Venice is suffering through an all-out billionaire invasion as Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez prepare to tie the knot in the floating city.
Among the arrivals: media tycoons, tech titans, Hollywood elites, and royals—collectively worth close to half a trillion dollars, or the equivalent of Nevada and New Hampshire’s GDP combined.
Here’s a look at who’s descending on Venice—and just how rich this guest list really is.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez: $226.7 Billion
The Amazon founder, 61, and his TV-anchor-turned-Hollywood fiancée, 55, are throwing the “wedding of the century,” shelling out over $50 million for the affair—nearly double Sánchez’s $30 million net worth.
Amid local protests accusing them of turning Venice into a “playground for oligarchs,” the couple welcomed some 200 A-list guests to their celebration, many who arrived this week by private yacht while others clogged Marco Polo airport with private jets.
Bezos also invited President Donald Trump, but despite the president’s affinity for billionaires and gilded spectacles, he declined, citing scheduling conflicts.
Bill Gates: $116.5 Billion
The Microsoft co-founder, 69, touched down in his private jet on Thursday and later attended the wedding’s welcome party alongside his girlfriend, Paula Hurd—the widow of Oracle CEO Mark Hurd. The couple previously attended Bezos and Sanchez’s engagement party aboard the Blue Origin founder’s $500 million superyacht, the 417-foot-long “Koru,” in 2023.
Lachlan Murdoch: $2.1 Billion
One of several media tycoons to show up for the wedding, Lachlan Murdoch, 53, is the son of 94-year-old publishing magnate Rupert Murdoch and the heir to the family’s multibillion-dollar media empire. He arrived in Venice with his wife Sarah.
The Kardashians: $2.6 Billion
Kim Kardashian, 44, tops the clan’s net worth list at $1.7 billion, followed by Kylie Jenner, 27, at $670 million. The Kardashians—close friends with Sanchez—have built their fortunes through business ventures launched off the back of their reality-TV fame. Kim and Kylie are accompanied by their poorer sisters Khloé Kardashian and Kendall Jenner, and momager Kris Jenner, 69, who brought boyfriend Corey Gamble for the gondola ride.
Francois-Henri Pinault: $18.8 Billion
Francois-Henri Pinault, 63, heir to the Pinault family’s massive fortune, is the head of luxury group Kering, which owns brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, and Balenciaga. He was spotted without his wife, actress Salma Hayek.
Barry Diller and Diane von Fürstenberg: $5.2 Billion
Barry Diller, another media mogul, is the chairman of IAC (a co-owner of the Daily Beast) and is attending the festivities with his wife, fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg. The couple, 83 and 78, are longterm friends of Bezos and Sánchez, and their yacht is said to have inspired the design of Bezo’s Koru.
Oprah Winfrey: $3.1 Billion
The world’s richest talk-show host, 71, was pictured boarding a boat after her private jet landed in Venice on Thursday. Oprah Winfrey was accompanied by her best friend, CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King, 70, who took part in Sánchez’s 11-minute trip to the edge of space aboard the Blue Origin rocket in April. King and Sanchez declared themselves astronauts; the official definition does not agree.
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana: $4.5 Billion
Rumor has it Sánchez chose Dolce & Gabbana for her wedding gown—so, naturally, the men behind the legendary fashion house made the trip to Venice. Like many other guests, Domenico Dolce, 66, and Stefano Gabbana, 62, are staying at five-star hotels situated directly on the Grand Canal, like the Aman and the Gritti Palace.
John Elkann: $2.8 Billion
John Elkann, 49, (left) is the head of the Agnelli family—a multi-industry business dynasty built by his great-great-grandfather, Fiat founder Giovanni Agnelli. In addition to chairing automaker Stellantis, which makes Dodge and Jeep in the U.S., Elkann is the CEO of Exor, a holding company with controlling stakes in Ferrari, The Economist, and Fiat. He is accompanied by wife Lavinia Borromeo (right).
Ari Emanuel: $1 Billion
One of Hollywood’s most powerful—and wealthiest—talent agents, Emanuel, 64, is linked to Sánchez and Bezos through his agency, Endeavor. He also serves as chairman and CEO of media conglomerate TKO Holdings Group, which owns both the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Emanuel was the real-life inspiration for Ari Gold on the HBO series Entourage.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner: $840 Million
Although her father skipped the occasion, Ivanka Trump, 43, made the trip across the Atlantic with her husband Jared Kushner, 44—who may soon crack the billionaire ranks through his investment firm Affinity Partner—and their three kids. “Ready to celebrate the love story of our friends,” Ivanka posted on X.
Queen Rania of Jordan: $35 Million
Rania, 54, has reportedly maintained a close friendship with Bezos and Sánchez ever since Bezos first visited her and her husband, King Abdullah II, 63, at Jordan’s royal palace in 2016. She was joined in Venice by her son, Crown Prince Hussein, his wife, Princess Rajwa, and their newborn daughter.
