Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's lavish Venetian wedding by the numbers

Business Insider

30-06-2025

Jeff Bezos' wedding was expected to generate over $1 billion for Venice, Italy's tourism ministry said.
The wedding party used 30 water taxis and booked up to five luxury hotels across the city.
Each of the 200 guests generated $4.8 million in value for Venice's economy, per the tourism ministry's estimate.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's wedding in Venice didn't just turn heads.
It pumped millions into the local economy and became a global PR showcase for the City of Canals, while simultaneously angering some locals.
From water taxis to luxury hotels, here's what the numbers reveal about the high-profile celebration.
A $1.1 billion boost
Bezos' wedding generated an estimated €957.3 million, or about $1.1 billion, in total economic value for Venice.
That is according to an analysis from Italy's Ministry of Tourism, based on data from the Italian consultancy firm JFC, the Veneto region, and media monitoring sources.
Over 90% of that figure — about $1 billion — came from global media exposure, the tourism ministry said.
The ministry attributed just $33.3 million to guests' spending and venue costs, with smaller contributions from transportation and hospitality services.
While the city typically brings in $1.6 billion annually from 13 million visitors, Bezos' wedding alone reached 68% of that figure, despite involving just 200 guests.
That translates to a staggering $5.6 million per guest, compared to just $125 per tourist in a typical year.
30 out of 280 water taxis reserved
City officials confirmed the wedding party used 30 out of Venice's 280 water taxis, just over 10% of the entire fleet.
Bezos, 61, and Sánchez, 55, floated into Venice via water taxi last Wednesday for their multiday nuptials, while numerous celebrities, like Kim Kardashian and Oprah, were seen boarding water taxis at the city's airport.
5 of Venice's most luxurious hotels booked
As a hot spot for wealthy tourists, Venice has no shortage of luxury hotels, and many of them were booked out for Bezos and Sánchez.
The couple stayed at the Aman Hotel, where rooms start from around $1,800 per night, going up to as much as $10,000 for the Grand Canal suite.
Other five-star hotels like the St. Regis, the Gritti Palace Hotel, the Cipriani, and the Hotel Danieli were all said to be hosting wedding guests.
As Business Insider's Joshua Nelken-Zitser reported, those trying to enter were turned away by guards, locked doors, and polite but firm "Not a chance" replies.
200 high-profile guests
City authorities said the guest list was capped at around 200 attendees, including Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Queen Rania of Jordan.
The small guest count helped reduce pressure on the city, which frequently hosts massive international events like G7 summits.
85% hotel occupancy
Despite the buzz, Venice remained wide open for tourism. Local press reported 85% hotel occupancy across the city in June.
"There was no 'Bezos effect' on bookings," Daniele Minotto, deputy director of the Venetian Hoteliers Association, told BI.
He added that, unlike the Venice Film Festival, the wedding had no public-facing schedule or red carpet moments to draw spectators."It was not an invasive event," he said, noting that Venice is "used to dealing with much more impressive events."
Roughly 80% of the wedding services — including Murano glass favors and traditional Venetian pastries — were reportedly sourced from local artisans, according to officials.
While there were protests against Bezos and the wedding, the city touted the event as a " carefully organized celebration" that promoted sustainable, craft-based tourism.