over titles like Wired, Vanity Fair, GQ, Architectural Digest, Condé Nast Traveller, Glamour, Bon Appétit, and Allure. A successor is now being sought, with the rebranded title of "head of editorial content", a role that will report directly to Wintour. "Anybody in a creative field knows how essential it is never to stop growing in one's work," Anna said in a statement published by Vogue. "When I became the editor of Vogue, I was eager to prove to all who might listen that there was a new, exciting way to imagine an American fashion magazine. "Now, I find that my greatest pleasure is helping the next generation of impassioned editors storm the field with their own ideas, supported by a new, exciting view of what a major media company can be." Wintour's rise is the stuff of fashion legend. Born in Hampstead, London in 1949, she is the daughter of the late Charles Wintour, former editor of The Evening Standard, and Eleanor, a former journalist. At just 15, Wintour landed her first job at the iconic boutique Biba, and from there, her path through the industry was meteoric. After cutting her teeth at Harper's & Queen, Wintour crossed the Atlantic to work as a fashion editor for several US titles, before being named editor of British Vogue in 1986. Two years later, she took over the American edition from Grace Mirabella. Wintour's first cover in November 1988 was a fashion mic drop: Israeli model Michaela Bercu in a beaded Christian Lacroix jumper and faded Guess jeans. It broke every rule and signalled the beginning of Wintour's new era, where her sharp eye and even sharper management style earned her the nickname "Nuclear Wintour". She was famously immortalised and mythologised by Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada, the film based on a thinly veiled novel by Wintour's former assistant Lauren Weisberger. Since 1995, Wintour has also overseen the Met Gala, transforming it from a society fundraiser into the most prestigious fashion event on the planet- a spectacle of art, celebrity, and cultural power that dominates headlines and timelines every May. She has also become a fixture of fashion weeks, always front row, always unreadable behind those sunglasses. "Across more than three decades' worth of issues of Vogue and its spinoffs, she has defined not only fashion but also beauty standards, telling millions of people what to buy, how to look, and who to care about," wrote journalist Amy Odell in Anna: The Biography. Wintour's influence hasn't gone unnoticed beyond fashion's inner circle. In January, former President Joe Biden awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom before leaving office. Meanwhile, in the UK, she was made a Dame in 2017 and, most recently, appointed a Companion of Honour, one of Britain's highest accolades. In her remarks to staff this week, Wintour confirmed that, despite stepping down, many of her responsibilities at Vogue will "remain the same". "(This includes) paying very close attention to the fashion industry and to the creative cultural force that is our extraordinary Met Ball, and charting the course of future Vogue Worlds, and any other original fearless ideas we may come up with… and it goes without saying that I plan to remain Vogue's tennis and theatre editor in perpetuity," she said. "But how thrilling it will be to work alongside someone new who will challenge us, inspire us, and make us all think about Vogue in a myriad of original ways." Wintour's successor has not yet been named.
