Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and fiancée Lauren Sanchez have been forced to shift one of the venues for their lavish $48 million wedding in Venice due to mounting public protests and international tensions, according to local media reports. The couple, who are set to wed in the iconic Italian city with a three-day celebration beginning June 26, had initially planned a major party at the historic Scuola Grande della Misericordia. However, the event has now reportedly been relocated to a more secure location in the Arsenale district.
Venue change due to protests and security concerns
The decision to move the venue comes amid planned protests by locals, who accuse the billionaire couple of “taking over the city” for their extravagant festivities. The Venetian newspaper Il Gazzettino reported that the Arsenale site was chosen for its enhanced security, being easier to control in case of unrest. The tensions around the wedding are not solely local. The publication also cited concerns over “rising global tensions,” including the escalating conflict between the U.S. and Iran. Venice is just 50 miles from Aviano Air Base, a major U.S. military installation, which some fear could be a strategic target. A meeting between local authorities, police, and the wedding’s security team, including former U.S. Marines hired by Bezos is scheduled for Tuesday to finalize safety arrangements.
On Monday, Greenpeace activists unfurled a massive protest banner in St. Mark’s Square featuring Bezos’s face and the slogan: “If you can rent Venice for your wedding, then you can pay more tax.” The British activist group “Everyone Hates Elon” also participated, citing the environmental and social implications of the billionaire-led event. Additionally, local protest group No Space for Bezos has called for a mass demonstration next Saturday. They plan to disrupt water taxis ferrying guests by jumping into canals equipped with inflatables and goggles. Despite the protests, Venice officials have voiced strong support for hosting the wedding.
Greenpeace and activist protests escalate
“Venice is honored to host Jeff Bezos’s wedding. The objections of a few dozen protesters are driven by media-seeking motives and do not represent the spirit of our city,” he said. Venturini emphasised that Venice routinely hosts high-impact events and welcomes visitors who invest in the city’s heritage. He also praised Bezos and Sanchez for making “substantial donations” to lagoon preservation efforts, calling it “a genuine act of love for the city.”
A star-Studded celebration
The wedding is being organised by the elite London-based event firm Lanza & Baucina, known for orchestrating royal and celebrity weddings, including George and Amal Clooney’s 2014 nuptials in Venice. The firm prides itself on discretion, maintaining no public portfolio or social media presence. Bezos, 61, the world’s third richest man with an estimated net worth of $221 billion, will tie the knot with former journalist and philanthropist Lauren Sanchez in a ceremony expected to attract high-profile guests including Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, and members of the Trump family. The couple has reportedly rented the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, directly across from St. Mark’s Square, for parts of the celebration. A source at Venice City Council told that the venue change has not been officially confirmed and will depend on the scale of the protests in the coming days.