The world’s second-richest man and his bride-to-be say they don’t want any gifts ahead of a destination wedding already marred by mounting local protests.
“We’re excited for you to join us! We have one early request: please, no gifts,” a leaked copy of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding invite, obtained by Good Morning America, reads.
The couple adds that “with gratitude to you for making the journey to celebrate with us in Venice,” they’ll be making donations on their guest’s behalf to a number of institutions in the city.
These apparently include the UNESCO Venice Office, “to safeguard this city’s irreplaceable cultural heritage,” local non-profit CORILA, “to restore the vital lagoon habitats that protect Venice’s future,” and Venice International University, “to support research and education for sustainable solutions.”
With the ceremony scheduled to take place in the city over three days later this week, Bezos and Sánchez are facing mounting public backlash from outraged Venetians who say the celebrations will further disrupt day-to-day life for residents who are being increasingly displaced by mass tourism.
“We will block the canals, line the streets with our bodies, block the canals with inflatables, dinghies, boats,” one protester previously told CNN amid reports that ahead of the event, local officials have block-booked all of the Venice’s nine yacht ports, reserved a large share of the city’s iconic water taxis, closed off a number of historic venues, and banned drones from the surrounding airspace.
By some estimates, the cost for the whole shindig may have run Bezos up to more than $21.5 million. The guest list reportedly includes a wide variety of famous names, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey, Ivanka Trump, Eva Longoria, a number of the Kardashians, and Sanchez’s fellow space-adventurer Gayle King. Another member of the space voyage, pop star Katy Perry, is reportedly not attending, though her erstwhile fiancé, Orlando Bloom, will be there.
Other names apparently on the list include Sánchez’s ex Tony Gonzalez, father to her son, and his wife, October Gonzalez, whom the bride-to-be has described as two of her “best friends.”
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