A wave of local resistance appears to have forced Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, television presenter Lauren Sánchez, to move their main wedding celebrations away from central Venice, as tensions mount over the lavish, high-security event set to unfold this week in the historic lagoon city.
Activists say they’ve claimed a symbolic victory after the couple’s Saturday event, originally believed to be planned at the opulent Scuola Grande della Misericordia, was quietly shifted to the Arsenale — a former shipyard complex located farther from the city’s bustling heart.
“We are very proud of this!” declared Tommaso Cacciari, organiser with the activist group No Space for Bezos, which has staged a series of targeted protests in recent days. “We are nobodies, we have no money, nothing! We’re just citizens who started organising, and we managed to move one of the most powerful people in the world — all the billionaires — out of the city.”
Their campaign — driven by opposition to the extravagance and symbolism of the celebration in a city increasingly shaped by tourism and economic disparity — included dramatic displays such as a banner with Bezos’ name crossed out hanging from the bell tower on San Giorgio Maggiore island, where the couple is widely believed to be exchanging vows. Another protest banner was strung across the famed Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal.
While the official schedule remains tightly under wraps — guests reportedly signed non-disclosure agreements — Reuters and Italian outlets suggest the three-day celebration will take place between June 26 and 28, with festivities unfolding across several locations in Venice.
The affair is expected to draw an elite crowd. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were spotted arriving in Venice on Tuesday, alongside Belgian fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg and investor Bill Miller’s superyacht. Other rumoured guests include Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, Mick Jagger and Eva Longoria. Sánchez’s recent Parisian bachelorette party featured several of those names, adding to speculation.
Though some locals have voiced support, many have bristled at the spectacle of extreme wealth on such conspicuous display. With private yachts overtaking the harbour, a reported five luxury hotels booked in full, and former U.S. Marines providing security, the event has put a spotlight on Venice’s struggle to balance prestige and preservation.
Still, regional leaders have brushed off concerns. “This is a city that handles 150,000 people a day,” said Veneto president Luca Zaia. “George Clooney, François-Henri Pinault and Salma Hayek, Alexandre Arnault, Elton John and many others got married here.”
Pressed on speculation that Donald Trump could also make an appearance, Zaia told Corriere della Sera: “Of course, Donald Trump could also come to this wedding.” However, the former US president’s current priorities may lie elsewhere amid ongoing political turmoil.
Bezos and Sánchez went public with their relationship in 2019 following Bezos’ divorce from ex-wife and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. They announced their engagement in 2023 and have remained largely private about the details of their wedding.
BusinessDay