The big day is finally here – Lauren Sanchez is walking down the aisle later today to marry Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos as part of what’s been dubbed the wedding of the year in Venice, Italy.
The couple are set to say their ‘I dos’ in front of around 200 guests, which include A-listers like Ivanka Trump, Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner and Orlando Bloom.
The pair are said to have rented out a number of places in the Italian city to celebrate the lavish nuptials, and kicked things off with a luxe welcome party on Thursday, where guests were transported by water taxi.
An insider told DailyMail.com last week that San Georgio Maggiore island is largely ‘off-limits to visitors’ from June 24 to June 29.
The original plan was for a huge party at the Scuola Grande della Misericordia on Saturday night, but it has now been moved to another venue in the Arsenale area of the city, according to local media.
On Thursday evening, their guests arrived for a lavish welcome party, which saw the bride-to-be wearing a curve-hugging corset dress from Schiaparelli’s 2025 couture collection.
Her groom, Bezos, wore a gray suit and a cool pair of Dior sunglasses.
But now that the two are finally set to become Mr. and Mrs. Bezos, here is FEMAIL’s take on the worst fashion offenders of the day.
Bow-tie fail! Bill Gates arrived to the big day on Friday as he left the St. Regis hotel wearing a bowtie that was much too big and oversized. It was so large that it almost looked like a bow that you would put in your hair! He paired it with a sleek black suit and a white button-down shirt
No crown Jewel! Singer Jewel Kilcher looked like she was in a prom dress as she was on her way to the wedding of the year, wearing a short red dress with a floral application in the front and a long train in the back. She carried a silver Louis Vuitton bag worth over $3,000, along with a chic updo
Too much! Ahead of the big day, Kris Jenner and her daughter, Khloe Kardashian, were seen hitting the shops in Venice in a long-sleeve, leopard-print gown
Weather confused?! Bill Gates and his partner Paula Hurd explored Venice Thursday, as he kept things very simple in a pair of long black shorts and matching polo t-shirt
Kris Jenner looked a bit-over-the top as she strolled around Venice on Friday with daughter Khloé Kardashian, wearing a long-sleeve, leopard print frock in the summer heat.
Jenner paired the dramatic dress with small, square black sunglasses and oversized, dangling bejeweled earrings, while her daughter kept it simple in a plain black dress and Chanel flip flops.
Billionaire Bill Gates also looked out of place in the warm Venice weather as he donned an all-black outfit.
Gates had on a pair of long black shorts, which he paired with a black polo t-shirt and navy blue polo cap.
His partner, Paula Hurd, also opted for the dark color, wearing a sleeveless black tank dress which she matched with a seriously big diamond necklace.
However, not everyone went for dark colors as they shopped and strolled ahead of the big day.
Vittoria Ceretti, Leonardo DiCaprio’s girlfriend, looked straight out of an early 2000’s magazine as she wore a vintage Betsey Johnson white dress with large gray and red floral motifs on it while out and about.
She tied things together with a pair of lace-up white ballet flats and a small gray over-the-shoulder purse.
So 2000 and late! Vittoria Ceretti, Leonardo DiCaprio’s girlfriend, looked straight out of an early 2000’s magazine as she wore a white dress with large gray and red floral motifs on it
Butterfly fly away! Lydia Kives, who is married to Canadian investor Michael Kives, wore a sleeveless orange dress emblazoned with blue butterflies all over it
Lydia Kives, who is married to Canadian investor Michael Kives, wore a sleeveless orange dress emblazoned with blue butterflies all over it, also opting for a busy print.
She wore a bright yellow purse with the look, which also seemed like it could be from the early 2000’s.
But while these stars shop around Venice ahead of the big ceremony, fury from locals has been brewing in the past week towards the couple for ‘taking over the city,’ forcing them to hire a team of former US marines for security.
Around 20 anti-capitalist activists were seen Thursday morning holding placards in St Mark’s Square, the iconic heart of Venice, with some trying to climb a post.
An extinction rebellion flag was being waved, with one of the signs reading ‘we are the 99 percent we have the power.’
Another campaigner held one saying ‘the planet burns’ in Italian while being carried away by police.
There have been other criticisms regarding over-tourism, how much tax Jeff Bezos pays and his environmental impact.
Earlier this week, Greenpeace activists unfurled a huge banner the square showing Bezos’ face and the slogan: ‘If you can rent Venice for your wedding then you can pay more tax.’
Activists from British group ‘Everyone Hates Elon’ were also involved and said they had carried it out to highlight the ‘environmental and social injustice of the wedding.’
