Why are Jeff Bezos mannequins popping up all over Venice? Amazon founder's extravagant wedding to Lauren Sánchez protested by city's residents

Jeff Bezos and his longtime partner, Lauren Sánchez, have finally tied the knot in Venice. However, amidst the celebration, what did not fail to grab the media’s attention were the Amazon founder’s mannequins seen at places across the city. According to NBC News, a life-size dummy of Jeff Bezos holding some cash while clutching onto an Amazon cardboard box was seen floating on Venice’s Grand Canal.

In another video by the New York Post, mannequins of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez were put on a gondola while it was carried by the boatman. Another dummy showed Bezos reading a newspaper while using a toilet. These mannequins have reportedly been markers of protest against the couple’s marriage. Sources mention that several activists are displeased over the wedding taking away space and resources, since it is peak time for tourists to visit.

However, the people taking part in these demonstrations have noted that their protest was not directly against Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding but the alleged exploitation of the city. As per a report by Sky News from June 26, 2025, a protester, Alice Bazzoli, said:

“He is basically going to treat the whole city as a private ballroom, as a private event area, as if the citizens are not there.”

Similarly, another person, Federica Toninelli, said:

“This is not what Venice needs. This is not what a city that is already suffering from overtourism needs. It's going to bring money, yes, but we are not going to see any money.”

Here’s what people think about Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s destination wedding

Bazzoli questioned whether the city should continue to be overtaken by tourists, wealthy elites instead of focusing on providing essential services like healthcare, education, and jobs to the residents who could live there like regular people rather than selling it off to the highest bidder.

On June 23, 2025, people from Greenpeace and another organization displayed a massive banner in St. Mark’s Square showing Jeff Bezos laughing, along with a message suggesting that Bezos could pay higher taxes if he could rent Venice to get hitched.

NBC News’s Molly Hunter spoke to a café owner who shared her thoughts about what was happening in Venice. The owner, Ilaria, said:

“This city is for everybody, for Bezos for (his) wife and for you, for me, for everybody, for every person.”

A server, Tommaso Grossi, said:

“I don’t see no problem with it. As a Venetian, we are not getting any kind of troubles or problems with public transport. I can get whatever I like.”

Lauren Sánchez changed her Instagram handle to “@laurensanchezbezos.” She shared photos from the wedding on the social media platform. In one of the posts, she was seen wearing her wedding gown. The post was captioned:

“Not just a gown, a piece of poetry. Thank you @dolcegabbana for the magic you made.”

The wedding had a star-studded guest list that included Orlando Bloom, Gayle King, Tom Brady, Bill Gates, and others. Reportedly, Jeff Bezos gave a $5 million diamond necklace to Lauren Sánchez as a wedding gift.

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