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Picture this: Venice’s shimmering canals, lined with centuries-old architecture, buzzing with the kind of star power that could light up a galaxy. On June 26 and 27, 2025, Jeff Bezos, the billionaire mastermind behind Amazon, and Lauren Sánchez, his dynamic partner, turned the city into their personal stage for a wedding so lavish it’s been dubbed the “event of the century.” From a regal appearance by Queen Rania of Jordan to A-listers like Leonardo DiCaprio and the Kardashian clan gliding through the canals, this wasn’t just a wedding—it was a spectacle that had Venice buzzing, protesting, and downright dazzled. But not everyone was swooning over the €40 million bash, and with one notable absence stealing headlines, this love story came with a side of drama. Let’s dive into the glitz, the gossip, and the Venetian magic that made this weekend unforgettable.
A Starry Kickoff at Madonna dell’Orto
The party started with a bang on Thursday, June 26, at the Madonna dell’Orto church, a 14th-century gem in Venice’s Cannaregio district. Imagine a convoy of 30 water taxis slicing through the canals, ferrying a who’s-who of global icons to a welcome bash that screamed opulence. Queen Rania of Jordan stole the show in a stunning pink ball gown, her matching clutch and shawl catching the evening light as she stepped onto a boat. Sydney Sweeney turned heads in a floral dress, her blonde locks flowing as she navigated the water taxi with a silver clutch in hand. Ellie Goulding brought her signature sparkle, while Leonardo DiCaprio, arm-in-arm with girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti, added Hollywood royalty to the mix. The Kardashian-Jenner crew—Kris, Kim, Khloé, Kylie, and Kendall—rolled in with their trademark glamour, joined by Usher, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, and Tom Brady. Even Orlando Bloom, fresh off a headline-making split, was spotted charming the crowd over lunch at the Gritti Palace. This wasn’t just a guest list; it was a living red carpet.
Katy Perry’s Absence: A Tour, a Breakup, and a Touch of Heartache
One name missing from the Venetian dazzle was Katy Perry, and her absence sent tongues wagging. Lauren Sánchez, who shares a close bond with the pop star after their historic all-female Blue Origin space flight in April 2025, left a heartfelt comment on Perry’s Instagram: “We miss you Katy ❤️.” Perry was halfway across the globe, performing her Lifetimes Tour in Adelaide, Australia, with back-to-back shows that coincided with the wedding weekend. The timing wasn’t just bad luck—news broke on June 26 that Perry and Orlando Bloom, her partner of nine years, had called it quits after his Valentine’s Day 2019 proposal. While some speculated the breakup kept Perry away, a source clarified to PEOPLE, “She was never going to the wedding.” Still, the sting was real. Perry had joined Sánchez’s bachelorette party in Paris just a month earlier, dining at Lafayette’s and cruising the Seine with pals like Kim Kardashian and Eva Longoria. The contrast—Bloom mingling with celebs in Venice while Perry performed with her daughter Daisy’s photo in hand—added a bittersweet note to the festivities–
The Big Day: Love and Logistics on San Giorgio Maggiore
Friday, June 27, dawned with Venice doing what it does best: looking like a postcard come to life. Tourists sipped spritzes and snapped gondola selfies, but across the water on San Giorgio Maggiore, Jeff and Lauren were orchestrating a wedding of epic proportions. Sánchez emerged from the Aman hotel in a cream suit, sunglasses, and a headscarf, gliding past a swarm of photographers in a water taxi. Bezos, sharp in black tie, followed an hour later. The couple, who reportedly tied the knot legally in the U.S. beforehand, exchanged symbolic vows before 200 guests at the Giorgio Cini Foundation. The logistics were jaw-dropping: an entire canal was blocked off, security was airtight, and the event unfolded with military precision. Yet, details remained cloaked in secrecy, with camera crews left guessing and tight-lipped staff fending off questions under gazebos lined with monitors.
The guest list alone was worth its weight in gold, but the €40 million price tag raised eyebrows. From superyachts clogging the harbor to 90 private jets descending on Venice, the scale was staggering. The city’s mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, called it a “money-spinner,” predicting a boost for local shopkeepers and hotels. Italy’s tourism minister, Daniela Santanchè, gushed that the global buzz would be a “massive free publicity campaign” for Venice, with social media set to explode over Sánchez’s dress and the ceremony’s grandeur. But not everyone was popping champagne.
Venice’s Love-Hate Relationship with the Spectacle
Venice, a city no stranger to drama—from the Black Death to modern-day cruise ship controversies—found itself split over the Bezos-Sánchez extravaganza. Some locals, like a yachtsman hosing down his boat near the venue, were unfazed, shrugging, “I’m not thinking about it at all.” Others were livid, accusing the city of bowing to Bezos’s $212 billion fortune. Protests erupted with flair: a green laser beamed “No Kings, No Bezos” onto St Mark’s Square’s belltower, while a banner declared, “If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax.” Rumors of a canal-blocking armada of inflatable crocodiles reportedly forced the couple to move their Saturday reception from the city center’s Scuola Grande della Misericordia to the secluded Arsenale shipyard. Activists, including housing advocates and anti-cruise ship campaigners, argued that Venice was being “sold out” to the ultra-rich, especially as the city grapples with rising water levels and overtourism.
The protests didn’t deter the celebs, though. Ivanka Trump, Tom Brady, and Orlando Bloom mingled at the Thursday welcome party, undaunted by the controversy. For some, the wedding was a fairy-tale moment, a chance to see global icons celebrate love in a city made for romance. For others, like a Spanish tourist who called the €50 million bash “grotesque,” it was a stark reminder of inequality. “This is why I don’t buy anything on Amazon,” she said, shaking her head.
A Doppelgänger’s Dream Steals the Show
Amid the glitz and grumbling, one story added a dash of charm to the chaos. Cagdas Halicilar, a 47-year-old German delivery driver who’s a dead ringer for Jeff Bezos, rolled into Venice with a €3,000 bottle of whiskey as a wedding gift. Halicilar, who discovered his resemblance to the billionaire three years ago, has embraced the attention, saying, “Wherever I go, people are like, ‘Jeff! Jeff!’” On Thursday, he caught a glimpse of his idol cruising by in a burgundy boat. “He gave me a thumbs-up,” Halicilar beamed, admitting he cried from the thrill. His mission? To meet Bezos, hand over the whiskey, and tell him, “I’m proud to look like him. He’s not arrogant and has a big heart.” It was a quirky, heartfelt subplot that reminded everyone there’s still room for human connection in a billionaire’s world.
A Wedding That Defined a City’s Moment
As the festivities wound down with a grand reception at the Arsenale on Saturday, Venice was left to catch its breath. The Bezos-Sánchez wedding wasn’t just a celebration of love—it was a cultural flashpoint that exposed the city’s beauty, its tensions, and its allure. For every starry-eyed guest snapping photos, there was a protester waving a banner or a local rolling their eyes. The event showcased Venice’s ability to dazzle the world while forcing it to confront tough questions about wealth, privilege, and identity. As the canals settled and the celebrities jetted off, one thing was clear: this wasn’t just the wedding of the century—it was a moment that Venice, and the world, won’t soon forget.
Disclaimer: This blog is based on publicly reported information and accounts from Venice as of June 2025.
Source: Compiled from news reports, social media, and eyewitness testimonies.
