Jeff Bezos & Lauren Sánchez Made a Surprising Request to Guests in Their Wedding Invite

Yahoo

11 hours ago

This week, one of the most lavish celebrity weddings is about to take place as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ties the knot with longtime partner Lauren Sánchez. Their wedding, which will take place in Venice, Italy, will surely be an over-the-top event, with A-listers from all over making an appearance.
But, ahead of the nuptials, one request from the bride and groom caught us by surprise.
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In an early invite obtained by Good Morning America, Bezos and Sánchez specifically ask guests not to give them gifts. He is a billionaire after all, right?
'We are excited for you to join us! We have one early request: please, no gifts,' the message says. 'Instead, we're making contributions in your honor and with gratitude to you for making the journey to celebrate with us in Venice.'
'Donations on your behalf are being made to the UNESCO Venice Office to safeguard this city's irreplaceable cultural heritage, to CORILA to restore the vital lagoon habitats that protect Venice's future, and to Venice International University to support research and education for sustainable solutions,' the invite continues.
'This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories,' the bride and groom added. 'Our hope is that through these efforts and by you joining us, Venice will continue to inspire wonder for generations to come.'
In addition to the text, the invitation is decorated with illustrations of butterflies, birds, stars, Venetian gondolas and Venice's iconic bridge, the Ponte di Rialto, around the edges.
Online, X users have shared their thoughts on the invite. 'Was the invitation made in Microsoft Paint? 😭😭' one user joked. 'What a heartless invite,' another wrote. 'Seems like a business dinner for donors.'
'Just a very elegant way of saying: Yes, we had to bribe the municipality of Venice to host our extravaganza wedding in the middle of a UNESCO World Heritage site,' another X user wrote. 'But at least it's for the lagoon 🦋🎭✨.'
But their invite isn't the only source of pushback. In the past few days, the wedding has been the center of backlash due to their choice of venue in Venice. Given the city's small size and limited transportation, a major wedding of this size would cause a major disruption.
As a result, a movement, named No Space for Bezos, has ignited protests and threatened a blockage on canals around Grande Scuola Misericordia, which is where locals think their wedding party would take place, CNN reports. Following their threats, No Space for Bezos has claimed that Bezos and Sánchez have changed their wedding venue.
Per the outlet, locals are guessing that their wedding will be a three-day affair starting on June 26 with a welcome party, then an exchange of vows on the island of San Giorgio on June 27, and a major party on June 28. We'll stay tuned for what actually takes place instead.Best of SheKnows
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