Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s opulent wedding in Venice, attended by global elites and staged across iconic landmarks, has triggered emotional protests from locals and environmental groups who view the event as a symbol of unchecked billionaire privilege overtaking their fragile, historic city.

As billionaire Jeff Bezos and media personality Lauren Sánchez prepare to say “I do” in what’s being called the most extravagant wedding of the year, the city of Venice is bracing not only for the glitz and glamour of A-list guests—but for civil unrest.

With superyachts lining the Grand Canal, luxury venues being sealed off for private events, and the Italian city transformed into a temporary stage for the ultra-elite, protestors have taken to the streets and waters to express what they see as the commodification of their beloved city.

From afar, the wedding looks like a dream: a multiday celebration from June 24 to 26 featuring 200 of the world’s most powerful celebrities, CEOs, politicians, and royals.

The ceremonies and festivities are set to take place across Venice’s most treasured landmarks, including the Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore, the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, and possibly even aboard Bezos’s $500 million megayacht Koru, which is docked nearby like a floating palace.

Guests are rumored to include Kim Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Katy Perry. It’s the kind of wedding that seems made for magazine covers and Instagram reels.

But for many Venetians, this isn’t a romantic celebration—it’s a cultural invasion. Protests erupted in the days leading up to the event, spearheaded by grassroots organizations like “No Grandi Navi” and Greenpeace.

Residents and environmentalists held up signs along bridges and canals, reading slogans such as “No Space for Bezos” and “If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax.”

The outrage is about more than a celebrity wedding—it’s a statement against overtourism, gentrification, and the way billionaires are perceived to exploit historic cities for spectacle without giving back in meaningful ways.

Activists have also warned of symbolic “canal blockades” and visible demonstrations timed with the wedding procession, aimed not at the couple personally, but at what they represent: unchecked wealth, privilege, and the ability to rent a World Heritage city like a private venue.

Greenpeace, one of the largest environmental NGOs in the world, joined the protests officially—blasting Bezos not only for his environmental footprint, but also for the optics of holding a lavish celebration amid rising sea levels, inflation, and climate instability.

Despite the backlash, Venice’s mayor Luigi Brugnaro has defended the wedding, stating that it brings positive economic impact to the city. He praised the influx of business for hotels, gondoliers, and local artisans.

In a gesture to calm criticism, it was reported that Bezos and Sánchez had committed to sourcing 80% of their wedding materials from local Venetian vendors, including Murano glassmakers and traditional patisseries. Still, many view these efforts as too little too late—mere optics rather than genuine investment.

Bezos and Sánchez have remained silent amid the controversy, choosing to focus on their celebrations. They hosted a pre-wedding foam party aboard the Koru, which included dancing, swimming, and champagne under the Mediterranean sun.

Some reports suggest this event may have doubled as a birthday party for Sánchez’s son, adding a personal and familial layer to the otherwise grand affair.

Sources close to the couple say they’re treating this moment not only as a union of love but also as a celebration of their shared journey—from high-profile divorces to becoming one of the most public power couples in the world.

The couple got engaged in May 2023 during a romantic vacation in the South of France. Sánchez’s 30-carat pink diamond engagement ring quickly made headlines.

Since then, speculation has grown over everything from her bridal gown—rumored to be custom-designed by Dolce & Gabbana—to what songs will play during the reception and whether Bezos himself will make a toast filled with space metaphors and billion-dollar anecdotes.

This is the second marriage for both Bezos and Sánchez. Bezos was previously married to novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, with whom he shares four children. Their divorce in 2019 resulted in one of the largest financial settlements in history.

Sánchez, meanwhile, was married to Hollywood talent agent Patrick Whitesell and has three children. Together, she and Bezos have blended their lives into a union that seems part-romance, part-brand, and part-strategic alignment of wealth and influence.

While the wedding is unfolding like a fantasy, it’s also exposing fault lines in a city already stretched by mass tourism, fragile infrastructure, and housing shortages.

Venice has long struggled with maintaining its cultural integrity while surviving economically. The arrival of one of the world’s wealthiest men—and the lockdown of its most historic sites for a private affair—has only deepened the debate around who cities like Venice really belong to: the people who live there, or the people who can afford to rent it.

Whether the Bezos-Sánchez wedding will be remembered as a fairy tale or a flashpoint remains to be seen. But one thing is certain—it has become more than just a marriage. It is a mirror reflecting our global tensions around money, power, legacy, and how far love can go when backed by a billion-dollar empire.