Latest news with #ScuolaGrandeDellaMisericordia
Mint
27-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Everything we know about Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's wedding
Jeff Bezos, one of the richest men in the world, and Lauren Sánchez, an Emmy-winning TV host and pilot, are celebrating their nuptials this weekend in a three-day Venetian wedding extravaganza. Local vendors, from water-taxi providers to pastry shops to traditional glassblowers, are embracing the event as a once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity. Other residents have protested, unwilling to let their city become a playground for the rich. Bezos and Sánchez arrived in Venice on Wednesday, and guests have been trickling into the city; yachts and private jets abound. Here's what to expect as the weekend of celebrations unfolds, according to press accounts, local officials and the wedding planners. The wedding festivities are expected to begin on Thursday with a casual welcome event next to the Gothic church of Madonna dell'Orto. On Friday, Bezos and Sánchez plan to exchange vows at the San Giorgio Maggiore Basilica on the Venetian island of San Giorgio Maggiore. The ceremony is expected to feature a performance from Matteo Bocelli, the son of acclaimed Italian singer Andrea Bocelli. Their wedding reception will take place on Saturday at the Arsenale, a fortified medieval shipyard. The reception was originally supposed to happen in Scuola Grande Della Misericordia, a Renaissance-era building in the center of the city, but the venue changed because of security concerns. While fewer than 200 guests are anticipated to attend the festivities, the guest list remains largely unknown. But several high-profile attendees have already touched down in Venice. Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and their children were photographed arriving at the St. Regis Hotel on Wednesday. Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg were photographed in the city the same day. (Von Furstenberg has a home in Venice.) Sánchez's ex-boyfriend, former NFL player Tony Gonzalez, his wife, October Gonzalez, who is Sánchez's friend, and their family are also in Italy, according to posts on social media. Kris Jenner, Corey Gamble, Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey and Orlando Bloom arrived in Venice on Thursday. A yacht belonging to Amazon investor Bill Miller was docked in the city this week. Eva Longoria and Fox Sports broadcaster Charissa Thompson, who attended Sánchez's bachelorette party in May, are expected to attend the wedding. Katy Perry, who also attended the bachelorette party, won't be attending as she is on tour. Other potential guests include Bill Gates, Mick Jagger and Leonardo DiCaprio. In a note to guests adorned with drawings of feathers, shooting stars and butterflies, the couple stated clearly that they want no gifts. Luca Zaia, the governor of the Veneto region, of which Venice is part, told reporters this week that the celebrations would cost 'at least €40 million," or around $46 million. Local government officials and business owners view the week's celebration as fertile ground for economic opportunities. Most supplies, services and products for the wedding are coming from Venetian vendors. Rosa Salva, a historic family pastry and catering business, will fill goody bags with traditional sweets like little cornmeal and raisin treats called zaletti cookies. Laguna B, a design studio crafting handblown glassware, has also created pieces for the wedding. Venetian officials are hoping the event leads to longer-term investments by Bezos and his affluent guests. Activists feel differently. While Venice's economy depends entirely on tourism, some locals say it has disrupted their lives. They express disdain at being subject to the whims of the incoming rich visitors. Many Venetians also believe Amazon is responsible for driving out local businesses that serve the needs of city residents. Earlier this month, with chants of 'No Space for Bezos," some locals protested the wedding. While they had initially planned to protest outside of the wedding's venues this weekend, they are now holding a march instead near a train station. The group has broadened its focus, too, with a new slogan: 'No Space for Bezos, no Space for War," a reference to the wars in Iran and Gaza. Lanza & Baucina, the firm responsible for organizing the wedding, said that its clients and the company were committed to minimizing disruptions to the city. 'We have always acknowledged the wider debate and critical issues surrounding the city's future, and from the outset our client has been honored to support the city and its all-important lagoon through nonprofit organizations and associated projects," Lanza & Baucina said in a statement. The couple wrote in a note to guests that they were donating to three charities that support the city on behalf of their guests. 'This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories. Our hope is that through these efforts and by you joining us, Venice will continue to inspire wonder for generations to come," the couple wrote to guests. Write to Helena Getahun-Hawkins at
Daily Mail
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE REVEALED: The luxury Italian venue Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have booked for their wedding celebrations
The historical Italian venue billionaire Jeff Bezos, 61, has booked as part of his wedding celebrations to Lauren Sanchez, 55, later this month can be revealed by the MailOnline. The Amazon boss has booked the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, one of the largest and grandest buildings in the historical centre of Venice, as part of the weekend-long extravaganza of celebrations. When built in 1310 it represented the 'Seven Scuole Grandi' whose members were high society dignitaries in Venice, who reached a level of such wealth and influence they were given leading roles in the state. Its walls are decorated by the city's greatest Renaissance artists. The Lonely Planet travel guides says of the large venue: 'One of Venice's seven grand confraternities, the Misericordia was the seat of the wealthy silk weavers guild that commissioned this enormous classical hall.' 'In 1532 Jacopo Sansovino was brought on board, brainstorming the idea of a Roman basilica within a traditional Venetian frame. No expense was spared on the interiors either, which were frescoed by Veronese, Zanchi, Pellegrini and Tintoretto. In 1914 it was taken over by the Reyer Sports Club, providing a beautiful backdrop to their basketball competitions.' The couple's highly-anticipated nuptials are set to take place the weekend of June 24 in the Floating City, much to the frustration of Venetians who have accused the billionaire of turning their home into a 'playground' for the ultra-wealthy - and are now planning protests to push back. A-list celebrities, politicians, and business leaders are expected to attend, which will mean beefed-up security, closed streets and airspace, and a strong police presence, just as Venice's peak tourist season gets underway. With an eye-popping price tag of $10million and a star-studded guest list that includes the Kardashians, actress Eva Longoria, and pop star Katy Perry - who all attended Sanchez's bachelorette party in Paris earlier this month - the wedding promises to opulence on overdrive. While President Donald Trump isn't expected to make an appearance, his children Ivanka and Don Jr are set to attend with their respective partners, husband Jared Kushner and new girlfriend Bettina Anderson. Guests are likely to land at nearby airports in gas-guzzling private planes - Bezos owns four Gulfstream jets - although the 61-year-old can't dock his $500million superyacht Koru as it's too big to anchor anywhere close to Venice. The massive carbon footprint of Bezos and his loaded guests will irk locals further, as Venice is blighted with polluted canals and mass tourism is destroying the fragile lagoon the city sits in. The Laboratorio Occupato Morion - a self-described 'anti-fascist, anti-capitalist, anti-racist and trans-feminist political space' - is already planning on hosting a protest event in the city on Friday at its social center, a short walk from the historic St. Mark's Square. The group has already begun advertising the protest online - sharing a flyer with an image of Bezos' head atop a rocket alongside the slogan: 'No space for Bezos, No space for oligarchs!' 'Jeff Bezos thinks he can buy the entire city - let's throw him a party!', the flyer reads, alongside details of Friday's demonstration. A lengthy adjoining caption reads : 'Venice is transformed into yet another playground for billionaires, while those who live it every day are left with discomfort, exclusion and precariousness.'
