Latest news with #CORILA
News18
6 hours ago
- Business
- News18
Jeff Bezos And Lauren Sánchez Say No To Wedding Gifts, Instead They Want...
Last Updated: Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez will marry this week in Venice, Italy. As Venice braces for one of its most talked-about weddings, all eyes are on Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez. But amid the glamour, guest lists, and headlines, the couple has made a thoughtful request – they don't want any gifts. The Amazon founder and his fiancée will get married this week. Ahead of the celebration, the couple sent out invitations with a clear message: 'We are excited for you to join us. We have one early request: please, no gifts." Instead of traditional presents, Bezos and Sánchez have chosen to make donations to three local institutions on behalf of their guests. The contributions will go to the UNESCO Venice Office, CORILA and Venice International University. '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," it continued. Their note adds: 'The magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories. Our hope is that through these gifts and by you joining us, Venice will continue to inspire wonder for generations to come." Still, not everyone is thrilled about the scale of the celebration. In the days leading up to the wedding, protest signs have been put up in Venice's historic areas. Locals have voiced concern over disruptions, traffic and the strain of hosting high-profile events in a city already battling overtourism. Originally, the couple had picked Cannaregio for post-wedding celebrations. But reports suggest the plan was changed due to fears of demonstrations. The celebrations have now been shifted to the Arsenale, a historic naval complex in Castello district. Though guests have been asked not to bring gifts, they will receive goody bags from Laguna B, a Murano-based glassware company. While the exact items remain under wraps, sources describe them as 'opulent." The couple is also supporting local vendors wherever possible. Around 80 per cent of the food and other essentials for the wedding are being sourced from Venice-based businesses including the Murano glassware maker Laguna B and the city's oldest pastry maker, Rosa Salva. Bezos and Sánchez got engaged in 2023. Sánchez has three children – Evan and Ella, from her marriage to Hollywood talent agent Patrick Whitesell, and a son, Nikko, from her earlier relationship with former NFL player Tony Gonzalez. Bezos shares four children with his ex-wife, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott including their eldest son, Preston, born in 2000. The names and details of their other children including an adopted daughter, are not public. First Published:
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jeff Bezos & Lauren Sánchez Made a Surprising Request to Guests in Their Wedding Invite
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. More from SheKnows Lauren Sánchez Then & Now: The Best Throwback Photos of Her Through the Years 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 of SheKnows 39 Times Actresses Totally Transformed For a Role: See Side-by-Side Photos Jeff Bezos & Lauren Sánchez's Full Relationship Timeline 23 Age-Gap Couples Who Met When One of Them Was Still a Child
News18
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Internet Asks If Jeff Bezos' Wedding Invitation ‘Was Made In MS Paint?'
Last Updated: A picture of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding invitation card has gone viral on the internet. While Venice has been largely preparing for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's multi-million-dollar wedding plans, eyes are now set on the couple's not-so-grand invitation card. There might be a lot of ways to invite people to something special, like a wedding; the world had a lot of expectations when it came from the third richest person in the world. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding invitation card did come as a surprise for many, but not as anticipated. A picture of the invite has recently gone viral, grabbing a lot of attention on the internet. Printed in italic font with haphazard decorations of doves, shooting stars, butterflies, and even the Rialto Bridge, the card appears to be homemade; however, not in an artistic way. The card also features men rowing gondolas around the famed bridge. What appears to be a subtle nod to the city's culture and heritage failed to impress the internet, as many expressed their disappointment. Users strongly criticised the invitation for being 'flat," further stating that the expectations were much higher, owing to the billionaire's wedding budget. One wrote, 'This invitation looks like an 11-year-old made it," while another one joked, 'Was the invitation made in Microsoft Paint?" One of the users even recreated a similar card and added a hilarious message, which he claimed took only 15 minutes. I recreated this masterpiece in Microsoft Paint in 15 minutes. — Whody (@Mr_Incredi_Bull) June 25, 2025 'What a heartless invite. Seems like a business dinner for donors," a comment read. An unimpressed X user wrote, 'This was the best their wedding planner came up with? My goodness, Lisa Vanderpump's daughter from Housewives did better than this for her wedding." Referring to the 'gifts" part in the invite, a user commented, 'The donation is very generous, but the invitation itself is not what I would expect from a billionaire." I don't know, it looks like clip art." Bezos and Sanchez's wedding invite features a special message for the guests, as the couple asked them not to bring gifts. 'We are making contributions in your honour 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 the city's 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." Amid the growing buzz surrounding the wedding, the Amazon founder and his fiancée have already landed in Venice. They are said to get hitched later this week. First Published: June 26, 2025, 13:06 IST
The Herald
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald
Bezos and Sanchez arrive in Venice for marathon wedding party
Venice City Hall issued a directive on Wednesday cordoning off the area, isolating guests from activists who have been protesting for weeks that the celebrations will turn the city of gondolas and palazzi into a private amusement park for the rich. 'There's only one thing that rules now: money, money, money, so we are the losers,' said Venice resident Nadia Rigo. 'We who were born here have to either move to the mainland or we have to ask them for permission to board a ferry. They've become the masters.' Amid the criticism, the governor of the Veneto region that comprises Venice said Bezos and Sanchez had donated €3m euros to three local institutions: CORILA, an academic consortium that studies the lagoon ecosystem, UNESCO's local office, and the Venice International University. 'Welcome to Venice, Jeff,' Luca Zaia said in his statement, thanking the couple for their 'gesture of extraordinary generosity'. The date and venue of the wedding itself are still unknown and some have speculated that Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, may already have tied the knot in a private ceremony in the US. Most of the estimated 250 guests are expected to arrive in time for the second party, which the source said is slated for Friday on the small island of San Giorgio, in front of the famed St. Mark's Square with its 99m-high bell tower. San Giorgio island is home to the Cini Foundation, which organises international cultural and political meetings in an ancient monastery dating back to the year 1000, with a maze in the garden.
