While the canals of Venice are no strangers to grandeur, the city is now hosting a wedding that many are calling “the event of the century”—and not everyone is celebrating. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sánchez are set to marry in a three-day spectacle reportedly costing up to $50 million, amid rising local tensions and an unprecedented influx of global celebrity guests.

The opulent celebration, slated to take place this weekend, has attracted an elite roster of attendees including Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brady, Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Ari Emanuel, Kim and Khloé Kardashian, and even royalty—Queen Rania of Jordan. Rumors also suggest that music icons Elton John and Lady Gaga will perform at the wedding.

However, beneath the glittering surface lies growing discontent from Venetian residents and activists. Their anger centers around what they see as the commodification of their historic city by one of the world’s richest men—Bezos, whose personal net worth exceeds $220 billion.

Effigies, Banners, and Crocodiles: Venice Fights Back

In a symbolic act of defiance, activists installed a striking effigy of Bezos seated on a toilet—pants down—propped up by Amazon delivery boxes just steps from the iconic Palazzo Ducale near St. Mark’s Square. Another effigy was seen drifting along the Grand Canal, depicting Bezos clinging to dollar bills and a parcel, drawing crowds of curious tourists.

These displays are part of a broader protest effort led by local and international groups who argue that Bezos is using Venice as a “billionaire playground” while Amazon continues to face criticism over its minimal tax contributions in Europe. One group, operating under the banner No Space for Bezos, even threatened to unleash inflatable crocodiles in the canals to block guests from reaching the celebration.

Earlier this week, activists unfurled a massive banner in Venice’s central square that read: “If you can rent Venice you can pay more tax.” Stickers and signs condemning Bezos’ influence have since appeared throughout the city.

A City Disrupted

The wedding’s extravagant scale has also taken a toll on everyday life. Italian media reports that around 90 private jets are expected to descend on local airports for the occasion. Five of Venice’s most prestigious hotels have reportedly been booked in full, displacing tourists and impacting workers’ routines across the city.

Initially planned in the historic city center, the main celebration has reportedly been relocated to the less populated Arsenale district following activist pressure. Though official details remain tightly guarded, the island of San Giorgio is rumored to be the site of the actual wedding ceremony.

Despite the backlash, Veneto regional president Luca Zaia defended the event, emphasizing its economic impact and revealing that Bezos and Sánchez have donated €3 million (approximately $3.2 million) to three local cultural institutions. Zaia estimates the full cost of the wedding to be between €40–48 million ($46.5–$55.6 million).

Still, critics argue that financial contributions do little to offset the disruption or the message the event sends. “This is not generosity; it’s a transaction,” said one protestor, referencing the donations as a strategic move to buy goodwill.

A Lavish Celebration Amid Rising Inequality

Bezos and Sánchez’s nuptials come at a time when conversations about wealth inequality, environmental responsibility, and the ethics of extreme personal luxury are reaching new heights. To many locals and activists, the wedding symbolizes the unchecked power of billionaires who can, quite literally, rent out a city to suit their desires.

Even as guests sip prosecco on private terraces and stars float down the canals in gondolas, protestors outside are calling for systemic change—urging greater accountability for global corporations and the ultra-wealthy figures behind them.

For now, Venice remains divided: a floating city caught between fairy tale romance and fervent resistance. Whether the wedding will be remembered as a cultural high point or a cautionary tale about excess remains to be seen.

But one thing is clear—Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding is more than a union of two people. It’s a flashpoint in a broader cultural reckoning over privilege, power, and the soul of a city long struggling to preserve its identity.