Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez tied the knot in Venice last week, and the staggering cost has people saying the same thing.
The 61-year-old Bezos and 55-year-old Sanchez tied the knot on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice on June 27, years after announcing their engagement and dating for around five years.
But instead of a low-key affair for their second marriages, the couple went all-out with a $50 million three-day extravaganza, including a welcome party, a black-tie ceremony, and an “all-nighter” pajama-themed bash, reportedly costing up to $50,000 per guest.
The festivities, which featured Usher and DJ Cassidy performing as fireworks exploded over the Venice Laguna, included a star-studded guest list.
Attendees included: Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Kris Jenner, Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brady, Sydney Sweeney, Karlie Kloss, Mick Jagger, Bill Gates, Gayle King, Ivanka Trump, and Orlando Bloom.
Guests danced late into the night, with one insider telling PEOPLE: “It was epic. A full-fledged dance party with everyone standing on the banquettes and all of the sofas and couches.”
However, the spectacle drew protests from locals and environmental activists, with Greenpeace unfurling a banner in St. Mark’s Square that read: “If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax.”
Protesters also tossed a dummy of Bezos clutching fake dollars into the Grand Canal.
Given that Bezos is one of the richest men in the world, it's that mention of taxes that has everyone asking why he can't pay more.
Bernie Sanders took to X, writing: “This is oligarchy. This is obscene. While 60 per cent live paycheck to paycheck and kids go hungry, Jeff Bezos, worth $230 billion, goes to Venice on his $500 million yacht for a $20 million wedding and spends $5 million on a ring while his real tax rate is just 1.1 per cent. End this oligarchy.”
Another critic posted: “Jeff Bezos is worth $230 billion and is reportedly spending $20 million on a three-day wedding in Venice while sailing around on his $500 million yacht. If he can afford to do that, he can afford a wealth tax and to pay Amazon workers a living wage. Hello?”
Despite the criticism, Bezos and Sanchez noted on their invite that they would be making charitable donations instead of accepting gifts, stating: “We are excited for you to join us! We have one early request: please, no gifts. Instead, we're making contributions in your honour and with gratitude to you for making the journey to celebrate with us in Venice.”
Meanwhile, Charlize Theron publicly took a swipe at the billionaire’s flashy celebration, per the Hollywood Reporter.
Hosting the fifth annual Block Party for the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project on Saturday, she told the crowd: “I think we might be the only people who did not get an invite to the Bezos wedding. But that’s okay because they suck and we’re cool.”
Theron continued with a passionate message on global issues, stating: “Here in Los Angeles, in the U.S. and across the globe, we’re moving backwards fast. Immigration policy has destroyed the lives of families, not criminals; women’s rights are becoming less and less every day; queer and trans lives are increasingly being erased; and gender-based violence is on the rise.”
She added: “This isn’t just policy, it’s personal,” before the crowd applauded, concluding: “Yeah, f*** them.”
Theron further addressed foreign aid cuts affecting HIV and AIDS programs in South Africa, saying: “All of this is not just detrimental, it’s dangerous; people will lose their lives – many have already, unfortunately, and at a frightening rate. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see this kind of unnecessary suffering.”
However, she emphasized hope, telling attendees: “What we also see, what we cannot miss, is the resistance. There is hope. There is power in all of us standing up, organizing, protesting, voting, and caring for each other, and refusing to accept that this is the new normal.”