Billionaire Jeff Bezos moves $55M Venice wedding amid protests over ‘City Sold to the Rich’

Venice, Italy: Billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and Blue Origin, and his fiancée, former journalist Lauren Sanchez, have relocated their wedding venue from Scuola Grande della Misericordia, Venice to Arsenale, a historic shipyard complex in Venice amid protests that erupted in the city upon their arrival ahead of the big day.

The couple reportedly arrived in Venice on Wednesday, ahead of their wedding at the historic Scuola Grande della Misericordia, a majestic 16th-century building in the city centre. They allegedly spent around £35 million to rent the venue for one night. In preparation for the event, officials began clearing the area and redirecting citizens days before the wedding, but locals strongly opposed the plans.

The "No Spaces for Bezos" group's protests erupted, ultimately forcing Bezos to relocate his wedding further into the city. Locals accuse Venice of prioritizing billionaires' interests, claiming the city is consistently "sold out" to the wealthy elite.

According to sources in Venice, Bezos moved his wedding further into the city in an area surrounded by fortified walls to prevent the protestors from entering. Allegedly his wedding is now set to take place in Arsenale, a historic complex of shipyards that is known for its tall walls that will provide privacy. 

Jeff Bezos and fiancée Lauren Sanchez spotted leaving their luxury hotel in Venice — kicking off three days of VIP extravagance to celebrate their $50 million wedding. 💍🚁💸

When billionaires throw a party, the GDP of small nations tremble.#BezosWedding #Venice… pic.twitter.com/gQxVvLfhki

— Sarcasm Scoop (@sarcasm_scoop) June 25, 2025

The wedding is said to have an estimated cost of $55 million and approximately 200+ high profile guests are said to start arriving on Tuesday and Wednesday, guests  from the world of finance, film and politics. The guest list include Elon Musk, the Kardashian family, Oprah Winfrey,Leonardo DiCaprio, and many more. 

The city's airport is said to have received approximately 95 private planes with A-list guests arriving into the country for the highest anticipated wedding of the season. With some of the guests the likes of  some of the Kardashian family already have arrived. The date of the tying of the knot is yet to be made public but the couple were seen with nothing but big smiles on their faces. 

Protesters in Venice are indeed pushing for a review of the existing tourism tax and solutions for overtourism. The city's current tourist tax ranges from €5 to €10, with plans to double the fee to €10 in 2025, despite concerns about its effectiveness in reducing crowds.