Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez got married in Venice with an extravagant ceremony that cost between $46.5 million and $55.6 million. The couple celebrated their union at a stunning Venetian venue that drew worldwide attention. They kept their celebration intimate with just 200 guests.
The bride looked stunning in a custom Dolce & Gabbana creation adorned with 180 silk chiffon-covered buttons. The gown’s intricate details required 900 hours of meticulous work in the fashion house’s atelier. The celebration’s economic effect on Venice has been remarkable. The city’s Ministry of Tourism expects the wedding festivities to generate almost 68% of its annual tourism revenue in a single weekend. The event’s massive scale became evident through its logistics that included arrangements for 90 private jets and 30 water taxis.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez host yacht wedding in Venice
Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s billionaire founder, and his bride Lauren Sanchez, a former TV journalist, said their vows on San Giorgio Maggiore, a secluded Venetian island, on Friday, June 27. The couple picked this location because of security concerns and potential protests that surfaced days before the ceremony.
Their celebration turned into a grand three-day affair. A welcome reception kicked off the festivities on Thursday at Madonna dell’Orto cloister in Cannaregio district. The main ceremony followed on Friday, where Matteo Bocelli, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli’s son, sang Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love”. The historic Arsenale, once a medieval shipyard and now a cultural hub, would host Saturday’s final celebration.
Venice became a playground for the world’s elite that weekend. The city’s airport buzzed with dozens of private jets while luxury yachts glided through its famous waterways. Water taxis created a stunning spectacle as they carried guests between venues through the canals.
The star-studded guest list read like a global power directory. Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, the Kardashian-Jenner family, Tom Brady, Orlando Bloom, Karlie Kloss, Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner made appearances at the celebration.
Bezos and Sanchez stayed at the luxurious Aman Venice hotel on the Grand Canal. Photographers caught Bezos striking poses while Sanchez blew kisses to the press. Local authorities beefed up security across the city and deployed special units to handle potential protests.
The lavish celebration brought welcome economic benefits to city officials. However, some locals and activist groups protested the super-wealthy’s use of their UNESCO World Heritage city. The wedding went ahead as planned and became one of the year’s most talked-about social gatherings.
Lauren Sanchez stuns in custom Dolce & Gabbana gown
Image Source: Business Insider
Lauren Sanchez surprised everyone by choosing a wedding gown that stood nowhere near her signature revealing red carpet looks. Her bridal choice showcased a corseted, mermaid-style wedding dress from Dolce & Gabbana. The masterpiece required more than 900 hours of dedicated atelier work.
The elegant creation drew inspiration from Sophia Loren’s wedding dress in the 1958 film Houseboat. Hand-appliquéd Italian lace adorned the dress, which featured a high neck and long sleeves. Sanchez shared her journey with Vogue about the dress selection. “It went from ‘I want a simple, sexy modern dress’ to ‘I want something that evokes a moment,’ and where I am right now. I am a different person than I was five years ago,” she explained.
Meticulous craftsmanship shone through every detail of the gown. A line of 180 silk chiffon-covered buttons traced elegantly from the neck down the torso. Sanchez complemented her look with borrowed Dolce Alta Gioielleria Miracolo earrings – four diamonds cut from a single stone and inlaid in white gold.
She added a personal touch with her “something blue” – a secret memento from her Blue Origin space flight. This experience ranked as “one of the most profound experiences I’ve ever had” in her words.
The celebration demanded several outfit changes throughout. Sanchez dazzled at the reception dinner in a sweetheart neck, corseted gown that channeled Rita Hayworth’s iconic look from the 1946 film Gilda. An Oscar de la Renta cocktail dress followed, adorned with 600 yards of hand-sewn chain and 175,000 crystals.
The bride’s final transformation featured an Atelier Versace strapless georgette dress with crystal mesh embroidery and matching dressing gown at the pajama-themed after-party. Loose, romantic swept-up curls and subtle, clean makeup enhanced her bridal glow while letting her carefully selected couture pieces shine.
Celebrity guests arrive by private jet and water taxi
Image Source: Forbes Australia
Venice became a temporary home for the global elite as A-list guests arrived for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding. The historic Italian city turned into a celebrity playground when about 90-95 private jets landed at Venice and nearby airports like Treviso and Verona.
The event’s grandeur showed in its transportation arrangements. Different Venetian companies provided roughly 30 water taxis that created an impressive sight. These elegant wooden vessels moved through the canals in a spectacular procession as they carried guests between ceremonies and parties.
The approximately 200 guests filled five of Venice’s most luxurious hotels. Bezos and Sanchez stayed at the Aman Venice, while other guests spread across the Belmond Hotel Cipriani, the Gritti Palace, the Hotel Danieli, and the St. Regis Venice. Some guests at the Gritti Palace made quite a scene when they left wearing pajamas under colorful dressing gowns before one event.
The guest list read like a who’s who of global influence. Tech leaders Bill Gates and Sam Altman mixed with media stars Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King. Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sydney Sweeney, and Orlando Bloom added glamor to the occasion. Former NFL star Tom Brady joined the celebration with the Kardashian-Jenner family’s strong presence including Kim, Khloé, Kendall, Kylie, Kris and her partner Corey Gamble.
The festivities drew early arrivals from Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Model Karlie Kloss, designer Diane von Furstenberg, and fashion icon Domenico Dolce also attended. Jordan’s queen’s presence added royal flair to this remarkable gathering.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s Venetian wedding was one of the most lavish celebrations of 2025. The three-day event turned the historic Italian city into a private paradise for 200 global elites. Venice saw major economic gains from this grand celebration. The wedding details were stunning – Sanchez wore a custom Dolce & Gabbana gown that took 900 hours to create. The logistics team coordinated dozens of private jets and water taxis perfectly.
Local residents and activist groups criticized wealthy people using their UNESCO World Heritage city. The wedding went ahead smoothly all the same. The security team reduced planned protests effectively. High-profile guests like Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Leonardo DiCaprio enjoyed themselves at various venues across the city.
Sanchez’s bridal style caught everyone’s attention. She changed into several couture outfits throughout the celebration. These choices showed her personal growth in the last five years. She even mentioned becoming “a different person” during this time.
The wedding weekend’s economic effect on Venice was remarkable. It generated almost 68% of the city’s yearly tourism revenue. This number shows just how massive the Bezos-Sanchez wedding truly was. Their celebration will likely remain the standard for celebrity weddings for years.