The wedding bells are still echoing across Venice as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and media personality Lauren Sanchez concluded their three-day wedding celebration in grand style.
The lavish affair, estimated at £40 million, drew an elite crowd and unfolded like a modern-day royal wedding – complete with private water taxis, designer gowns, diamond upgrades, and even protests.
Now 72 hours into the festivities, Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, shared a public kiss from the balcony of the Aman Venice Hotel before departing for their final party, marking the end of a multi-day celebration that took over the Italian city.
Dressed in a figure-hugging pink embellished gown with a fishtail bottom, the new Mrs. Bezos waved to onlookers, flashing smiles and bridal elegance. The pair was later seen cruising through the canals, trailed by a flotilla of paparazzi boats as VIP guests headed toward the medieval shipyard, the Arsenale, for a glamorous send-off.
The guest list included global A-listers such as Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, Usher, and even Bill Gates — many arriving in coordinated couture for the star-studded affair. Sir Elton John and Lady Gaga were also reportedly among the performers, providing entertainment for an estimated 200 of the world’s wealthiest individuals.
Despite the fanfare, not all welcomed the extravagant celebration.
Around 700 protesters from the ‘No Space for Bezos’ movement gathered at Santa Lucia railway station, waving banners and inflatable crocodiles while holding Amazon boxes labelled ‘Ordered, Shipped, Delivered, Rejected.’ The demonstrators criticized Bezos’s perceived detachment from global social and environmental issues, but the newlyweds appeared unfazed.
This is the second marriage for both Bezos and Sanchez, who have seven children between them. Their nuptials took place on the exclusive San Giorgio Maggiore island, followed by a Vogue-featured photoshoot showing Sanchez in a braless pose, donning Bezos’s Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo shirt.
Sanchez’s understated wedding band stood in striking contrast to the $3 million, 30-carat pink diamond engagement ring she wore after Bezos proposed two years ago. That sparkler was later swapped to her right hand, making way for a jaw-dropping 35-carat white diamond upgrade — reportedly worth $10 million.
The bride revealed her lace wedding dress was inspired by Sophia Loren’s iconic look in the 1958 film Houseboat, and she honored traditions like not being seen by the groom before the big day. She also carried space-themed "something blue" .
As the festivities drew to a close, Sanchez credited Bezos for “transforming my life,” bringing their high-profile romance full circle in a wedding that was part Hollywood spectacle, part billionaire showcase — and fully unforgettable.