Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Face Backlash as Lavish $50m Wedding Draws Creepy Movie Comparisons

When two of the world’s most high-profile figures decide to throw an extravagant wedding, it’s bound to grab attention, and not always the good kind. That’s exactly what’s happening with Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s lavish $50 million celebration, which has become the talk of the internet for all the wrong reasons.

People are shocked not just by the sheer scale of the event, but also by what they see as a glaring disconnect from the real world. Bezos, 61, who’s worth an eye-watering £226.7 billion, and Sánchez, 55, announced their engagement last summer.

Since then, it’s been clear they planned to go all out. They kicked things off with a celebrity-packed party on Bezos’ yacht along Italy’s Amalfi Coast.

Now, the couple is hosting a three-day wedding bash in Venice, which has stirred up quite a storm both online and among the locals. The guest list reads like a who’s who of global fame: politicians, members of royal families, and Hollywood stars, including Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Khloé Kardashian, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, plus Oprah Winfrey.

About 200 guests are expected to join the couple as they celebrate in some of Venice’s most exclusive spots. But not everyone is rolling out the red carpet. Locals in Venice have put up posters around the city that read “NO SPACE FOR BEZOS,” making their frustration crystal clear.

The billionaire pair landed in Venice on Tuesday, June 24, and the festivities began on Thursday, stretching through Saturday, June 28.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez have begun their three-day wedding celebration in Venice.

Once photos from the event started circulating online, reactions came in fast, and they were far from flattering. Many people were quick to point out how wasteful they found the spending, especially in a world where millions struggle to afford necessities.

“Feed a country or throw a wedding?” one Instagram user asked sarcastically, summing up what a lot of people were thinking.Someone else wondered, “How many children could be fed with all this money?”“Money doesn’t buy class,” another person wrote bluntly, while a different commenter chimed in with, “How out of touch these people are. Absolutely shameful. Read the room!”

Plenty of criticism focused on Lauren Sánchez’s choice of outfit, with many comparing it to a lampshade, bringing back memories of Ariana Grande’s similar fashion mishap at the Oscars earlier this year.

“Lauren’s dress looking like a lamp shade,” one user commented.Another joked, “That’s where my curtain went!”A third piled on, saying, “Looks ridiculous.”Getty Images

The billionaire couple's wedding came with a staggering $50 million price tag.

But it wasn’t just the cost or fashion choices that had people talking. Some commenters went deeper, comparing the over-the-top celebration to the excessive, tone-deaf opulence seen in the fictional Capitol of The Hunger Games.

They argued that the event felt like something straight out of a dystopian movie, where a privileged few flaunt their wealth while the rest of the world looks on.

“Are they filming a new Hunger Games? Is this the Capitol?” one person asked.Another wrote, “This looks like a Hunger Games movie!”And someone else summed up their feelings by saying, “Cartoon characters. Best way I know to describe them.”

The backlash shows no signs of slowing down, with new comments pouring in as more images and videos from the wedding surface online. While it’s no surprise that a billionaire’s wedding would be over-the-top, many people seem to feel that this particular display crossed a line, especially given the current state of the world.

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Shots from the luxury wedding drew comparisons to scenes from The Hunger Games.

People online have also pointed out how the event clashes with the reality of life in Venice. The city has been battling the effects of overtourism for years, with fragile infrastructure and residents struggling to keep up with rising costs.

Seeing such an extravagant party taking over Venice’s narrow canals and historic buildings has only added fuel to the fire. Some commenters even called on influencers and celebrities attending the wedding to speak up about how such events can negatively impact local communities, though no one has yet stepped forward.

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The conversation around the wedding has also reignited debates about wealth inequality, climate change, and the responsibilities of the ultra-rich. Critics argue that those with means have a duty to use their money in ways that help others or improve the world, not just throw parties that highlight how far removed they are from ordinary people’s lives.

At the end of the day, while Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding will no doubt go down as one of the most extravagant in recent memory, it has also become a symbol of what many see as misplaced priorities in a time when so many are struggling to make ends meet.