With his $15m nuptials, Bezos is the latest to say ‘I do' to loving a massive wedding
This story is part of the June 21 edition of Good Weekend. See all 15 stories.
Amazon gazillionaire Jeff Bezos is reportedly dropping $US10 million ($15.5 million) to marry his second wife, former TV presenter and amateur astronaut Lauren Sánchez, on the Venetian island of San Giorgio Maggiore next week. Last month, Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry partied at Sanchez's Paris hen night as an army of lawyers finalised the pre-nup.
Such big-ticket wedding extravaganzas are much more than a celebration of love, of course: beyond the spectacle, they are highly choreographed PR offensives that the media lap up, giving the rest of us a glimpse into the rarefied orbits of the world's rich, famous and powerful. In 2007, I spent a week clinging to a rocky outcrop, fighting off the French paparazzi under the searing Mediterranean sun, while watching Tom Cruise, his then-wife Katie Holmes, Eddie McGuire, Shane Warne and most of the Murdoch family live the good life aboard superyachts during James Packer's six-day, $6 million wedding to Erica Packer. The bride wore a $150,000 dress by John Galliano for Christian Dior while Sarah Murdoch dazzled in a bikini on the deck of a $50 million Mangusta.
At James' big sister Gretel Packer's lavish 1991 wedding in West Sussex, waiters were doused in Chanel No. 5 before being unleashed among the VIP guests gathered in a mock-Cotswold stone marquee fashioned out of polystyrene; Kerry Packer was clearly out to impress the Brits. In 2006, my lips turned blue hiding behind a pot plant as I listened to Keith Urban serenade his new bride, Nicole Kidman, on a freezing Sydney winter's night, while the wreck of the Hesperus had nothing on me after I'd chased Bec and Lleyton Hewitt's 2005 wedding flotilla across a choppy Sydney Harbour aboard a clapped-out fishing tinnie.
Brynne Edelsten admitted she'd never met most of the guests at her extravagant 2009 Melbourne wedding to the late, disgraced medico Geoffrey Edelsten, who'd paid Jason Alexander and Fran Drescher to attend. Kyle Sandilands gave away tickets on air to his first wedding, to Tamara Jaber in 2008 and, in 2023, raised eyebrows by inviting PM Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns – along with underworld figure John Ibrahim and convicted drug trafficker Simon Maine – to his second wedding to Tegan Kynaston. Meanwhile, Australia's richest human, Gina Rinehart, caused a scandal when she flew then-deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop and Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce to the sumptuous, three-day wedding of the granddaughter of a prominent business associate in Hyderabad in 2011.
According to industry statistics, the cost of the average wedding in Oz is $33,810. For the amount he's paying, Bezos could say 'I do' 458 times.
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News.com.au
38 minutes ago
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He's gonna hear her roar. Orlando Bloom reportedly blasted Katy Perry's Blue Origin space flight in April as 'embarrassing' and 'cringe-worthy' in 'the middle of a fight.' The actor, 48, 'told her the whole thing looked ridiculous' during the explosive argument, a source told the Daily Mail on Friday. 'It hurt her feelings,' the insider noted. 'Of course she was hurt. Imagine going to space – motherf***ing space – and your partner isn't impressed.' The singer, 40, had reportedly 'hoped' her fiance would 'be more supportive.' She told Sirius XM's The Morning Mash Up listeners in March that Bloom was 'all about' her historic journey to space. In fact, he even was photographed on site, supporting Perry before and after the launch. Because of Bloom's reported comment, however, Perry is finding it 'difficult to accept' that her partner will be attending Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos' Italy wedding this month without her as she tours. 'He complains about her going to space, and then wants to go to the wedding of the people who made it possible for her to do this in the first place,' the outlet added. 'They're already spiralling and now the wedding is another thing that they have to fight about.' TMZ was the first to report that Perry will not be present at the star-studded nuptials due to 'prior commitments' — her Lifetimes tour. While the Grammy nominee 'does have prior commitments,' Bloom's attendance 'feels like … a 'f**k you' to her from him,' according to the outlet. 'They're really her friends more than his, and yet he's the one going to the wedding,' the insider alleged. 'And he's insistent that he goes, which annoys her because he's not particular close to either of them.' Reps for Bloom and Perry have yet to respond to Page Six's requests for comment. The couple have been together since 2016, briefly splitting up the following year before getting engaged in 2019. The duo, who share a 4-year-old daughter named Daisy, put their 2020 wedding on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic. News broke earlier this month that their was 'tension' in the pair's relationship, with People reporting that Perry's 'devastating' album flop caused 'stress.' The outlet claimed, 'Katy was deeply frustrated following the reception of her new album, [ 143 ]. It made her very stressed. Orlando was understanding, but it did cause some tension.' Page Six subsequently heard that the romance is on the rocks. 'It's over,' a source told us. 'They are waiting 'til her tour is over before they split.' Perry's tour, notably, wraps on December 7.
The Advertiser
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Venice braces for Bezos' 'wedding of the century'
Venice is divided ahead of next week's celebrity wedding of US tech-tycoon Jeff Bezos and Laura Sanchez, with some looking forward to the glitz and glamour, while others fear it will turn the scenic city of gondolas and palazzi into an amusement park. Many details of the wedding are still under wraps - including the precise day it will happen - but it is certain that scores of stars from film, fashion and business will arrive to see Bezos tie the knot - provided they can get past the protesters. One group has plastered banners on the city's famous Rialto Bridge reading "No space for Bezos!" and threatened peaceful blockades, complaining that the medieval and Renaissance city needs public services and housing, not celebrities and over-tourism. "Bezos arrogantly believes he can take over the city and turn it into his own private party venue," said Tommaso Cacciari, a leading light of the "No space for Bezos" campaign. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro and regional governor Luca Zaia, on the other hand, argue that the wedding will bring an economic windfall to local businesses, including the motor boats and gondolas that operate its myriad canals. Eleven years ago actor George Clooney married human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in Venice, turning the city into Hollywood on the Adriatic with a weekend of lavish celebrations. Then, locals and tourists alike were excited to witness a memorable moment in the city's long history of hosting stars for its film festival, the world's oldest. Bezos, 61, the founder of e-commerce giant Amazon and the world's third-richest man, got engaged to journalist Sanchez, 55, in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to Mackenzie Scott. After a swirl of media speculation about the venue of what has been dubbed "the wedding of the century" Brugnaro confirmed in March that it would take place in Venice, which last year began charging tourists a fee to enter the city. The date is expected to be some time between June 23-28 in the midst of three days of stylish celebrations. In the face of early protests from residents who feared the arrival of thousands of celebrities and hangers-on, the city issued a statement clarifying that it would involve around 200 guests and would not disrupt Venetians' everyday life. Bezos and Scott had four children together, while Sanchez was previously married to Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She also has a son with NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez. Venice is divided ahead of next week's celebrity wedding of US tech-tycoon Jeff Bezos and Laura Sanchez, with some looking forward to the glitz and glamour, while others fear it will turn the scenic city of gondolas and palazzi into an amusement park. Many details of the wedding are still under wraps - including the precise day it will happen - but it is certain that scores of stars from film, fashion and business will arrive to see Bezos tie the knot - provided they can get past the protesters. One group has plastered banners on the city's famous Rialto Bridge reading "No space for Bezos!" and threatened peaceful blockades, complaining that the medieval and Renaissance city needs public services and housing, not celebrities and over-tourism. "Bezos arrogantly believes he can take over the city and turn it into his own private party venue," said Tommaso Cacciari, a leading light of the "No space for Bezos" campaign. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro and regional governor Luca Zaia, on the other hand, argue that the wedding will bring an economic windfall to local businesses, including the motor boats and gondolas that operate its myriad canals. Eleven years ago actor George Clooney married human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in Venice, turning the city into Hollywood on the Adriatic with a weekend of lavish celebrations. Then, locals and tourists alike were excited to witness a memorable moment in the city's long history of hosting stars for its film festival, the world's oldest. Bezos, 61, the founder of e-commerce giant Amazon and the world's third-richest man, got engaged to journalist Sanchez, 55, in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to Mackenzie Scott. After a swirl of media speculation about the venue of what has been dubbed "the wedding of the century" Brugnaro confirmed in March that it would take place in Venice, which last year began charging tourists a fee to enter the city. The date is expected to be some time between June 23-28 in the midst of three days of stylish celebrations. In the face of early protests from residents who feared the arrival of thousands of celebrities and hangers-on, the city issued a statement clarifying that it would involve around 200 guests and would not disrupt Venetians' everyday life. Bezos and Scott had four children together, while Sanchez was previously married to Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She also has a son with NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez. Venice is divided ahead of next week's celebrity wedding of US tech-tycoon Jeff Bezos and Laura Sanchez, with some looking forward to the glitz and glamour, while others fear it will turn the scenic city of gondolas and palazzi into an amusement park. Many details of the wedding are still under wraps - including the precise day it will happen - but it is certain that scores of stars from film, fashion and business will arrive to see Bezos tie the knot - provided they can get past the protesters. One group has plastered banners on the city's famous Rialto Bridge reading "No space for Bezos!" and threatened peaceful blockades, complaining that the medieval and Renaissance city needs public services and housing, not celebrities and over-tourism. "Bezos arrogantly believes he can take over the city and turn it into his own private party venue," said Tommaso Cacciari, a leading light of the "No space for Bezos" campaign. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro and regional governor Luca Zaia, on the other hand, argue that the wedding will bring an economic windfall to local businesses, including the motor boats and gondolas that operate its myriad canals. Eleven years ago actor George Clooney married human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in Venice, turning the city into Hollywood on the Adriatic with a weekend of lavish celebrations. Then, locals and tourists alike were excited to witness a memorable moment in the city's long history of hosting stars for its film festival, the world's oldest. Bezos, 61, the founder of e-commerce giant Amazon and the world's third-richest man, got engaged to journalist Sanchez, 55, in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to Mackenzie Scott. After a swirl of media speculation about the venue of what has been dubbed "the wedding of the century" Brugnaro confirmed in March that it would take place in Venice, which last year began charging tourists a fee to enter the city. The date is expected to be some time between June 23-28 in the midst of three days of stylish celebrations. In the face of early protests from residents who feared the arrival of thousands of celebrities and hangers-on, the city issued a statement clarifying that it would involve around 200 guests and would not disrupt Venetians' everyday life. Bezos and Scott had four children together, while Sanchez was previously married to Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She also has a son with NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez. Venice is divided ahead of next week's celebrity wedding of US tech-tycoon Jeff Bezos and Laura Sanchez, with some looking forward to the glitz and glamour, while others fear it will turn the scenic city of gondolas and palazzi into an amusement park. Many details of the wedding are still under wraps - including the precise day it will happen - but it is certain that scores of stars from film, fashion and business will arrive to see Bezos tie the knot - provided they can get past the protesters. One group has plastered banners on the city's famous Rialto Bridge reading "No space for Bezos!" and threatened peaceful blockades, complaining that the medieval and Renaissance city needs public services and housing, not celebrities and over-tourism. "Bezos arrogantly believes he can take over the city and turn it into his own private party venue," said Tommaso Cacciari, a leading light of the "No space for Bezos" campaign. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro and regional governor Luca Zaia, on the other hand, argue that the wedding will bring an economic windfall to local businesses, including the motor boats and gondolas that operate its myriad canals. Eleven years ago actor George Clooney married human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in Venice, turning the city into Hollywood on the Adriatic with a weekend of lavish celebrations. Then, locals and tourists alike were excited to witness a memorable moment in the city's long history of hosting stars for its film festival, the world's oldest. Bezos, 61, the founder of e-commerce giant Amazon and the world's third-richest man, got engaged to journalist Sanchez, 55, in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to Mackenzie Scott. After a swirl of media speculation about the venue of what has been dubbed "the wedding of the century" Brugnaro confirmed in March that it would take place in Venice, which last year began charging tourists a fee to enter the city. The date is expected to be some time between June 23-28 in the midst of three days of stylish celebrations. In the face of early protests from residents who feared the arrival of thousands of celebrities and hangers-on, the city issued a statement clarifying that it would involve around 200 guests and would not disrupt Venetians' everyday life. Bezos and Scott had four children together, while Sanchez was previously married to Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She also has a son with NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez.
Perth Now
3 hours ago
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Venice braces for Bezos' 'wedding of the century'
Venice is divided ahead of next week's celebrity wedding of US tech-tycoon Jeff Bezos and Laura Sanchez, with some looking forward to the glitz and glamour, while others fear it will turn the scenic city of gondolas and palazzi into an amusement park. Many details of the wedding are still under wraps - including the precise day it will happen - but it is certain that scores of stars from film, fashion and business will arrive to see Bezos tie the knot - provided they can get past the protesters. One group has plastered banners on the city's famous Rialto Bridge reading "No space for Bezos!" and threatened peaceful blockades, complaining that the medieval and Renaissance city needs public services and housing, not celebrities and over-tourism. "Bezos arrogantly believes he can take over the city and turn it into his own private party venue," said Tommaso Cacciari, a leading light of the "No space for Bezos" campaign. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro and regional governor Luca Zaia, on the other hand, argue that the wedding will bring an economic windfall to local businesses, including the motor boats and gondolas that operate its myriad canals. Eleven years ago actor George Clooney married human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in Venice, turning the city into Hollywood on the Adriatic with a weekend of lavish celebrations. Then, locals and tourists alike were excited to witness a memorable moment in the city's long history of hosting stars for its film festival, the world's oldest. Bezos, 61, the founder of e-commerce giant Amazon and the world's third-richest man, got engaged to journalist Sanchez, 55, in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to Mackenzie Scott. After a swirl of media speculation about the venue of what has been dubbed "the wedding of the century" Brugnaro confirmed in March that it would take place in Venice, which last year began charging tourists a fee to enter the city. The date is expected to be some time between June 23-28 in the midst of three days of stylish celebrations. In the face of early protests from residents who feared the arrival of thousands of celebrities and hangers-on, the city issued a statement clarifying that it would involve around 200 guests and would not disrupt Venetians' everyday life. Bezos and Scott had four children together, while Sanchez was previously married to Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She also has a son with NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez.
