Love is in Venice
"I'm gonna be a mess on the day, but the best kind of mess." - Lauren Sánchez Bezos
Love wins for Sanchez, 55, married Bezos, 61
200 guests in Venice, Italy costing approx $50 million
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s love story has been anything but ordinary. Since they got together in 2019, the couple has shared a life full of adventure, traveling the world, launching into space, and building a future together that’s equal parts bold and romantic. Their upcoming wedding is shaping up to be just like them: personal, stylish, and a little unconventional. It’s less about following every tradition and more about celebrating their journey and the life they’ve created side by side.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos got engaged in May 2023 aboard their 417-foot sailing yacht, Koru, named after the Māori symbol for “new life”, with a 4 million-dollar, 30 carat engagement ring.
Bezos hid the engagement ring under Lauren's pillow, and she discovered it just before going to bed. “When he opened the box, I think I blacked out a bit,” she later recalled.
In November 2023, the couple celebrated their engagement with a star-studded party at the Beverly Hills home of their friends Barry Diller and Diane von Fürstenberg. Guests included Oprah Winfrey, Salma Hayek Pinault, Barbra Streisand, Kris Jenner, Sarah Staudinger, Robert Pattinson, Suki Waterhouse, Miranda Kerr, and many others.
“We’re not holding on to too many traditions,” she says. “I mean, I love them but for a 55-year-old woman, it’s a little different.” Still, a few customs will remain, including the classic rule that the groom shouldn’t see the bride before the wedding. Her “something borrowed” will be a pair of Dolce earrings, and her “something blue”? “Well, Blue Origin,” Lauren says with a smile. “It’s something from my space flight.” She shares that she brought a secret memento with her on the rocket so she could return it to Bezos afterward because it was truly one of the most profound experiences of my life.”
A series of events
The festivities start with two pre-dinner get-togethers, giving friends and family a chance to celebrate early and ease into the weekend.
Then comes the main event, a beautiful ceremony that’s equal parts heartfelt and glamorous, totally capturing who Jeff and Lauren are as a couple. But the night doesn’t end there.
After all the formalities, guests slip into their pyjamas for a fun, relaxed after-party filled with snacks, music, and dancing late into the night.
Lauren Sánchez Bezos wore a long-sleeve, lace mermaid gown by Dolce & Gabbana, featuring 180 silk chiffon–covered buttons and crafted with over 900 hours of meticulous atelier work. “I feel like a princess,” she told Vogue of the dress, which was inspired by the high-neck lace gown Sophia Loren wore when marrying Cary Grant in the 1958 film Houseboat. “It started as ‘I want something simple, sexy, and modern,’” Sánchez Bezos said, “but it became about creating a dress that captures a moment, and where I am in my life right now.”
For the party afterwards, a cocktail dress by Oscar de la Renta featuring 600 yards of hand-sewn chain and 175,000 crystals.
Sánchez Bezos stunned in Atelier Versace for her “Dolce Notte” themed wedding party, embodying timeless elegance with a modern edge. Later in the evening, she changed into a breathtaking corseted gown with a sweetheart neckline, inspired by Rita Hayworth’s unforgettable look in Gilda, perfectly capturing the old-Hollywood glamour of the night.
The gifts
Unsurprisingly, given that Bezos is the world’s third-richest person, the couple chose to skip traditional wedding gifts. Instead, as they shared in a note with Vogue, they made charitable “contributions” on behalf of each guest “in your honour and with gratitude to you for making the journey to celebrate with us in Venice.”
“Donations on your behalf are being made to the UNESCO Venice Office to help preserve the city’s irreplaceable cultural heritage, to CORILA to restore the lagoon habitats vital to Venice’s future, and to Venice International University to support research and education for sustainable solutions,” Bezos and Sánchez Bezos wrote. “This magical place has given us unforgettable memories. Our hope is that, through these efforts, and by you joining us, Venice will continue to inspire wonder for generations to come.”
Good Morning America later shared the elegant invitation, adorned with charming illustrations of butterflies, pigeons, and gondolas gliding through the canals.
Photographs: laurensanchezbezos/ Instagram | Vogue/ Interview
