Inside Jeff Bezos-Lauren Sanchez's ₹430 crore Venetian wedding: 90 private jets, 30 water taxis and more

AMAZON founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez have taken over Venice for what’s being dubbed the ‘Wedding of the Century’- a multi-day celebration with an A-list guest list and jaw-dropping expenses. While much of the event remains tightly under wraps, here’s what we do know about the extravagant affair.

A ₹430 crore celebration

The total cost of the wedding is estimated to be between €40-48 million (roughly ₹430 crore), according to Luca Zaia, President of the Veneto region, which includes Venice.

Bezos is also expected to make significant charitable donations, including €1 million to Corila, a research body working to preserve Venice’s lagoon ecosystem, Italian media reports said.

Venue and ceremony

While the exact date and venue for the wedding ceremony remain confidential, the main celebration is scheduled for Saturday at the historic Arsenale, once a naval hub of the Venetian Republic. The venue, known for its towering walls and centuries-old shipyards, has been sealed off for the private event, news agency Reuters reported.

90 private jets, 30 water taxis

Venice is witnessing a sharp spike in private air traffic, with around 90 private jets expected to land across airports in Venice, Treviso, and Verona. Among the early arrivals were Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, who flew in from Tuscany on Tuesday.

To ferry guests through Venice’s canals, organisers have reportedly booked at least 30 water taxis from local operators.

Five luxury hotels for A-List guests

The city’s most elite hotels, including Hotel Cipriani on Giudecca Island and Aman Venice on the Grand Canal, have been booked out for the estimated 200-250 guests.

Aman Venice notably hosted George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin’s wedding in 2014, cementing its status as a go-to venue for high-profile nuptials.

Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding invite drew a lot of flak on the internet. A glimpse of the invite, accessed by ABC News, has triggered widespread ridicule on social media, with many calling it “ugly,” “tacky,” and a “graphic design disaster.”