Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and one of the world’s richest men, is set to marry Lauren Sanchez, a former TV reporter in a lavish ceremony in Venice this week, but discontent is rising in the historic canal city.
The wedding, expected to cost over $10 million and attract a glittering guest list, has sparked a wave of protests led by Venetians angry over what they see as the latest example of their city being hijacked by the ultra-wealthy.
The “No Space for Bezos” campaign has gained momentum in recent days, with activists promising to stage demonstrations, block canals, and unfurl banners across the city to draw attention to the growing issue of overtourism and gentrification.
Protesters accuse the Amazon founder of turning Venice into a backdrop for a billionaire spectacle.
“Bezos arrogantly believes he can take over the city and turn it into his own private party venue,” said Tommaso Cacciari, one of the lead organisers of the movement. “Venice is not a theme park for oligarchs. It’s our home.”
Bezos, 61, proposed to Sanchez, 55, aboard his superyacht Koru near Cannes in May 2023, famously hiding a pink diamond engagement ring under her pillow.
“When Jeff opened the box,” Sanchez recalled to the Vogue. “I think I blacked out a bit.”
Since then, the couple has been planning a destination wedding featuring some of the most exclusive venues in the city. Among them: a pagoda on the Lido beach, the island of San Giorgio opposite the Doge’s Palace, and the Scuola Grande della Misericordia — a grand Renaissance building symbolic of Venetian prestige, according to Italian newspapers.
The guest list, over 200, reportedly includes Ivanka Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Katy Perry, and fashion moguls Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg. If the Paris bachelorette party attended by Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner is any indication, more celebrity appearances may follow.
But while planners prepare for glamour, many Venetians are bracing for disruption. The city, already strained by tourism, recently began charging entry fees during peak seasons and limiting group sizes. Yet the scale and symbolism of Bezos’ wedding have made it a lightning rod.
Slogans such as “Veniceland: A playground fit for an oligarch” have been spotted across walls and balconies, as residents warn that Venice is rapidly losing its identity under pressure from cruise ships, Airbnbs, and billionaires.
In response to public concerns, Venice’s mayor Luigi Brugnaro and Veneto governor Luca Zaia have defended the event. They argue that the wedding will bring an economic windfall to local businesses — from caterers and hotels to gondoliers and water taxis — and will not significantly disrupt daily life.
City officials also clarified that the guest list is limited to 200 people and that security measures will be in place to minimise inconvenience to locals.
Still, for many in Venice, the symbolism is hard to ignore.
But the protests also seem to be dovetailing with a larger movement in some popular European locations against “overtourism,” with protests in places like Barcelona, Spain; Mallorca; and Lisbon, Portugal.