Jeff Bezos has to change wedding plans – because of war in Middle East

For security reasons, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and the former TV presenter Lauren Sánchez have to change the plans for their celebrity wedding in Venice. At the recommendation of the authorities, the big graduation ceremony in the lagoon city was moved to another place on Saturday. In addition, the great yacht of the US billionaire, the “Koru”, unlike planned, should no longer come to the city.

Around 200 guests are expected in Venice for the wedding of the 61-year-old Bezos and his wife six years younger, including a lot of prominence from the show business and the business world. The celebrations run through all week. Because of the war between Israel and Iran, as in other cities in Italy, the security precautions have now been significantly reinforced.

The prefect of the region, Darco Pello, told the newspaper “La Repubblica”: “We increased the alarm levels due to the international situation.” Therefore, “private events with a high -ranking presence with a suitable device would now be monitored”. This includes sustainable barriers as well as control flights with drones and snipers on roofs.

The graduation ceremony of the wedding should no longer take place on the site of the church of Scuola Grande Della Misericordia, but on an old shipyard area in the Arsenale district that can be better monitored. Bezos was also recommended to refrain from coming with his super yacht. According to information from the Adnkronos news agency, the ship should now remain in the Mediterranean off the Croatian coast.

Meanwhile, the first private jets landed at Venice Airport. According to the newspaper “Corriere Della Sera”, the TV greats Oprah Winfrey, Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian as well as the company bosses Eric Schmidt (Google) and Bill Gates (Microsoft) want to travel with their own aircraft.

For example, actors George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio and US President daughter Ivanka Trump are expected as other guests. The wedding will probably take place on Friday. There is no more detailed information from Bezos and his future wife to the end of the celebrations.

There are already protests against the billionaire wedding. Several groups have announced that they want to hinder celebrations. The environmental protection organization Greenpeace unrolled on Markusplatz a large poster with a laughing portrait and the inscription “If you can Rent Venice for your Wedding you can pay more tax” (“If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax”).