What to Know About Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos’ Venice Marriage ceremony

Non-public planes and yachts are headed to Venice, Italy, this week because the wealthy and well-known collect for what is bound to be among the many most extravagant weddings of the season: that of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez.

Whereas Bezos, 61, and Sánchez, 55, who went public with their relationship in January 2019, have but to share any particulars concerning the occasion, the marriage has sparked each intrigue and anger.

The couple invited about 200 company, town of Venice mentioned in a press release, and London-based Lanza and Baucina, a discreet occasion manufacturing agency, is planning the festivities.

Media stories have speculated that Bezos’ $500 million superyacht Koru and the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, a large-scale occasion area, may function venues.

As may very well be anticipated with the third-richest particular person on the planet, the occasion will possible be expensive.

Roberta Camille Lione, a luxurious wedding ceremony planner and founding father of Italian Knot, instructed Enterprise Insider {that a} price range of greater than 10 million euros, or about $11.5 million, is believable for a high-end, multi-day celebration in Venice.

“European glamour is having a little bit of a renaissance” proper now, luxurious wedding ceremony planner and occasion producer Sarah Haywood instructed BI.

“Whoever you might be, in your wedding ceremony day, you need a day that is extra particular than your strange on a regular basis,” Haywood mentioned. “But when your strange on a regular basis is Jeff Bezos’, that is a problem.”

Here is what we all know concerning the extremely anticipated occasion to date.

The marriage is predicted to attract a star-studded visitor listing — and protests

If their two engagement events — one on Koru and the opposite at billionaire Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg’s Beverly Hills house — are any indication, the marriage might be a gathering of the world’s strongest folks. Friends on the two earlier occasions included Invoice Gates, Oprah Winfrey, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Sánchez’s bachelorette celebration in Paris was simply as star-studded, with Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, and Katy Perry in attendance.

The company are anticipated to remain at a few of the metropolis’s most luxurious accommodations. The Gritti Palace, Resort Cipriani, and Aman, the place rooms can price upward of $10,000 an evening, are largely booked for the week.

Whereas Venice has insisted it’s geared up to deal with the ceremony, citing its “expertise in worldwide occasions a lot bigger than this,” the occasion has already sparked protests from Venice locals involved about overtourism. Protest organizers, who put up indicators that say “No area for Bezos,” have additionally mentioned they plan to disrupt the marriage.

A spokesperson for Bezos and Sánchez declined to substantiate particulars of the occasion, however pointed to a press release from planner Lanza and Baucina.

“Rumours of ‘taking up’ town are fully false and diametrically against our targets and to actuality,” the assertion mentioned. “No exaggerated amount of water taxis or gondolas have ever been booked, the variety of taxis reserved being proportionate for the variety of company.”

“As Municipality of Venice, from the start, we’re mutually working and supporting the organizers, to make sure that the occasion might be completely respectful of the fragility and uniqueness of town. For that reason, we are going to work collectively for finest outcome. Whoever loves Venice will all the time be welcome,” Luigi Brugnaro, the mayor of Venice, mentioned in a press release.

The story of Bezos and Sánchez

Bezos and Sánchez have been collectively since at the least January 2019, when the Nationwide Enquirer tabloid newspaper outed their relationship, saying it had obtained specific textual content messages despatched between the pair.

Shortly after, Bezos and his now ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, introduced their separation. By the top of that yr, each events had finalized their divorces — Bezos to MacKenzie Scott and Sánchez to Patrick Whitesell, the chief chairman of Endeavor — and the couple was making public appearances at occasions just like the Allen & Firm convention in Solar Valley and Wimbledon.

Since then, they’ve often appeared collectively, whether or not aboard Koru or on crimson carpets on the Self-importance Truthful Oscars Celebration and Met Gala.

The couple confirmed their engagement in Could 2023.