What to know ahead of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding in Venice
Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos is expected to tie the knot this week with Lauren Sanchez, a journalist, author and helicopter pilot.
The celebrity couple, who reportedly dated for about five years before they got engaged in 2023, will marry in Venice, Italy, and will be joined by family and friends for the multi-day affair.
Here's what to know about the upcoming high-profile nuptials.
What does the wedding invitation say?
ABC News exclusively obtained a portion of Bezos and Sanchez's wedding invitation, which was sent to guests in May. In it, the invitation asks guests to forego gifts for the billionaire couple and instead, lists three Venetian charities that Bezos and Sanchez will donate to on the behalf of guests.
When will Bezos and Sanchez tie the knot?
The exact dates of Bezos and Sanchez's wedding have not been made public.
Media reports vary between June 24-26 or June 26-28, according to The Associated Press and The New York Times.
Where will Bezos and Sanchez wed?
The couple will say "I do" in the capital of the Veneto region, although specific venues are not public knowledge.
Who is working the Bezos-Sanchez wedding?
Sanchez and Bezos, who Forbes estimates is worth $215 billion, are reportedly relying on about 80% of local Venetian vendors and organizations for their big day, according to the AP, including pastry maker Rosa Salva, which has been in business for over 140 years, and glassware firm Laguna B, known for its Murano glasswork.
Why are people protesting the Bezos-Sanchez wedding?
The wedding has drawn protests, dubbed "No Space for Bezos," among some local residents and organizations like Greenpeace, who are speaking out against over-tourism, disruption to everyday life and more.
One Greenpeace banner, unfurled at Venice's St. Mark's Square, read, "If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax."
"We think that one big billionaire can't rent a city for his pleasure," a protester named Simona Abbate told Reuters.
Despite protests, the mayor of Venice has welcomed the high-profile wedding, saying the city is "very proud" to host Bezos, Sanchez and their guests.
The couple's wedding planners, Lanza and Baucina, the same global events company behind George Clooney and Amal Clooney's 2014 Venice nuptials, also said in a statement, "From the outset, instruction 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 events."
Who will attend the Bezos-Sanchez wedding?
Among the big names on the approximately 200-person guest list for the Bezos-Sanchez wedding are celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Mick Jagger and Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as Katy Perry, who traveled to space alongside Sanchez on a Blue Origin flight in April, the AP notes.
Other attendees from the entertainment and business industries may include members of the Kardashian family, like Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian, and actress Eva Longoria -- all of whom helped celebrate Sanchez ahead of her wedding during a bachelorette party in Paris back in May.
Have Bezos and Sanchez been married before?
Both Bezos and Sanchez have been in past relationships and were married to other people previously.
Bezos made headlines in January 2019 after revealing that he and his ex-wife MacKenzie Scott were divorcing after 25 years of marriage. The former couple share four children.
Sanchez was previously married to talent agent and businessman Patrick Whitesell for 14 years. Both Sanchez and Whitesell filed for divorce in April 2019, as reported by the AP. They share two children.
Sanchez is also mom to model Nikko Gonzalez, her eldest son from a previous relationship with former NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez.
