Between extravagance and public anger... Bezos' wedding in Venice does not pass peacefully

Venice played host to what has been dubbed the "Wedding of the Century" between billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez from June 24 to 26, 2025. The luxurious ceremony, attended by around 200 guests from the

worlds of entertainment, business, and politics, became a lightning rod for controversy.

On the gilded canals and iconic bridges, activists plastered banners reading “No space for Bezos” and “Venice isn’t for moguls”, while planning demonstrations aimed at disrupting water taxi services and the yacht-shaped wedding processions. Critics accused Bezos of turning the city into “a playground for the ultra-rich” and exploiting Venice’s charm for private indulgence.

Fending off the backlash, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro insisted the event was under control and limited to 200 guests, arguing that the financial benefits—boosting gondola operators, hotels, and restaurants—would bring in millions in euros. He compared the celebration to celebrity weddings like George Clooney’s in 2014, highlighting Venice’s seasoned ability to host high-profile events.

Yet the noise didn’t die down. Long-time residents voiced fears over overcrowding, disruption of local transit, and excessive environmental toll—especially with Bezos’s super-yacht and expected private jet arrivals. Environmental advocates raised alarms about carbon emissions and Venice’s potential transformation into a status symbol for luxury tourism, rather than a historic community.

Ultimately, Bezos's Venice wedding has underscored a growing tension: when opulence meets heritage, who truly has the right to commandeer a city’s identity?