Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
The wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez marks a grand event amidst protests and critiques.
The extravagant wedding of Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, and Lauren Sanchez took place in Venice, Italy, over the weekend, culminating in a series of events that began on Thursday.
The estimated cost of the celebration is around $50 million.
Although the couple legally married in the United States a month prior, the ceremonial wedding was held on Friday, attracting a guest list that included major celebrities and friends.
Lauren Sanchez wore a custom wedding gown designed by Dolce & Gabbana and was escorted by her two sons, Nico and Evan.
In an interview with a fashion magazine, she expressed her desire for a look that was distinct from her usual red carpet appearances.
She described the experience as joyous, stating, "I am the luckiest woman in the world."
Following traditional wedding customs, the bride and groom did not see each other the day before the wedding.
Sanchez adhered to the “something borrowed” tradition with understated diamond earrings and incorporated a blue element taken from her space flight with Blue Origin, Bezos's space exploration company.
Immediately after the ceremony, Sanchez updated her Instagram to reflect her new name, Lauren Sanchez-Bezos, deleting previous posts and sharing a wedding photo that garnered numerous likes and comments.
Bezos has yet to publicly share photos from the wedding or add Sanchez's name to his own.
Attention was drawn to the engagement ring, which was a pink diamond weighing three carats valued at around $3 million, now adjusted next to a white diamond wedding band weighing 35 carats, valued at approximately $10 million.
The weekend’s events concluded with a pajama party at the Arsenale, a historic shipyard in Venice.
The choice of venue was reportedly altered due to protests against Bezos, illustrating tensions surrounding the event.
Guests were encouraged to dress in pajamas, leading many to adapt formal attire for the occasion.
Notable attendees included Kim Kardashian, who made headlines with her attention-grabbing outfit.
Approximately 200 guests attended the wedding, including family members and a host of celebrities such as members of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, Orlando Bloom, Sydney Sweeney, Tom Brady, and Oprah Winfrey.
Initial invitations had been somewhat limited, with Sanchez extending invites during a pre-wedding gathering in Paris.
Additionally, both Sydney Sweeney and Orlando Bloom were seen together during the event, sparking speculation following their recent single status.
Sweeney had ended a three-year engagement, while Bloom and his former fiancée Katie Perry had been engaged for five years.
The lavish affair, however, was not without controversy.
Thousands of protesters gathered outside the venue, opposing the wedding as a symbol of economic disparity and the perceived prioritization of wealthy tourists over the local populace.
In a bid to appease critics, Bezos donated £3 million to local charities, but his actions were met with accusations of hypocrisy from protesters.
This juxtaposition highlights ongoing discussions regarding wealth inequality and its impact on local communities.