Venetian vows: Bezos, billionaires and backlash

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez were in high spirits as they cruised through the waterways on Thursday at the welcome party for their multiday wedding in the lagoon city. Entire neighborhoods have been cordoned off, and boat traffic on the busy canals has also been restricted. The couple is staying at the luxury hotel Aman on the Grand Canal.

US billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of online retail giant Amazon, and former journalist Lauren Sanchez were set to tie the knot on Friday on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. The small island, around 10 hectares (24 acres) in size, is located in the Venetian Lagoon and is home to a Benedictine monastery, a church and the Teatro Verde, where the ceremony was expected to take place.

The police are patrolling the entire city and monitoring the canals with Jet Skis. Due to the protests that have been going on for days and the possibility of attacks, the highest security measures are in place. The dates and details of the multiday celebration remained strictly confidential.

A few days ago, a large Greenpeace banner caused a stir in St. Mark's Square. The poster, prominently placed on the ground, reads: "If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax." For weeks, local and international activists have been protesting against the wedding and have already announced their intention to disrupt the celebrations.

On June 13, protesters unfurled a banner reading "No Space for Bezos" on the Rialto Bridge. The tech billionaire's lavish wedding brings together several controversial aspects: One of the richest men in the world is celebrating in a city that has become a symbol of mass tourism and the dramatic consequences of climate change in recent years.

Tourists pose in front of an art installation by the collective "Konn Artiss," which depicts Jeff Bezos sitting on a toilet made of Amazon boxes. With several provocative installations throughout the city, the artist collective is protesting the wedding spectacle in a unique way.

Despite the numerous protests, many celebrities couldn't miss the big event. The Kardashian clan attracted plenty of attention posing for photos on the Grand Canal on Thursday. A total of around 200 to 250 prominent guests from the worlds of politics, business and entertainment were expected, including Microsoft founder Bill Gates, talk show icon Oprah Winfrey and actor Orlando Bloom.

Ivanka Trump, daughter of US President Donald Trump, also made the trip to Venice with her husband Jared Kushner and their children. The cost of the opulent celebration has been estimated at around $10 million (€8.5 million). A tally by the governor of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia, was even higher: between €40 million and €48 million.

The coming days are likely to be turbulent for guests and paparazzi alike, as the wedding celebrations are set to last for at least three days. Between June 25 and 28, expect to see countless photos of the huge event — along with further protests.