‘No Space for Bezos’: Venetian Locals Protest Billionaire’s Wedding Plan – Country
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancé Lauren Sanchez are preparing for a star-studded wedding in Venice, Italy at the end of June, but many locals claim there is no “space for Bezos” in the city.
Last week, Venice militants gathered on June 26, 27 and 28 (the dates of upcoming wedding celebrations) to organize protests, due to the risk of disruption in a city that has been surpassed by mass tourism.
Large banners, graffiti and stickers are displayed around the city, with “Space without Bezos” written on them, with images of the spacecraft that appear to refer to Bezos’ ownership of the Blue Origin.
Activists gathered at Campo San Giacomo di Rialto organized a protest for their wedding in Venice on June 13, 2025 in Venice, Italy.
Stefano Mazzola/Getty Images
A graffiti was drawn in a bar in Venice that read “No Space” and billionaire Jeff Bezos will end on June 13, 2025, journalist Lauren Sanchez married his fiancee Lauren Sanchez.
Andrea Pattaro/AFP via Getty Images
Many details surrounding the upcoming wedding are still secret, but Venetian residents told The New York Times, “We have moles.”
One of the venues could be Misericordia, a large space dedicated to Venetian culture and activities, protest organizer Federica Toninello told the newspaper.
“Bezos will never reach Misericordia,” she said. “We will line up the streets with our bodies, blocking the canal with lifeguards, Dinghays and our ships.”
“We have to stop Bezos, we have to stop the idea of the city because the city is a tourist paradise that drives the cost of housing so that most ordinary Venetians can no longer afford to live here,” she told the New York Times.
“Let’s make sure Venice is remembered as the postcard place for Bezos’ wedding, but the city that hasn’t bent over the oligarch,” another protester, Na Haby Stella Faye told The Outlet. “We have a chance to ruin a $10 million wedding – let’s do it.”
People gathered at the wedding of Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez, which was held in Venice on June 13, 2025.
Andrea Pattaro/AFP via Getty Images
According to NBC, officials said about 30 of the city’s 280 water taxis remained at the wedding, with only three to four hotels able to accommodate attendees, which will be reportedly started on June 24.
The city also said it would invite about 200 guests to the wedding, noting that the number of attendees is easy to accommodate.
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“The city is completely accustomed to hosting high-profile events of this nature and scale, including other celebrity weddings, international summits such as the G7 and G20, as well as traditional events such as the Festa del Redentore and the Venetian Biennale,” the statement said.
“The protests are by no means representative of the majority of citizens, who are proud that Venice was chosen as the wedding venue,” the statement added.
Despite strong opposition, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said Venice was “very proud” to host the wedding.
“We are very proud,” Brugnaro told the Associated Press, hoping he would have the opportunity to meet Bezos. “I don’t know if I’ll have time, or if I’ll meet and shake hands, but it’s their honor to choose Venice. Venice once again reveals that it’s a global stage.”
Brugnaro told people in March that the city denied media reports that wedding organizers booked a large number of hotel rooms, gondolas and water taxis for wedding transport.
“We are working with each other and supporting organizers to ensure that the event will absolutely respect the vulnerability and uniqueness of the city,” he told the media.
The city added in a statement: “Many of the speculation and false news about Jeff Bezos’ wedding was completely unfounded.
Bezos and Sanchez have invited celebrity friends such as other space travelers, Katy Perry, Oprah Winfrey, Mick Jagger and Ivanka Trump, but they want to enjoy attention on Venetian traditions during the celebrations.
According to the Associated Press, they are purchasing about 80% of their wedding reserves from Venice suppliers to share their appreciation for the romantic lagoon city. The wedding will take place for three days in late June, with an event of 200 invited guests.
Two historic Venetian companies will add handmade styles to the celebrations: Rosa Salva, the city’s oldest pastry maker, has been making donut-shaped fishermen’s biscuits since 1876, while Laguna B is known for its unique hand spreader Murano glass.
Antonio Rosa Salva, the sixth generation in his family, said that the various surprise wedding orders for candy bags were a major recognition of his family’s long tradition of baking Venetian specialties, dating back nearly 150 years.
Rosa Salva’s business often hosts large events of 1,000 or more in Venice, and he was confused by the posters surrounding the historic center around protesting the city as a venue for Bezos-Sanchez’s wedding.
“Events like this bring high-quality tourism to Venice,” he said. “I can’t see how the event with 200 people causes interruption. It’s responsible tourism. It’s a famous couple like this who can go anywhere in the world and get married in the city.”
Laguna B was founded by Marie Brandolini, known as Glass Countess in 1994, and the company is now directed by her son Marcantonio Brandolini, from the family Palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal.
“I hope they like what we do for them,” Brandolly said. “It’s a great opportunity for us and it provides additional support for our growth.”
He added: “The world is for everyone. Whoever wants to do something should be able to follow the law.”
– Documents with the Associated Press
& Copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
