Amazon founder Jeff Bezos married former journalist Lauren Sánchez in an extravagant wedding ceremony in Venice at the weekend. The bride and groom exchanged vows on San Giorgio Maggiore island on Friday with over 200 A-list celebrities in attendance. Among the VIP guests were Orlando Bloom, Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey, Ivanka Trump and Kim Kardashian.
During the lavish celebration, the newlyweds made a deeply personal philanthropic gesture, donating an estimated €3 million (about $3.2 million) to support the preservation of the historic Italian city and its fragile lagoon ecosystem.
This evening in Venice, Jeff Bezos married Lauren Sánchez Bezos before some 200 friends and family. Both were wearing @dolcegabbana.
“We don’t have a lot of traditions that we’re keeping,” Sánchez Bezos told Vogue’s Chloe Malle in Milan, where the couple did their final… pic.twitter.com/KfyE5OHtUU
— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) June 27, 2025
Charity donations, not wedding presents
“This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories,” the happy couple wrote on their wedding invitation. Guests were requested not to give gifts but instead, pledge charity donations to three Venetian institutions – Corila (a scientific and environmental consortium), Venice International University, and UNESCO’s local office.
A source close to the couple told Italian media that Venice is set to receive “the rarest and most necessary gift: attention, care and concrete investment. This isn’t just a promise of love between two people—it’s a pact with the future of the most fragile and enchanting city in the world.”
Luca Zaia, president of the Veneto region, publicly praised the donation, calling it a meaningful contribution to Venice’s cultural and environmental legacy
The three-day festivities, which reportedly cost an eye-watering $50 million, conclude later today with performances by Lady Gaga and Elton John.
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