Six months after the extravagant nuptials of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former journalist Lauren Sánchez, Venice is experiencing an unexpected tourism boom centred on the event's locations. Dubbed 'the wedding of the century' by Italian press, the celebrations have left a lasting imprint, with visitors now seeking out the spots frequented by the billionaire couple and their star-studded guest list.
From Paparazzi Frenzy to Tourist Trail
The five-day celebration in June, which included pyjama parties and elegant dinners, generated an estimated €957.3 million for the local economy, according to Italy's tourism ministry. This windfall was largely driven by intense global media coverage, which captured both the glamour and the friction, including protests by activists who threatened to unleash inflatable crocodiles into the canals.
Now, as noted by esteemed local guide Igor Scomparin, visitor requests have shifted dramatically. "They want to see where the Bezoses got married and where the celebrities ended up," he explains. Gone are the days when tours focused solely on St Mark's Square or the Rialto Bridge; today's tourists, many from the US, crave a glimpse into the wedding's exclusive world.
The Must-See Stops on the Bezos Tour
A typical tour now includes several key sites. It often starts near the seven-star Aman Venice hotel, where the couple stayed in rooms costing from €3,500 per night. The group then proceeds to San Giorgio island, the actual vow-exchange location, and the grand Scuola Grande della Misericordia, the original venue scuppered by the crocodile protest threat.
There is also high demand to see the Arsenale, the medieval shipyard that hosted the afterparty, and to ride the same wooden taxi boats used by guests like Oprah Winfrey and Leonardo DiCaprio. However, one of the most sought-after photo opportunities is the unassuming wooden jetty outside the Gritti Palace hotel.
"Teenagers especially tell me they saw the photos on Instagram of her arriving and want to go to that spot," says Scomparin, referring to Kim Kardashian's arrival. This spot, now informally known as the 'Kardashian jetty', often disappoints visitors with its everyday, functional appearance—a stark contrast to the glamorous images shared online.
Economic Ripples and Lasting Legacy
The wedding's impact extends beyond tour routes. Guests snapped up traditional Venetian gifts like velvet Friuliane shoes and Murano glass goti de fornasa drinking glasses, boosting local artisans. Wedding planner Marigiulia Sella reports a surge in enquiries for multi-day, high-end weddings, citing Venice's unique blend of historic venues and privacy.
Despite noisy protests from groups concerned about overtourism and Bezos's politics, photographer Michael Zennaro notes the event proceeded without issue, showcasing Venice's potential for lavish, private celebrations. The fascination even extends to spotting Amazon-branded packages speeding through the canals—an impromptu bonus for modern-day sightseers.
While the wedding of George and Amal Clooney in 2014 also drew attention, the Bezos-Sánchez event has spawned a unique, enduring curiosity. One mystery remains, however, as guide Scomparin admits: the fate of one of Lauren Sánchez's 27 designer dresses, reported missing after the festivities, is still unsolved.
