As Venice braces for one of its most talked-about weddings, all eyes are on Jeff Bezos and Lauren S谩nchez. But amid the glamour, guest lists, and headlines, the couple has made a thoughtful request 鈥 they don鈥檛 want any gifts. The Amazon founder and his fianc茅e will get married this week.
Ahead of the celebration, the couple sent out invitations with a clear message: 鈥淲e are excited for you to join us. We have one early request: please, no gifts.鈥
Instead of traditional presents, Bezos and S谩nchez have chosen to make donations to three local institutions on behalf of their guests. The contributions will go to the UNESCO Venice Office, CORILA and Venice International University.
鈥淒onations on your behalf are being made to the UNESCO Venice Office to safeguard this city鈥檚 irreplaceable cultural heritage, to CORILA to restore the vital lagoon habitats that protect Venice鈥檚 future, and to Venice International University to support research and education for sustainable solutions,鈥 it continued.
Their note adds: 鈥淭he magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories. Our hope is that through these gifts and by you joining us, Venice will continue to inspire wonder for generations to come.鈥
Jeff Bezos & Lauren Sanchez鈥檚 wedding invite unveiled by ABC News:
鈥淧lease, no gifts鈥 pic.twitter.com/Gwaaqyd4f0
鈥 Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 24, 2025
The gesture has been welcomed by the city. Sebastiano Costalonga, Venice鈥檚 councillor for commerce and productive activities, told People: 鈥淐ertainly the message sent by Bezos regarding the gifts to be given was that they should be gifted not to him but to Venice.鈥
Still, not everyone is thrilled about the scale of the celebration. In the days leading up to the wedding, protest signs have been put up in Venice鈥檚 historic areas. Locals have voiced concern over disruptions, traffic and the strain of hosting high-profile events in a city already battling overtourism.
Originally, the couple had picked Cannaregio for post-wedding celebrations. But reports suggest the plan was changed due to fears of demonstrations. The celebrations have now been shifted to the Arsenale, a historic naval complex in Castello district.
Though guests have been asked not to bring gifts, they will receive goody bags from Laguna B, a Murano-based glassware company. While the exact items remain under wraps, sources describe them as 鈥渙pulent.鈥
The couple is also supporting local vendors wherever possible. Around 80 per cent of the food and other essentials for the wedding are being sourced from Venice-based businesses including the Murano glassware maker Laguna B and the city鈥檚 oldest pastry maker, Rosa Salva.
Bezos and S谩nchez got engaged in 2023. S谩nchez has three children 鈥 Evan and Ella, from her marriage to Hollywood talent agent Patrick Whitesell, and a son, Nikko, from her earlier relationship with former NFL player Tony Gonzalez.
Bezos shares four children with his ex-wife, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott including their eldest son, Preston, born in 2000. The names and details of their other children including an adopted daughter, are not public.