It’s been nearly 45 years since the term “wedding of the century” was bandied about so freely as it has been in advance of the Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez nuptials, with her own brother saying, “I think it’s gonna be like a Princess Di thing.” But there are decided differences between the wedding of the last century and the upcoming union. Though both grooms are among the wealthiest men in the world, Charles was, well, a prince, and Bezos, valued at $233 billion, was raised only by his mother, who was employed as a secretary. And, of course, the brides couldn’t be more disparate — Diana Spencer was a blushing teen, while very little seems to make the 55-year-old former newscaster blush.

The couple is said to be spending more than $10 million on a three-day extravaganza, beginning June 24, that is more Instagram than storybook. And rather than thousands of residents cheering them on, the locals at their Venetian destination wedding have said they will pour out to protest such excesses in their famously sinking city. They are up in arms not only about the couple co-opting all the water taxis and rooms at the top hotels, but also about the wedding’s carbon footprint and the fact that it will bring the city to a standstill, inconveniencing everyone. Instead of souvenirs and photos of the pair being peddled, town activists have put up posters decrying, “No space for Bezos!” — an attempt at a double entendre, as his face is shown on top of a rocket ship.

Venetians are not the only political problem the couple may have to grapple with. The guest list itself, capped at 200, is filled with figures as polarized as Donald Trump and Barack Obama, Leonardo DiCaprio and his ex Camila Morrone, and Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry, whose marriage has recently been rumored to be on the rocks.

The organizers’ artful choreography of attendees won’t be limited to one evening, as the weekend will stretch beyond the ceremony, to a cavalcade of soirees, some of them aboard Bezos’ $500 million yacht, Koru. Let the games begin!

The Prenup

An insider says the wedding was originally supposed to take place during the winter in Aspen, but because the legal agreement wasn’t ready, celebrations were postponed. After Bezos’ divorce from MacKenzie Scott — one of the costliest separations in history, which awarded her $38 billion-plus in Amazon shares — his lawyers worked for months to draw up ironclad papers.

The Hotels

The couple is said to be staying at the Aman, on the Grand Canal, the grande dame property where George and Amal Clooney were married, and rooms range from more than $3,000 to $32,000 nightly. They have booked out a total of five hotels, including the Aman, the Gritti Palace, The St. Regis, the Belmond Cipriani and Hotel Danieli. “The interiors of the Aman are so stunning that I can’t imagine them using it just to house people and not for one of the events,’’ says Michael Torbiak, owner of M.Domo luxury concierge travel service, who caters to the entertainment industry and tech world. “The Cipriani is the place to be in the summer because it’s got a huge pool and a super dolce vita vibe.” 

Jaclyn Sienna India, CEO of luxury travel service Sienna Charles, who has been working with some Bezos wedding guests, observes of the Aman, “Some of the actual rooms have amazing frescoes on the ceiling going back hundreds of years. The palazzo is rococo — the architect restored it and put modern Italian furniture inside.’’

The Wedding Planner

So it is a royal wedding, sort of. In addition to the anticipated attendance of the Jordanian queen, the orchestrator is London-based Lanza & Baucina, founded by Prince Antonio Licata di Baucina and his cousins, Counts Riccardo and Aleramo Lanza, who own a 16th century palace in Palermo. Having organized the weddings of the Clooneys and Salma Hayek and François-Henri Pinault, they certainly have an inside track, setting up private travel and providing difficult-to-score access for the likes of Henry Kravis.

The City

After learning about the impending wedding, Morris Ceron, director general of the Venice council, told the London Times that he began a campaign to bring the nuptials to the Adriatic city, but the residents weren’t as enthusiastic. Activists opposed to the disruption of the city and the environmental impact of the large gathering have slapped posters across Venice deriding Bezos and claiming he wants to turn the entire town into his personal party. They are planning to greet that party with noisy protests. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro has suggested that the rabble might be quieted by a contribution to Venetian coffers, and sources say that donations have definitely been made, but Matteo Secchi, founder of Venessia.com, a group that defends the city’s heritage, huffed to the U.K. Telegraph, “This is Venice behaving as a prostitute.”

June is one of the most popular times to visit Venice, and those who go annually also are distressed. The Sunday Times has dubbed the affair, “Jeff in Venice,” and, according to India, “If you are a normal person heading to Venice, this will demolish your vacation.’’ She predicts that because of security issues, “the town will come to a standstill.”

The Guests

Hollywood heavyweights including Barry Diller with Diane von Furstenberg, Brian Grazer, DiCaprio and bestie Tobey Maguire, Barbra Streisand, Andrew Garfield, Bloom and Eva Longoria will party with tech bros like Bill Gates; media personalities including Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King; first family members Ivanka Trump with husband Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump Jr. with his girlfriend Bettina Anderson; music world bigwigs Mick Jagger, Perry, Jewel and Scooter Braun; and models Morrone and Karli Kloss with husband Josh Kushner. Barack Obama is also rumored to be attending, as is Queen Rania.

The Dress

After recommending an Oscar de la Renta gown for Sánchez to wear to the Met Ball, word is that Anna Wintour once again has been on hand giving sartorial guidance and that she has chosen the same designer. The bride also has a deep connection to Dolce & Gabbana — not only did her son Nikko Gonzalez walk the runway for their Milan Fashion Week show last summer, but Morris Ceron, director general of the Venice council, claims to have first heard about the wedding from Domenico Dolce. The couple also was spotted having fittings at the Dolce & Gabbana store in Milan, so it’s likely they will be sporting the brand’s designs during the weekend festivities. Of course, she also will be flashing her 20-carat diamond ring, which Bezos placed under her pillow before proposing.

The Ceremony

Even the guests have not yet been informed of the ceremony’s exact location. A spokesperson for the mayor of Venice first said it would be the couple’s yacht, Koru, but since then, more sources have pointed to San Giorgio Maggiore, a small island, and more specifically a monastery there, Fondazione Cini. The irony of contrast to the former inhabitants’ austere lifestyle, renouncing worldly goods, surely wouldn’t be lost on the savvy guests. Another spot the couple reportedly considered is the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, a 14th century charity building containing magnificent Renaissance frescoes, which can hold up to 1,000 people. It played host to a papal conclave in 1799 and a G7 summit in 1987.

“San Giorgio Maggiore Island is the subject of a famous Monet painting, and since they are both art lovers, it would be appropriate for them to have the ceremony there,’’ says Billy Folchetti, an event planner with offices in Lake Como and New York who specializes in Italy and the South of France and who also organized Naomi Watts’ wedding in Mexico in June 2024. “Scuola Grande had a huge influence on music and Venetian culture, which would also make sense, so it would be epic if they had a musical performance there.’’

The Other Festivities

“Every moment is overplanned, on and off the yacht, and our clients were complaining about how many constant events there are,” says India. “There are three days with almost no free time. There will be tons of outfits, and it’s meant to be a spectacle because there are so many places that would be much more private.” Despite all the activity, word is that they are trying to keep things somewhat toned-down — a relative concept in the world of half-billion-dollar yachts — following the stratospheric PR flub of Sánchez’s space mission to nowhere.

The Gifts

What do you buy a billionaire? Though Bezos gifted a Bugatti to fellow nine-comma clubmember Anant Ambani at his wedding to Radhika Merchant last summer, guests here have been asked not to bring or send gifts, and only to give charitable donations, says one invitee. “Certain people will still give gifts, but if they did anything other than telling people just to donate, it wouldn’t be aligned with the [philanthropic] brand they’re building for Lauren,” says travel concierge India. Word is that attendees will receive goody bags with such Venetian treats as glassware from Laguna B and pastries from Rosa Salva.

The Yacht

Venetian sources say the wedding flotilla would consist of three vessels including the Koru, one of the largest sailing boats in the world at 417 feet — which is too large for the canals, so it will be anchored in the Venice lagoon. Even its shadow yacht, Abeona, is too big for the canals.

Travel and Afterpartying

Many guests are flying on private jets into Venice or Verona airports, then taking advantage of the European location to extend their trips. “Despite the yacht’s size, it only sleeps 18, so it will be mostly family when they leave Venice,’’ says India. “The new Aman in the Dolomites is opening that weekend, so some of our clients are helicoptering right into the Bolzano private airport there.’’

The Entertainment

San Giorgio Maggiore has an open-air amphitheater with water views, and word is that Elton John and Lady Gaga have been asked to perform.

This story appeared in the June 18 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.