Jeff Bezos ties the knot with Lauren Sanchez during lavish celebration in Venice amid local protests

VENICE, ITALY: Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are now officially husband and wife.

The couple tied the knot in Venice, Italy, on Friday, June 27, during a weekend-long wedding celebration that reportedly cost between $10 to $50 million.

Originally scheduled to take place at Scuola Grande della Misericordia on Saturday, the wedding was relocated to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore due to mounting security concerns over local protests.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are officially married

The three-day black-tie event was held on the scenic island of San Giorgio Maggiore, across from Venice’s historic St Mark’s Square.

The billionaire businessman, 61, took a water taxi to meet his wife. Sanchez, 55, was photographed earlier in the day stepping out of the Aman Hotel.

Sanchez officially confirmed her marriage to Bezos by posting a wedding picture, captioning it "06/27/2025" followed by a heart emoji. She also made a subtle change to her Instagram bio. Her Instagram now bears the name Lauren Sanchez Bezos.

According to People, the wedding was attended by a long list of celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Karlie Kloss, Ivanka Trump, Kris Jenner, Orlando Bloom, Jewel, Barry Diller, and Diane von Furstenberg.

The couple hosted their guests at some of Venice’s most luxurious hotels, such as the Aman—where George and Amal Clooney wed in 2014—along with the Gritti Palace, the St Regis, Hotel Danieli, and Belmond Cipriani.

According to Page Six, Vogue's Anna Wintour, who recently surprised the world by stepping down from her role as editor-in-chief, played a significant role in the wedding by helping Sanchez with her bridal gown for the ceremony.

The Hollywood Reporter claimed the wedding costs around $10 million. Several other publications, including Page Six and CNBC, reported the wedding cost as $50M.

A source told People that the couple’s nuptials began with a performance of 'Can’t Help Falling in Love' by Elvis Presley, sung by Matteo Bocelli, which was met with cheers from the crowd.

It also reported guests enjoyed food prepared onsite by a famous Neapolitan chef, featuring pizza, fried zucchini flowers, arancini, octopus, and cod. Desserts included lemon cakes and traditional pastries.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez made last-minute changes to wedding schedule 

Protesters had targeted the event over the couple’s presence in Venice, carrying signs that read, “If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax” and “No Space for Bezos,” a reference to the Amazon founder’s space travel venture, Blue Origin.

Additional signs and graffiti labeled the city as “Veniceland: A playground fit for an oligarch.” Protesters also warned they would block Bezos’ water taxis with dinghies, inflatables, and boats.

Due to these concerns, Bezos and Sanchez decided to change their wedding date and venue just one day before the ceremony.

Before the wedding weekend, the couple had arrived in Venice via helicopter on Wednesday, June 25, and were seen leaving the Aman Hotel separately before the ceremony.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez donate to Venice

Despite the protests, the couple made efforts to show appreciation for the city.

Luca Zaia, president of the Veneto region, announced that Bezos and Sanchez donated €1 million (about $1.16 million) to the Corila Consortium, an international scientific research group working to protect the Venice lagoon.

“The generous donation by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez represents an act of great sensitivity and foresight,” Zaia said, as per CNN.

“Venice is not only a symbolic city of Veneto and Italy, it is a heritage of humanity that demands attention, respect, and care," he said.

Per the Associated Press, Bezos and Sanchez had quietly donated to Venetian charities earlier in April and sourced 80 percent of the wedding provisions from local vendors.

The couple had asked their guests to support the city instead of bringing wedding gifts. Their invitation included donation options for the UNESCO Venice Office, CORILA, and Venice International University.

“This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories,” the couple wrote, according to People. “Our hope is that through these efforts and by you joining us, Venice will continue to inspire wonder for generations to come."

Sebastiano Costalonga, a local city councillor, said, “We are definitely happy to have this funding for the protection of our very delicate city.”