Jeff Bezos & Lauren Sanchez’s ‘Tacky’ $20M Wedding Invitation Sparks Backlash – Critics Say ‘Taste Can’t Be Bought

Jeff Bezos & Lauren Sanchez’s ‘Tacky’ $20M Wedding Invitation Sparks Backlash – Critics Say ‘Taste Can’t Be Bought

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding invitation faced backlash on social media, criticized for its amateur design

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding festivities are all set to begin in Venice, and a number of A-listers have already descended upon the Italian lagoon city for what promises to be the event of the year. The Amazon billionaire, 61, is set to marry the former news anchor after six years of courtship.

Ahead of the wedding, ABC obtained a picture of the wedding invitation card – and people were surprised, to put it mildly. The invitation featured iconic Venetian imagery like gondolas and bridges, along with illustrations of birds and butterflies. However, many critics called the design too amateurish and quite at odds with the luxury theme of the billionaire’s wedding.

In their wedding invite, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez requested guests to avoid bringing gifts. They also informed guests that a donation had been made on their behalf to the city of Venice.

“We are excited for you to join us! We have one early request: please, no gifts,” read the text on the invitation, which featured black text on a white background.

“Instead, we’re making contributions in your honor and with gratitude to you for making the journey to celebrate with us in Venice.

“Donations on your behalf are being made to the UNESCO Venice Office to safeguard this city’s irreplaceable cultural heritage, to CORILA to restore the vital lagoon habitats that protect Venice’s future, and to Venice

“This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories. Our hope is that through these efforts and by you joining us, Venice will continue to inspire wonder for generations to come,” the invite concluded.

The invitation failed to impress, garnering an overwhelmingly negative response on social media.

“It looks so tacky,” wrote one person on X. “Imagine being a multi multi billionaire and this is the design of your wedding invite. Something a 15 year-old made on Canva,” another said.

“Maybe one of the ugliest invitations I’ve ever seen,” a user named Andrew opined. “All that money and they couldn’t hire a designer,” another person wondered.

One X user added. “This invite design is proof that taste cannot be bought”.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s upcoming wedding in Venice has ignited heated debate—and the buzz isn’t just about their star-studded guest list or $48 million celebration. The controversy now centers on their opulent wedding invitation—labeled “tacky” by social media critics and stirring broader questions about luxury, taste, and the limits of wealth.

The couple is hosting a three-day event (June 26–28, 2025) in Venice, Italy, reportedly costing between €40–48 million ($46–56 million)

Approximately 200 high-profile guests are expected, arriving via 80–90 private jets, yachts (including Bezos’s $500 million superyacht Koru), and water taxis across Venice’s canals

The invitees include A‑listers like Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner

Donations in lieu of gifts will fund Venetian institutions—UNESCO Venice Office, CORILA, and Venice International University—with €3 million upfront and ongoing contributions

Social media conversations called it “tacky,” “cringey,” and a prime example of “taste can’t be bought.”

One Reddit user described the guest list invites as “Tacky‑Tacky Patacky” and called Lauren “a plastic doll”

Another redditor commented dismissively on the glitzy gathering and the ostentatious presentation .

Across platforms, sentiment fell split: some mocked the extravagance, while others viewed it as business-generated tourism for Venice.

Activist groups (Greenpeace, “No Space for Bezos”) protested in St. Mark’s Square, with banners reading “IF YOU CAN RENT VENICE FOR YOUR WEDDING YOU CAN PAY MORE TAX”

WTO advocates argue that 80–100 private jets and yacht traffic will strain Venice’s fragile infrastructure and inflame overtourism

Critics lament that such summits exclude locals and enforce a system that commodifies iconic heritage.

They’ve donated €3 million upfront, with pledges to Venice’s cultural institutions and lagoon protection groups

Supporters argue the event could generate €20–30 million in local economic activity, boosting small businesses

Venice officials—Mayor Luigi Brugnaro and others—say extra security, water traffic management, and infrastructure investment make the extravaganza “manageable”

Many Instagram and Reddit users raised eyebrows at what they saw as plastic glamour overkill .

Pro-wealth voices defended it, noting it “creates jobs—for waiters, chefs, porters, security”

Others saw deeper symbolism: “morbidly wealthy” elite flaunts massive wealth while communities suffer

Luxury doesn’t guarantee class: Critics argue that no matter what money is spent, some aesthetics—and some values—can’t be bought.

Power dynamics: In reclaiming Venice’s public spaces, Bezos is seen either as a generous patron or an overreaching tycoon.

The optics of excess: Late‑stage capitalism critique: is any amount of money too much when basic inequalities remain unresolved?

Invitation cost? Likely in the mid-six to seven figures—but trivial compared to the total package.

€48 million total covers flights, venues, security, planners, decor, donations.

That’s an estimated $240,000+ per guest, assuming 200 attendees

While Bezos dismissed earlier $600 million Aspen rumors as false, this Venice price tag is still astronomical

“If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax.” —Greenpeace banner in St. Mark’s Square

“Tacky‑Tacky Patacky… Lauren looks like a plastic doll.” —Reddit user

Venice authorities: the event will bring “€20–30 million” to the local economy
Financial Express users: “People forget… spending creates jobs—from waiters and chefs to valets and event staff”

This isn’t the first billionaire wedding to spark backlash:

• Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Mukesh Ambani have faced similar criticism.
• What changed here? Scale, location (heritage UNESCO site) and environmental optics amplify tension.

Read Also : At 59, Milind Soman Begins Epic 5-Day Fitness Run From Mumbai To Goa