Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are getting ready to walk down the aisle in an extravagant ceremony—reportedly to be held in Venice, Italy. The upcoming wedding will be held in the picturesque capital city of the Veneto region. All of that has garnered major media attention, partly thanks to the project’s star-studded guest list and the ensuing stink it’s raised among local residents and environmental activists.
As we understand it, the couple’s wedding is tentatively set for June 24-26 or June 26-28. The gala typically welcomes up to 200 luminaries, including celebrity guests Oprah Winfrey, Mick Jagger, and Katy Perry. While details on the venues are still being kept secret, we can hardly contain our excitement! Perry and Sanchez have an extraordinary connection. They both launched to space together on an 11-minute Blue Origin flight back in April.
The Local Response
While largely celebrated, the wedding has not been free of indignation. Those impacted by the project and advocates including Greenpeace are raising the alarm. They are standing up against over-tourism, as they understand it, for ruining the fabric of their everyday lives. Here’s why many Venetians feel that glitzy and glamorous events like this only serve to further maturate the city’s perennial afflictions with tourism-induced calamity.
These protests are symptomatic of larger issues plaguing Venice. This beautiful city has suffered for years from this unintended consequence of the onslaught of mass tourism. The community’s opposition underscores the tension between hosting extravagant events for affluent individuals and preserving the everyday life of local residents.
The Couple’s Background
Both Bezos and Sanchez are the products of former marriages. Lauren Sanchez was married to former husband Patrick Whitesell for 14 years before their divorce filing in April 2019. She has a son, Nikko Gonzalez, from a prior relationship with NFL player Tony Gonzalez. Meanwhile, his fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos was married to MacKenzie Scott for 25 years, with whom he had three other children.
Their complex personal histories add layers of intrigue to their resulting union. As Sanchez and Bezos move into this promising new chapter together, local relationships remain front and center. They’re trusting up to 80% of wedding Venetian suppliers and vendors to organize their marriage ceremony. This decision comes as an attempt to better connect with the local community in the face of weeks of protest.
Celebrity Attendance
The wedding guest list reads like a who’s who of Tinsel Town. Celebrities including Oprah Winfrey and Mick Jagger have pledged to join, raising the event’s profile even higher. Geopolitical implications High-profile figures will certainly attract loads of media attention. This expanded coverage could amplify local sentiments that Venice is not the appropriate place to host such a massive event.
