A custom gown and a surprise venue change: The details from inside Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding.

In case you missed it, one of the world's richest men just got married.

Yes, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez — Emmy-winning journalist, helicopter pilot and willing participant in that all-female space flight — have tied the knot in Venice.

Unsurprisingly, the wedding was not a low-key backyard BBQ. It was a three-day gala, packed with famous faces; Oprah Winfrey, the Kardashians, newly-single Orlando Bloom, and Bill Gates were just some of the 200-250 guests in attendance.

We guess our invite got lost in the mail.

Sánchez, 55, wore a cream, short-sleeved fitted skirt-suit with sunglasses and a headscarf as she boarded a motorboat outside the hotel to head to the ceremony. She was followed by Bezos, 61, about two hours later (presumably after finishing up a last-minute Amazon delivery). The groom wore a black tuxedo and bow tie.

As the couple exchanged rings on the small island of San Giorgio, they listened to the singing of Matteo Bocelli, son of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.

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A post shared by Lauren Sánchez Bezos (@laurensanchezbezos)

Sánchez, who has already changed her last name on Instagram (priorities), has shared some photos from the day on social media, saying that her Dolce & Gabbana high-necked wedding dress was inspired by the one Sophia Loren wore in the 1958 film Houseboat. It reportedly took over 900 hours to make.

The evening ceremony reportedly had no legal status under Italian law, suggesting that the couple had already legally wed in the United States.

Celebrations, which came with a price tag of around $US50 million ($76 million AUD) — or, as Bezos might call it, pocket change — officially kicked off on Thursday evening in Madonna dell'Orto, a medieval church in the central district of Cannaregio.

They will culminate on Saturday (Sunday our time) with a party in a former medieval shipyard, where Lady Gaga and Elton John are reportedly set to perform. Casual. Demure.

Watch: Lauren Sánchez shares her excitement about going to space. Post continues below.

According to the couple's wedding invitation, which was obtained by the ABC, they requested no gifts.

"Instead we're making contributions in your honor and with gratitude to you for making the journey to celebrate with us in Venice," read the card.

"Donations on your behalf are being made to the UNESCO Venice Office to safeguard the city's irreplaceable cultural heritage, to CORILA to restore the vital lagoon habitats that protect Venice's future, and to Venice International University to support research and education for sustainable solutions."

The couple concluded their invitation by calling Venice a "magical place" where they have been "gifted unforgettable memories".

"Our hope is that through these efforts and by you joining us, Venice will continue to inspire wonder for generations to come."

Listen to The Quicky discuss the Bezos 'wedding of the year'. Post continues below.

Despite Bezos' gesture towards protecting the city, the billionaire, whose net worth sits somewhere north of $422 billion AUD, copped criticism from Venice locals for his lavish celebrations.

You see, with fewer than 250,000 residents and the small issue of sinking into the sea at a rate of one to two millimetres per year, Venice isn't exactly built for mega-yachts and mega-egos.

In the lead up to the big day, Venetians took to the canals and the streets to protest what they called a "private invasion" of their city.

"Bezos will never get to the Misericordia. We will block the canals, line the streets with our bodies, block the canals with inflatables, dinghies, boats," one protest organiser told the crowd at a recent rally. 

The protests led to Bezos and Sánchez switching up their venue to a more isolated part of the city.

Protesters were waving banners that read "No Space for Bezos" and chanting "no grandi matrimoni" ("no big weddings"), pointing out that an event of this scale will only further overwhelm a city that's already struggling with a dwindling population, overtourism, and a serious lack of affordable housing, hospitals and schools.

A daily 10 Euro fee has already been introduced to limit weekend and peak-period tourism and the idea of one billionaire booking out gondolas, five-star hotels and historical venues has sparked understandable backlash.

City leaders, however, tried to calm the chaos.

"The many speculations and fake news circulating about Jeff Bezos' wedding are completely unfounded," Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.

The city also denied claims that all of Venice's water taxis, gondolas and luxe accommodation have been booked out.

"Venice is used to being the stage for events and shows every week, without significant impacts," the statement added.

Venetians are not happy about the upcoming nuptials. Image: Getty

When did Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez get engaged?

The pair — whose exact relationship start date is shrouded in controversy — got engaged in May 2023, upon the aforementioned superyacht. 

Taking place in private (or, as private as can be on a floating mansion with an entire crew), the proposal featured a 30-carat pink diamond ring reportedly worth between $3 and $5 million USD. 

Bezos hid the sparkler under Sánchez's pillow, an impressive feat considering that kind of gemstone could probably light up the whole of Venice all on its own, who discovered it at bedtime.

"When he opened the box, I think I blacked out a bit," she told Vogue in November of the same year. 

Relatable. We'd need sunnies and a support group just to process that level of sparkle.

Who was invited to the wedding?

Around 200 people have made the Venice VIP list, with celebrities, philanthropists, business leaders and politicians in attendance. 

Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Eva Longoria and Katy Perry partied with Lauren during her bachelorette weekend in May 2025.

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A post shared by Lauren Sanchez (@laurenwsanchez)

Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner received invitations, as did Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner. 

Fellow billionaire Bill Gates was spotted at a post-proposal yacht party with the pair, and designer Diane von Furstenberg also threw an engagement party for the loved-up duo, with a guest list that included Oprah Winfrey, Miranda Kerr, Suki Waterhouse, Robert Pattinson and singer Jewel.

Does Jeff Bezos have a prenup?

Considering Bezos' 2019 divorce from MacKenzie Scott resulted in her walking away with a cool $38 billion USD, it would be wild if there wasn't a prenup this time around.

While nothing has been confirmed publicly, sources say Bezos' lawyers have been hard at work drafting a so-called "airtight" agreement to ensure the Amazon kingdom stays locked up tighter than your Prime delivery schedule.

One thing Sánchez has confirmed? She was ready for a name change.

"Uh, yes, one hundred per cent," she told Vogue.

"I am looking forward to being Mrs. Bezos."

Can't wait to see the new monogrammed PJ sets. Or the spaceship decal.

Feature Image: Instagram/@laurensanchezbezos

This article was originally published on June 19 and has since been updated.