Bezos’ Venice wedding to Sánchez causes stir

The sky itself is no limit for billionaire Jeff Bezos and fiancée Lauren Sánchez, who have traveled into space — and expectations are just about as high for their wedding in Venice.

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One of the world's most enchanting cities as backdrop? Check.

Star-studded guestlist and tabloid buzz? Of course.

Local flavor? You bet.

Beyond that, the team of the world's fourth-richest man has kept details under wraps. Still, whispers point to events spread across the Italian lagoon city, adding complexity to what would have been a massive logistical undertaking even on dry land.

Dozens of private jets touched down at Venice's airport, and yachts pulled into the city's famed waterways. Aboard were athletes, celebrities, influencers, and business leaders, converging to revel in extravagance that is as much a testament to the couple's love as to their extraordinary wealth.

The heady hoopla recalled the 2014 wedding in Venice of actor George Clooney to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, when adoring crowds lined the canals and hundreds of well-wishers gathered outside City Hall.

Not so for these nuptials, which have become a lightning rod for protests. But any desire to dampen the prevailing fever pitch has yet to materialize. Instead, the glitterati were set to party, and the paparazzi jostling for glimpses of the gilded gala.

Logistics and costs

Venice is famed for its network of canals, where gondoliers croon for lovestruck couples and even ambulances are aquatic. But water transport of everything from bouquets to guests makes Venice among the world's most challenging cities for a party, according to Jack Ezon, CEO of Embark Beyond, a luxury travel advisory and destination event service.