Venice has confirmed it will host the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, dispelling rumours of widespread disruption.
The city's statement didn't specify a date for the nuptials, though Italian media reports suggest celebrations will take place between June 24-26.
“The many speculations and fake news circulating about Jeff Bezos’ wedding are completely unfounded,” the statement said.
There has been huge speculation surrounding the impending nuptials, with Bezos previously calling out “totally false” reports last year that said they were tying the knot in Aspen, Colorado last December.
Bezos is the owner of The Washington Post and founder and largest individual shareholder of Amazon. Among others, George and Amal Clooney celebrated their wedding in Venice in 2014.
The city said only 200 guests would be invited, a number easily accommodated without any disruption to the city, its residents and visitors. It noted that it has broad experience handling international events “much larger than this.”
“Venice is used to being the stage for events and shows every week, without significant impacts,” the city said, citing G20 and G7 summits, the Architecture and Cinema Biennales, as well as private events and VIP weddings.
Several reports in both Italian and international media suggested that Bezos’ wedding organizers had already booked rooms at Venice’s main luxury hotels and reserved for a few days in late June large numbers of gondolas and water taxis — which are mainly used by locals and tourists for daily transportation.
The city denied those reports, saying it “is their utmost priority to make sure the city functions as normal, for all, with no abnormal disruption to anyone.”
“We are mutually working and supporting the organizers, to ensure that the event will be absolutely respectful of the fragility and uniqueness of the city,” Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said.
The Amazon CEO, 61, proposed to helicopter pilot and former American TV journalist Sánchez, 55, in May 2023, with a 20-carat, $2.5 million pink diamond ring.
In an interview with Vogue following their engagement, Sánchez said she found the ring under her pillow after a starlit dinner for two on Koru, the three-master megayacht. The vessel is the tallest sailing yacht in the world.
“When he opened the box, I think I blacked out a bit,” she told Vogue, adding that the proposal was so unexpected that she had already removed her make-up and was ready to go to bed.
“We’re still thinking about the wedding,” she added. “What it’s going to be. Is it going to be big? Is it going to be overseas? We don’t know yet. We’ve only been engaged five months!”
