Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos‘ lavish wedding reception came to a close in the early hours of Saturday as A-listers slipped away from the glittering celebration under the cover of darkness and through narrow Venetian canals.
Described as the ‘wedding of the century,’ the 61-year-old Amazon founder and 55-year-old former journalist exchanged vows in front of almost 200 VIP guests on San Giorgio Maggiore island on Friday.
Following the ultra-exclusive ceremony, the billionaire couple threw a star-studded reception attended by high-profile guests, including the Kardashian sisters, Oprah Winfrey, Ivanka Trump, Usher, and Orlando Bloom.
The extravagant affair – reportedly costing $20million and drawing ire from locals – was capped off with an eyebrow-raising gift from the bride.
While Bezos chose stylish ViBi Venezia blue velvet slippers for the gentleman guests, Sanchez gave the ladies black open-toe slippers from Amazon – seizing the opportunity to promote her billionaire husband’s e-commerce empire.
Late last night as the party wrapped, photographers captured Kim and Khloe Kardashian making a speedy getaway in a waiting water taxi.
The bleary-eyed sisters, true to form, posed for the cameras as the boat set sail – throwing up peace signs and making duck faces at the awaiting lenses.
A little while later, their supermodel sister Kendall Jenner made her own escape, weaving through the city’s canals and posing against the breathtaking backdrop of Italy’s finest architecture.
Kardashian supermodel sister Kendall Jenner (pictured) made her own escape from the wedding, weaving through the city’s canals and posing against the breathtaking backdrop of Italy’s finest architecture
Described as the ‘wedding of the century,’ the 61-year-old Amazon founder and 55-year-old former journalist exchanged vows in front of almost 200 VIP guests on San Giorgio Maggiore island on Friday
Late last night as the party wrapped, photographers captured Kim and Khloe Kardashian (pictured) making a speedy getaway in a waiting water taxi – throwing up peace signs and flashing duck faces at the camera
The wedding, held two years after Bezos proposed to Sanchez aboard his $500 million superyacht, was described as ‘extremely intimate’ with a strict no-phone policy – around 70 of the 200 guests were family members.
The only images that emerged of the nuptials came via Sanchez’s official Instagram account – and photos of guests leaving the night-time celebrations were scarce.
During wedding week, Sanchez debuted her stunning Schwartz ring while stepping out in a Schiaparelli gown.
Courtesy of celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz, the ring is believed to be around 30 carats – valued between $1.5 million and $3 million.
‘We don’t have a lot of traditions that we’re keeping,’ Sanchez told Vogue ahead of the big day. ‘I mean, I love traditions, but for a 55-year-old woman, it’s a little different.’
While her Dolce earrings served as the traditional ‘something borrowed,’ Sanchez gave ‘something blue’ a cosmic twist – carrying an artifact from her recent 11-minute space journey.
‘Blue Origin,’ Sanchez said. ‘It’s something from my space flight.’
She carried a secret, nearly unattainable souvenir from space, explaining it was ‘because it was literally one of the most profound experiences I’ve ever had in my life.’
The wedding, held two years after Bezos proposed to Sanchez aboard his $500 million superyacht, was described as ‘extremely intimate’ with a strict no-phone policy – around 70 of the 200 guests were family members
While Bezos chose stylish ViBi Venezia blue velvet slippers for the gentleman guests in their goody bags, Sanchez gave the ladies black open-toe slippers from Amazon – naturally
Courtesy of celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz, Sanchez’s ring (pictured) is believed to be around 30 carats – valued between $1.5 million and $3 million
The festivities kicked off earlier in the week, and the multi-day affair is said to have cost $20 million (pictured: Bezos in snazzy black tux)
‘Seeing Earth from space, I came down and I couldn’t describe it,’ she told Vogue. ‘It was the greatest experience I’ve ever had. Jeff said, “It’s gonna change you more than you think,” and it completely has, visually, spiritually.’
The brief journey to the edge of space didn’t just change her perspective – it also transformed the kind of wedding dress she envisioned for her big day.
Back on Earth, Sanchez quickly decided to step away from her signature style -modern, strapless silhouettes that accentuate her figure – in favor of something far more timeless.
‘It went from, ‘I want a simple, sexy modern dress’ to ‘I want something that evokes a moment,’ and where I am right now,’ she told the outlet. ‘I am a different person than I was five years ago.’
The dress – a custom Dolce & Gabbana gown featured in a photo she shared on Instagram – showcased lacy floral sleeves, a fitted bodice, a high neckline, a long flowing skirt with an enormous train, and delicate buttons cascading down the front.
Her inspiration drew from Sophia Loren – specifically the high-necked lace wedding gown she wore to marry Cary Grant in the 1958 film Houseboat.
‘I researched pictures of brides in the 1950s,’ she told Vogue. ‘I wanted to reflect back, and I saw Sophia Loren… and she was in high lace, up to the neck, and I said, ‘That’s it. That’s the dress.”
‘It is a departure from what people expect,’ she says, ‘from what expect – but it’s very much me,’ she added.
Sanchez gave ‘something blue’ a cosmic twist – carrying an artifact from her recent 11-minute space journey – which she said partly inspired her ‘timeless’ wedding dress (pictured)
An insider told the Daily Mail that 27-year-old actress Sydney Sweeney (pictured) was the ‘most sought-after guest’ throughout the festivities
Sanchez’s gown took 900 hours of atelier work – a total of 180 tiny, hand-finished buttons, each covered in silk chiffon, lined the neckline and torso before continuing down the length of the train (pictured)
However, the only photos of her look appeared moments after the bride said ‘I do,’ featuring a simple snap of her and Bezos together, captioned only with the date.
In the photo, the couple beamed from ear to ear, with Bezos’ arm wrapped lovingly around her waist.
The stunning gown took a staggering 900 hours of atelier work – clearly reflected in its intricate design. A total of 180 tiny, hand-finished buttons, each covered in silk chiffon, lined the neckline and torso before continuing down the length of the train, as reported by Vogue.
‘The whole thing was like a dream,’ Sanchez told the outlet.
Finally, the long-awaited day arrived, with guests greeted by the vibrant sounds of trumpets, violins, and a Gospel choir as the couple made their entrance.
The choir also broke out into song again after the couple said ‘I do,’ belting out Whitney Houston’s Higher Love.
For the after-party, Sanchez slipped into another show-stopping look: an Oscar de la Renta cocktail dress adorned with 600 yards of hand-sewn chain and 175,000 crystals, as reported by Vogue.
‘We have incredible music planned,’ Sanchez told Vogue ahead of the wedding, adding that every performer during their event-filled weekend was a close friend.
NFL legend Tom Brady (pictured) was reportedly ‘chatting up’ the Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney while at the hotel bar over the course of the multi-day wedding extravaganza
Ivanka Trump stepped out with her husband Jared Kushner for the wedding, wearing a stunning, heavily embellished pink strapless floral gown with a thigh-baring slit (pictured)
Other stars seemed to be having a wilder time at the star-studded after-party, with 74-year-old fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger (pictured) nearly taking a tumble after the ceremony
Opera star Matteo Bocelli opened the couple’s wedding reception with a heartfelt rendition of Elvis Presley’s iconic I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You.
A slew of their famous friends – including Gayle King, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kris Jenner, and Kylie Jenner, amongst others – traveled overseas to attend.
An insider told the Daily Mail that 27-year-old actress Sydney Sweeney was the ‘most sought-after guest’ throughout the festivities.
One particular star had his eyes firmly set on Sweeney – NFL legend Tom Brady.
The football celeb was reportedly ‘chatting up’ the Euphoria star while at the hotel bar over the course of the multi-day wedding extravaganza.
Other stars seemed to be having a wilder time at the star-studded after-party, with 74-year-old fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger nearly taking a tumble after the ceremony.
Hilfiger was seen stumbling while boarding a water taxi outside, narrowly avoiding a fall into the water in front of the newlyweds and other A-list guests.
As the couple enjoyed a pre-wedding party inside the historic Madonna dell’Orto cloisters the night before the ceremony, it was revealed that Bezos and Sanchez had already married legally.
Although the festivities kicked off earlier in the week, the celebration isn’t over yet – another party is set for Saturday, as reported by Reuters.
With an anti-Bezos march planned the same day, authorities have stepped up security and relocated the ‘closing’ event to a more secluded part of Venice: the historic Arsenale shipyard.
