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From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n
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Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRead more<\/span><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe society wedding of the summer is rapidly approaching.<\/p>\n
Festivities for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former TV reporter Lauren S\u00e1nchez are getting underway with a rumored guest list of 200 celebrities and personalities flocking to Venice to join.<\/p>\n
Bezos, 61, and S\u00e1nchez, 55, announced their engagement in 2023. The former proposed with a 20-carat, $2.5 million pink diamond ring aboard his $500 million luxury superyacht, Koru, which is rumored to play a large role in the wedding.<\/p>\n
However, they\u2019ve not been met with open arms by Venice locals, who continue to protest the upcoming nuptials amid the swell of overtourism in the city.<\/p>\n
Here, we round up everything we know (so far) about the Bezos-S\u00e1nchez wedding.<\/p>\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Lauren S\u00e1nchez and Jeff Bezos are set to tie the knot in Venice this week (AFP\/Getty)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
The dates and locations<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n Initially reported as taking place June 24-26, the wedding festivities appear to actually be later in the week. However, Venice officials have declined to confirm dates publicly, acknowledging only that the wedding is taking place in late June.<\/p>\n
However, a source in Italy told the Daily Mail <\/em>that the official wedding ceremony will take place Friday, June 27, on the Venetian island of San Giorgio Maggiore, with Bezos\u2019s Koru docked in the harbor, as part of a three-day extravaganza. The island is owned by the Cini Foundation and will not be open to the public, according to the source.<\/p>\nThe day before will reportedly be a gala, and the day after the ceremony will involve another grand party at a palazzo or church, according to the source.<\/p>\n
Additional unconfirmed reports from local Italian publications indicated that Venice\u2019s Lido beach and the restored Scuola Grande della Misericordia building may all host festivities throughout the week.<\/p>\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Jeff Bezos\u2019s superyacht, Koru, may play a role in his upcoming wedding (Getty)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nBezos\u2019s superyacht, on which he and S\u00e1nchez were seen in Croatia over the weekend, is also rumored to play a large role in the nuptials. A spokesperson for Venice\u2019s mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, told CNN<\/em> in March that the wedding would be taking place on the superyacht, though that hasn\u2019t been otherwise confirmed.<\/p>\nThe New York Times<\/em> <\/em>reported that nine other yachts associated with the wedding will be docked in Venice during the week, per a local yachting operator\u2019s representative, indicating that some of the high-profile attendees might be arriving by boat.<\/p>\n
The guest list<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n While the guest list also remains closely guarded, several well-known figures have already been seen making their way to Venice, including Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner. <\/p>\n
This week, TMZ<\/em> reported that Orlando Bloom will be attending sans wife Katy Perry, who is currently on tour in Australia. The singer famously joined S\u00e1nchez on their heavily-derided all-female space mission onboard Bezos\u2019s Blue Origin rocket.<\/p>\n\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have arrived in Venice ahead of the wedding festivities (Reuters)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nFormer NFL quarterback Tom Brady is also rumored to attend, per TMZ<\/em>, along with fellow footballer and S\u00e1nchez\u2019s ex-boyfriend, Tony Gonzalez, with whom she shares one child.<\/p>\nOprah Winfrey, Mick Jagger, Jay-Z & Beyonc\u00e9, Eva Longoria, Gayle King, Diane von Furstenberg, and Jewel are just a handful of the other rumored celebrities expected to attend. Karlie Kloss and husband Joshua Kushner are also rumored to have made the cut.<\/p>\n
If S\u00e1nchez\u2019s star-studded bachelorette bash is any indication, Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner will likely appear as well.<\/p>\n
Of course, the A-listers are in addition to family and friends, including the seven children between Bezos and S\u00e1nchez from their previous relationships.<\/p>\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Diane von Furstenberg, who has a home in Venice, was seen in the city early in the week (AFP\/Getty)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
The vendors<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n Bezos and S\u00e1nchez are sourcing about 80% of provisions needed for the wedding from local Venetian vendors and organizations, according to The<\/em> Associated Press<\/em>. <\/p>\nAmong the vendors is Venice\u2019s oldest pastry maker, Rosa Salva, and glassware firm Laguna B.<\/p>\n
The wedding order included a bussola buttery biscuit and small zaletti cookies, flavored with raisins and lemon zest and made from the region\u2019s corn meal, which will be used for surprise goody bags, the AP<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\u201cI don\u2019t see how an event with 200 people can create disruptions. It\u2019s responsible tourism,\u201d Salva told the outlet. “It\u2019s prestigious that a couple like this, who can go anywhere in the world, are getting married in the city.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcantonio Brandolini, the CEO of Laguna B., told the AP<\/em> that details of what the company is producing for the wedding were a secret. However, he did reveal that his upstairs neighbors are von Furstenberg and her husband, Barry Diller, both close friends of Bezos and S\u00e1nchez.<\/p>\n
The cost<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n The nuptials are rumored to cost between $10 and $20 million. That breaks down to about $50,000 per guest.<\/p>\n
Guests, including Bezos and S\u00e1nchez, are rumored to be staying at the Aman Venice hotel, where George and Amal Clooney celebrated their wedding in 2014. The hotel remains unavailable to book online between June 25 and 29. Room rates begin at about $2,300 per night.<\/p>\n
Ivanka Trump and her husband were seen arriving at the St. Regis Hotel, where rooms start at $1,975 per night this week. Interestingly, June 27 is unavailable to book online, which could be due to the wedding. Other reports indicate that the Gritti Palace, Belmond Cipriani, and Hotel Danieli are also being used either partially or fully for the wedding.<\/p>\n
The multiple days of festivities, including meals and beverages \u2014 not to mention the cost of flying or yachting to Venice \u2014 are sure to add up quickly for the couple. Plus, ABC News<\/em> reported Bezos and S\u00e1nchez are making donations to several charities on behalf of their guests after obtaining a copy of part of the wedding invite. Those organizations include the UNESCO Venice Office, CORILA, and Venice International University.<\/p>\nThe invite also specifically asks guests to refrain from giving the couple gifts.<\/p>\n
Of course, the pricey celebrations are unlikely to make a dent in Bezos\u2019s $231 billion net worth.<\/p>\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Venice locals have made a point to protest the Bezos-S\u00e1nchez nuptials (Greenpeace)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
The mayor, planners, and protests<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n After word started to spread that the Bezos-S\u00e1nchez nuptials would take place in Venice, Brugnaro was forced to address the wedding in March. The mayor denied claims that he booked a large number of hotel rooms, gondolas, and water taxis for the event. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe are mutually working and supporting the organizers to ensure that the event will be absolutely respectful of the fragility and uniqueness of the city,\u201d he said in a statement to People<\/em> magazine at the time.<\/p>\n\u201cThe many speculations and fake news circulating about Jeff Bezos\u2019 wedding are completely unfounded,\u201d the municipality added in its own statement, saying its \u201cutmost priority to make sure the city functions as normal, for all, with no abnormal disruption to anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
More recently, wedding planners from Lanza & Baucina Limited have addressed claims that Bezos and S\u00e1nchez are \u201ctaking over Venice\u201d after locals staged protests against the couple.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs event organizers who have been working in Venice for over 24 years, we feel obliged to set the record straight given the misinformation, untruths and misunderstandings circulating about the Bezos wedding,\u201d Lanza & Baucina Limited said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the outset, instructions from our client and our own guiding principles were abundantly clear: the minimizing of any disruption to the city, the respect for its residents and institutions and the overwhelming employment of locals in the crafting of the events.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRumors of \u2018taking over\u2019 the city are entirely false and diametrically opposed to our goals and to reality,\u201d the statement continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe number of taxis reserved being proportionate for the number of guests. Before the recent news of protests arose, we had worked for there to be minimal negative impact or disruption to the lives of Venetians and the city\u2019s visitors,\u201d the event organizer added.<\/p>\n
The statement concluded: \u201cWe have always acknowledged the wider debate and critical issues surrounding the city\u2019s future, and from the outset our client has been honored to support the city and its all-important lagoon through non-profit organizations and associated projects.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Independent <\/em>will launch a live blog covering the wedding on Thursday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more The society wedding of the summer is rapidly approaching. Festivities for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former TV reporter Lauren S\u00e1nchez are getting underway with a rumored guest list of 200 celebrities and personalities flocking to Venice to join. Bezos, 61, and S\u00e1nchez, 55, announced their engagement in 2023. The former proposed with a 20-carat, $2.5 million pink diamond ring aboard his $500 million luxury superyacht, Koru, which is rumored to play a large role in the wedding. However, they\u2019ve not been met with open arms by Venice locals, who continue to protest the upcoming nuptials amid the swell of overtourism in the city. Here, we round up everything we know (so far) about the Bezos-S\u00e1nchez wedding. open image in gallery Lauren S\u00e1nchez and Jeff Bezos are set to tie the knot in Venice this week (AFP\/Getty) The dates and locations Initially reported as taking place June 24-26, the wedding festivities appear to actually be later in the week. However, Venice officials have declined to confirm dates publicly, ackno…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2684,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2683"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2683"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2683\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}