Hundreds of the world’s wealthiest guests descend on Venice by the most polluting means to celebrate Jeff Bezos’ “wedding of the century” — and the backlash is growing.
Venice is playing host this weekend to what many are calling the “wedding of the century.”
Read more: Celebrities converge on Venice for Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez wedding gala
More than 90 private jets have landed in northern Italy over the past week, bringing celebrities, politicians, and tech moguls to the lavish, three-day celebration of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez. The wedding is estimated to cost between $47 million and $56 million.
The extravagant affair has sparked intense backlash. The original venue was cordoned off and later changed to keep guests separated from a growing wave of climate activists who have been protesting for weeks. Demonstrators argue that Venice has been turned into a “private amusement park” for the wealthy. A banner draped across St. Mark’s Square declared, “If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax.”
“Bezos represents not just himself, but everything this city has fought against for years: exploitation of labor and land, pollution, rampant extraction of resources, and the technological and financial control of our lives,” said No Space for Bezos, the activist group leading the protests. “[This wedding] comes at the expense of those who live, work, and study here, already struggling after years of mass tourism.”
The event has become a flashpoint in the debate over who shapes the future of Venice. The UNESCO World Heritage city is not only famous for its beauty, but also for its vulnerability to climate change. Venice is literally sinking—its lagoon rises by about 0.2 inches each year, according to a 2024 study from Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. In some places, like Lido and Malamocco, the pace is even faster. Scientists warn that parts of the city could be permanently submerged by 2150 if current trends continue.
Against this backdrop, the arrival of dozens of private jets—each emitting five to 14 times more greenhouse gases per passenger than commercial flights—has struck a particularly painful chord for locals.
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A report released today found that private jets generated more emissions in 2023 than all flights departing from Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest airports. For many, the image of a city under siege from climate change hosting one of the world’s richest men and his ultra-wealthy guests, who arrived using the most polluting methods available, feels like a stark symbol of the times.
Social media users reacted to the lavish wedding
I can’t wait for this Bezos Sánchez wedding to be over. Who caaaares. That dress-can she…breathe? It’s Schiaparelli but no thanks. Also, the work she’s had done on her face is criminal. Nothing says aging like bad work-she looks older than 55-but if she and Jeff are happy then… pic.twitter.com/SZrCy1OUpK
— Princess CarParkle 👑 (@unreMARKLEble) June 27, 2025
Jeff Bezos has told wedding guests not to bring a gift, with people asking ‘what do you give the man who has everything?’ A tax bill would be a good start pic.twitter.com/IDGI1XPSyc
— Have I Got News For You (@haveigotnews) June 26, 2025
If Jeff Bezos can afford to rent Venice for a $50 million wedding, he can afford to pay his fair share in taxes.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) June 27, 2025
I see 0 tweets about the amount of celebrities having to take their private jet to attend Jeff Bezos’ wedding, and you morons want me to believe you care about environment and want to hold a certain female artist accountable, i see who you are.
— augustine (@1midnightrain) June 27, 2025
Jeff Bezos spent his whole life being a dork no one noticed. Now he’s blowing $50 million on a wedding filled with hollow celebrities to prove he finally matters.
Ego is evil.
Watch his succubus wife parade around while she shifts through the veil.
The whole thing reeks of…
— Peter B (@realpeteyb123) June 27, 2025
Dear Jeff Bezos,
Congratulations on your wedding.
Your first wife was much better looking and is a much nicer person.— Renee Libby Yep (@ReneeLibby95084) June 27, 2025
The world is a dumpster fire, Jeff bezos & whats her names wedding has 100s of celebs taking their private planes to Venice, carbon footprint off the charts but the outrage is about ‘holding Taylor aCcOuNTabLe’ for taking pics w/ fans. pic.twitter.com/yMVo2GddyE
— Lacie🤍 (@chiefs1989) June 27, 2025
I know we’re all watching the end of the world, wars and genocide but one positive silver lining is Italians protesting billionaire Jeff Bezos’ 42 million dollar wedding in Venice so much, the asshole—whose wedding will have US marines as security🙄—had to change the venue. 🤌🏼 pic.twitter.com/IfmRC08Fre
— Fiorella Isabel (@FiorellaIsabelM) June 25, 2025
Here’s how the elites are partying—by flying 90 private jets to Italy to attend Jeff Bezos’ $50–100 million wedding.
All of them so-called “climate change activists,” living like there’s no tomorrow—hypocrites, every one of them. People like Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, the… pic.twitter.com/Mzt3ZAtOOk
— Open Minded Approach (@OMApproach) June 27, 2025