Jeff Bezos, Lauren Snchez wed in star-studded Venice ceremony

Second time’s the charm.Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez tied the knot on the Italian island of Venice on Friday in front of a star-studded guest list of athletes, celebrities, influencers and business execs.The billionaire Amazon founder, 61, and his new bride, 55, kicked off their lavish three-day wedding extravaganza Thursday as dozens of private jets touched down at Venice’s airport and yachts pulled into the city’s famed waterways.The starry guest list for what has been dubbed the “wedding of the century” was filled with a slew of rich and famous names including Kim and Khloe Kardashian; Kris, Kylie and Kendall Jenner; Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Oprah Winfrey, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady and Leonardo DiCaprio.The gilded gala, though, became a lightning rod for protests in the leadup to the nuptials.Widespread protests broke out at the tourist hotspot as locals and activists voiced their displeasure that the wealthy couple chose the city for their extravagant day.Large banners that screamed “the 1% ruins the world” and one featuring “Bezos” in blue letters with a red X through it were flung over Venice’s iconic Saint Mark’s Basilica.An organization called the No Space for Bezos campaign — a play on the billionaire’s Blue Origin space exploration company — also unfurled banners and distributed stickers throughout the city in the days prior.Earlier, Greenpeace members had displayed a gigantic white banner featuring Bezos’ laughing face in St.

Mark’s Square, emblazoned with: “If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax.”Still, it did nothing to dampen the party — or its hefty price tag.Veneto Gov.Luca Zaia told reporters earlier this week that the Bezos/Sánchez bash was set to cost a jaw-dropping $50 million.Bezos’ team has been tight-lipped about where these millions are going.

Five of the city’s most luxurious hotels were booked out in advance, including Cipriani on the island of Giudecca and the St Re...