Jeff Bezos’ extravagant wedding in Venice ruffles feathers

"If you can rent Venice, [then] you can pay more tax." This slogan was displayed in protest against billionaire Jeff Bezos' lavish wedding in Venice. The city of canals witnessed the arrival of 200 VIP guests, arriving by yacht or private jet.

The advantage of being a billionaire is being able to indulge in every extravagance. For example: a private return flight just to attend an opera at the Metropolitan in New York. You can also have a shoe shop opened at 2 a.m. because you need a new pair (or the entire collection) right away. Why not? And for the couple tying the knot this weekend, the groom can even offer his bride a flight to space… So, when the wedding day arrives, it has to be spectacular. Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez have set their sights on Venice. The Serenissima thus becomes the stage for a VIP show, with numerous celebrities staying in privatised hotels and legendary venues that are reserved and protected for a few hours.

Dissent from Some Locals

Residents, already fed up with the behaviour of many tourists in the city, saw yachts arrive in the lagoon, including Jeff Bezos’ gigantic Koru moored at the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. Marco Polo Airport experienced a surge of around a hundred private flights carrying celebrities and billionaires there to celebrate with the bride and groom. Around 200 ultra-VIP guests are expected. Tommaso Cacciari, a 47-year-old activist from Venice and grandson of a famous local philosopher who was once mayor, unfurled a huge banner in St. Mark’s Square with Jeff Bezos’ face and the slogan in English: "You can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax – If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax."

Venice: Dying and Alive

According to this defender of the Serenissima, who started the movement "No space for Bezos", using Venice as a theme park or a private ballroom risks making the city even more vulnerable. Venice isn’t just "a fibreglass set, like any casino in Las Vegas," but a "real city with real residents" with "its own vulnerabilities and problems." Indeed, the city suffers from rising water levels and an overload of tourists, driving out the locals—something that could put its future at risk. Still, not all Venetians see it this way. Jeff Bezos has involved local partners, including pastry chefs and Murano artisans. Some residents therefore suggest that this brings much-needed money to Venice and its local businesses.

(MH with Olivier Duquesne – Source: La Dernière Heure – Photo: © picture alliance / ROPI | Michele Lapini)