The Wedding of Bezos and Sánchez: A Venice Affair

When it came to deciding on a location for their wedding, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez turned to close friends Dolce and Siqueira for guidance. While Italy was the focus, the couple was unsure of where exactly to tie the knot, considering locations like Hawaii, where they owned a home, as well as Capri and Taormina. However, the Italian duo insisted that Venice was the most romantic city in the world. With the offer from Diane von Fürstenberg to host a welcome dinner at her palazzo on the Grand Canal, the decision was made. Sánchez humorously recounts how von Fürstenberg corrected her, emphasizing that Venice is a “she,” not an “it.”

For Dolce and Siqueira, it was essential that the wedding attire harmonized with the location, creating a cinematic experience. One of the dresses for the occasion, a burgundy velvet creation with a draped, deep-V neckline, drew inspiration from the Doges of Venice, particularly in its color. Another option featured a print of Canaletto’s painting, “The Return of the Bucintoro on Ascension Day,” on double-faced duchess silk adorned with Swarovski crystals and intricate beading.

During a photoshoot for Vogue, Sánchez showcased the Canaletto dress against a backdrop of jasmine and English roses, navigating the cobblestones in heels with ease. Growing up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sánchez reminisces about her childhood fascination with bridal attire, sewing veils from her mother’s lace scraps. Her love for fashion and design stemmed from flipping through Vogue Spain and creating her own dresses with her mother.

Describing her first wedding dress as a spur-of-the-moment purchase from a shop window in Century City, Sánchez expresses her excitement for a custom-designed gown for her marriage to Bezos. The intricate details of the dress, including 180 hand-finished silk chiffon-covered buttons along the train, required 900 hours of atelier work. Sánchez was awestruck when Dolce boldly snipped a sleeve off during a fitting in Milan, only to seamlessly reattach it with slight adjustments.

Reflecting on the experience, Sánchez describes the process as a dream come true. From the personalized design to the meticulous craftsmanship, every aspect of the gown embodied elegance and sophistication, fitting for a wedding in the enchanting city of Venice.