Celebrities are arriving in Venice to celebrate the wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez, and despite pushback from many locals who are frustrated such a lavish and large event is taking place in their already-overpopulated city, the A-list lineup of guests looked unfazed Thursday as the celebrations kicked off.
The wedding, a three-day party that Reuters estimates will cost upwards of $63 million, has been a tight-lipped affair, with reps for the couple staying mum about the events or guestlist.
Jeff Bezos, center left, and Lauren Sanchez, center right, kiss as they leave a hotel for their pre wedding reception, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 26, 2025.
Luca Bruno / The Associated Press
Last month, Sánchez shared photos from her bachelorette party, foreshadowing some of the possible guests that might make an appearance in Venice, and Thursday’s arrivals showed lots of overlap.
Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner, who attended the bachelorette party, were both seen boarding water taxis on Thursday, joined by another Kardashian sister, Khloe.
Kim Kardashian arrives at Marco Polo Airport for the Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’ wedding on June 26, 2025 in Venice, Italy.
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Kim Kardashian arrives at Marco Polo Airport for the Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’ wedding on June 26, 2025 in Venice, Italy.
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Khloé Kardashian arrives at Venice Marco Polo airport ahead of Lauren Sanchez’ wedding Wedding on June 26, 2025 in Venice, Italy.
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Later in the day, they were seen chatting with actor Orlando Bloom – who came to Venice solo, now that his relationship with Katy Perry is officially over.
Orlando Bloom is sighted ahead of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’ wedding on June 26, 2025 in Venice, Italy.
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Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Orlando Bloom, Domenico Dolce and Khloé Kardashian ahead of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’ wedding on June 26, 2025 in Venice, Italy.
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Bloom and the reality stars were seen boarding water taxis all dressed up on Thursday evening, presumably heading to one of the first big events leading up to the wedding.
Orlando Bloom climbs into a taxi boat at the Gritti Palace Hotel ahead of the wedding of Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos with Lauren Sanchez in Venice on June 26, 2025.
Marco Bertorello/ AFP via Getty Images
Kris Jenner takes pictures of Khloe and Kim Kardashian on a taxi boat as they leave the Gritti Palace Hotel ahead of the wedding of Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos with Lauren Sanchez in Venice on June 26, 2026.
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Kim Kardashian stands on a taxi boat as she leaves the Gritti Palace Hotel ahead of the wedding of Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos with Lauren Sanchez in Venice on June 26, 2026.
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Kendall and Kylie Jenner were spotted, too, heading to the same event.
Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner are sighted ahead of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’ wedding on June 26, 2025 in Venice, Italy.
Ernesto Ruscio/GC Images
Best friends Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King were also spotted arriving in Venice, and after some freshening up, climbed aboard water taxis.
Oprah Winfrey arrives at Venice Marco Polo airport ahead of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’ wedding on June 26, 2025 in Venice, Italy.
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Gayle King arrives at Venice Marco Polo airport ahead of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’ wedding on June 26, 2025 in Venice, Italy.
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Gayle King and Oprah Winfrey get on a taxi boat as they leave the Gritti Palace Hotel ahead of the wedding of Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos with Lauren Sanchez in Venice on June 26, 2026.
Marco Bertorella/AFP via Getty Images
Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady arrived in Venice dressed down in a hooded sweatshirt and hat, but later changed into his party clothes.
Tom Brady prepares to board a taxi boat after landing at Venice Marco Polo airport ahead of Jeff Bezos’ wedding on June 26, 2025.
Andrea Pattaro/AFP via Getty Images
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Tom Brady gets on a taxi boat at the Gritti Palace Hotel ahead of the wedding of Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos with Lauren Sanchez in Venice on June 26, 2026.
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And fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg was also spotted in a breezy pant suit making her way to the water taxis upon arrival.
Fashion designer Diane Von Fürstenberg arrives at Venice Marco Polo airport on June 24, 2025.
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First Daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner showed up in Venice earlier in the week and we spotted on a canal Thursday evening.
Ivanka Trump arrives at the St. Regis Hotel ahead of the wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in Venice on June 24, 2025.
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Ivanka Trump, center, and her husband Jared Kushner, rear left, arrive in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 26, 2025, ahead of Jeff Bezos’ wedding.
Luigi Costantini / The Associated Press
And singer Usher Raymond was also spotted on a taxi boat.
Singer Usher Raymond, right, arrives at the Gritti hotel in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, June 26, 2025, ahead of the festivities.
Luca Bruno/The Associated Press
Little is known about the wedding day itself, with organizers keeping information about potential venues under wraps. Media reports have indicated that several are on hold, and that one will be selected based on factors such as protests and weather, a person close to Venice City Hall said.
On Tuesday, The Guardian reported that the couple switched a wedding event venue due to safety concerns and threats of a protest involving inflatable crocodiles.
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The wedding has divided Venice, with some activists protesting it as an exploitation of the city by the billionaire Bezos while ordinary residents suffer from over-tourism, high housing costs and the constant threat of climate-induced flooding.
Activists of international environmental group Greenpeace deploy a giant banner displaying a picture of Jeff Bezos and reading “If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax” at St. Mark Square in Venice on June 23, 2025.
Stefano Rellandini/AFP via Getty Images
The city administration has strongly defended the nuptials as keeping with Venice’s tradition as an open city that has welcomed popes, emperors and ordinary visitors alike for centuries.
Last week, activists in Venice gathered to organize protests on June 26, 27 and 28 — the expected dates of the wedding — over the risk of disruptions.
— with files from Global News’ Rachel Goodman and The Associated Press
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