Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have one request to guests in wedding invitation
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and American media personality Lauren Sanchez do not want gifts for their wedding.
Multiple outlets, including TMZ and E! News, reported that Bezos. 59, and Sanchez, 53, sent out invitations to guests that stated, "We are excited for you to join us! We have one early request: please, no gifts."
Bezos and Sanchez said they're instead making donations in honor of their guests to three institutions in Venice in Italy, where their wedding is taking place.
These institutions are the UNESCO Venice Office "to safeguard this city's irreplaceable cultural heritage"; CORILA "to restore the vital lagoon habitats that protect Venice's future"; and Venice International University "to support research and education for sustainable solutions."
"This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories," they added. "Our hope is that through these efforts and by you joining us, Venice will continue to inspire wonder for generations to come."
The wedding is expected to take place this week, according to CNN. The anticipated lavish, multimillion-dollar affair is a closely guarded event, with one guest even reportedly signing a non-disclosure agreement.
Sánchez and Bezos became a couple in 2019.
The two kept mum about their romance until Bezos' divorce from MacKenzie Scott, his wife of 25 years, was finalized. He and Scott have four children. According to entertainment portal Page Six, Scott received $38 billion (P2.1 trillion) as a divorce settlement, which made her the world's third richest woman with 25% of their joint stock in Amazon. She donated half of it to charity.
Sánchez, meanwhile, was previously married to Patrick Whitesell, with whom she shares two kids: Ella and Evan. She also shares 22-year-old son Nikko with former NFL player Tony Gonzalez.
Bezos proposed to Sanchez in May 2023 with a 30-carat diamond ring while they were on his $500 million (P28 billion) yacht, which she recalled to Vogue Magazine for its December issue that year.
An expert jeweler told PEOPLE Magazine that the engagement ring is probably worth $3 million to $5 million (P168.3 million to P280.6 million), or even higher.
Bezos and Sánchez's impending nuptials have been met with protests in Venice, with groups, including Greenpeace, calling for the Amazon founder to pay more tax if he can "rent" the city.
