Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s low-key arrival at Venice’s Aman Hotel took place in great secrecy Wednesday. Quietly disembarking on one of the city’s most heavily guarded docks, Sánchez smiled and waved at onlookers, with Bezos nearby, both protected by a cordon of bodyguards.
Ivanka Trump kicked off the festivities yesterday afternoon, arriving smiling at Marco Polo Airport with her children and husband before heading for their stay at the St. Regis. The entrance was low profile, but it served as a signal: the games have officially begun.
From June 26-28, Venice will turn into a parade of private jets, billionaire berths and novel dress code. Among the first sightings was the Ariencè, a 60-meter yacht (estimated value $70 million) belonging to Bill Miller, finance guru and among the first to bet on Amazon, moored with discreet ostentation in front of Punta della Dogana.
The guest list—technically top secret but shared via whispers—is an exercise in power: Oprah Winfrey, Eva Longoria, Leonardo DiCaprio, Shakira, Robert Pattinson, Karlie Kloss, Mick Jagger and Elton John are all expected to attend. Only a red carpet is missing, but with high water, one must adapt. Orlando Bloom is also expected, but apparently he’ll be flying solo. His fiancée Katy Perry, who joined the Blue Origin space flight with Sánchez, is allegedly busy with her tour.
Kick-Off Party
The historic water cabs—wooden, elegant and discreet—and the floating limousines manned by all-star staff are ready to move to Cannaregio, which will be the scene of the first evening party. A city ordinance has already closed off the area, with traffic banned from 6 p.m. to midnight between Madonna dell’Orto and nearby streets for the installation of a gangway and a generator. While there is no official confirmation this is directly related (only the generic wording “wedding party” is being used) everything from the type of boats to the name of the British wedding planner leaves little room for doubt: it is almost certainly the Bezos wedding. In fact, the party is supposed to take place a few steps away, in one of the most secluded—and fascinating—locations in the city: the Sant’Alvise complex, with its 14th-century church, monastery, and Barco, a place little known even to Venetians. Jeff Bezos alone will be escorted by ten bodyguards, and the government has called in reinforcements for the duration of the event in order to secure some privacy amid the announced protests.
Homage to Gatsby
Among the evening highlights is a cocktail party inspired by The Great Gatsby. This is no coincidence. On one hand, it celebrates 100 years since the publication of Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, and on the other, it plays to the Hollywood scene. Leonardo DiCaprio, star of the 2013 film of the same name, is expected to be among the guests. Will Italian girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti be there? Probably. The gowns? Custom-made by international designers, who have reinterpreted the excessive and fragile dream of the 1920s in a couture key. And between a Gatsby-style toast and a couture dress change, Matteo Bocelli will take the mic. Andrea Bocelli’s son, now an international star, will sing for the bride and groom during one of the main evenings. It’s a choice that combines glamour and Italian tradition, perfect for the Venetian set.
The Jaguar Yacht and Cryotherapy
But the show is not only on land. The Kismet, a mammoth 122-meter yacht owned by billionaire Shahid Khan has also just arrived in Venice. Its bow figure—a carved jaguar—has already become one of the most viral shots. A cryotherapy room is rumored to be on board, and even the frost, on board, is luxurious.
Private Jet Playground
Venice’s Marco Polo airport has become a hub for private jets. The influx of reserved flights has been increasing since the morning. Behind the scenes, the organization is run by Lanza & Baucina, a London-based agency that has made bespoke luxury a way of life. But outside the gilded perimeter, tensions rise. The No Space for Bezos committee has called a procession for Saturday, June 28, as four Extinction Rebellion activists climbed a crane near the Danieli Hotel, unfurling a banner featuring Disney’s Robin Hood and the slogan, “Tax the rich to give back to the planet.” A visual and strategic protest in the heart of the power quadrangle.
Location Change
The wedding party, originally planned at the Scuola Grande di Misericordia, has been moved to Arsenal’s Tesa 91, a more isolated and easily controlled location. A symbolic step backward for the festivities, one forward for the environmental movements, which are already speaking of a small victory.
Meanwhile, Bezos’s two naval jewels, Koru and Abeona, have dropped anchor far from the Lagoon, in Croatia’s Kvarner islands. They, too, are staying off the floating red carpet for this time. And then there are the fake newlyweds. In a gondola, with oversize masks and fake bouquets, a caricatured couple—as if it were Carnevale—of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez crossed the canals, complete with “Just Married” sign in hand. The most Venetian replica possible to a wedding that has already monopolized space, water and imagery.
Amid feathers, protests and Prosecco, “the party” is only just beginning.
Original story from VF Italia.
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