Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez reportedly got married in the US weeks before their $10M wedding bash in Venice, which kicked off on June 26 with a guest list full of Hollywood A-listers. According to Page Six, the couple, who got engaged in 2023, had already made it official before flying in for the spectacle. A source confirmed they didn’t register for a wedding in Venice, and city officials backed that up, saying no paperwork was filed under Italian law. The celebrations began Thursday night with a welcome dinner, and the star power was hard to miss, Kim Kardashian, Oprah, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, and even former US President Barack Obama showed up.
Also read: ‘If you can rent Venice, you can pay more taxes’: Jeff Bezos shifts wedding venue after protests
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez ‘legally married’ before Venice bash
“Often a marriage in a foreign country is not valid in the USA or creates other issues, so yes, it’s likely they are already married,” a Florida-based attorney told the outlet ahead of Bezos and Lauren’s big day. Still, Friday’s ceremony at the stunning San Giorgio Maggiore was full-blown, with golden gowns, private water taxis, and Kylie Jenner making headlines for hauling in 25 bags. A city official told The Times of London, “I can totally rule out that they will have a civil ceremony in Venice under Italian law.” Streets were blocked off, drones were banned, and cops patrolled the canals on jet skis. While the couple’s reps haven’t confirmed anything, the outlet pointed out that when George Clooney married Amal, it was officially done at Venice town hall. Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reported Bezos and Lauren may have quietly tied the knot over a month ago. “’The marriage is fully legal and took place in America under American law,” a source informed the media outlet.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez prenup
Multiple divorce lawyers told outlets that Bezos and Sánchez signed a massive prenup before saying “I do”, a standard practice in Hollywood, especially with that kind of money on the line. Bezos is worth around $244 billion, after all. Since the couple mostly lives in Florida, the agreement was reportedly drawn up to hold up regardless of where the wedding happened. But if they ever split, the divorce has to go through the state they’re living in. “Likewise, if they left Florida and moved to New York as a primary residence, they’d have to divorce in NY. A prenup can’t give a state the power to handle a divorce if you don’t actually live there,” a source explained.
To legally marry in Italy, American citizens have to go through a long list of formalities, including signing documents in the presence of a US consulate, affidavits paperwork, getting witnesses, and sometimes even involving city officials or priests. But Venice officials say the Bezos camp didn’t apply for anything, and no municipal space was booked, and no officials are reportedly involved.
While the global press swarmed the city, some Venice locals were clearly not impressed.. Protesters hit St. Mark’s Square, slamming the event for promoting overtourism and “billionaire elitism.” A few were even detained. Friday featured a performance by Matteo Bocelli, and the menu? Pure indulgence — $1,000 a head, loaded with Venetian classics. Guests are holed up in Venice’s top hotels, including the Gritti Palace, St. Regis, Belmond Cipriani, and Hotel Danieli.
