Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez may have spared no expense on their lavish three-day celebration in Venice, Italy, but multiple sources are now claiming the billionaire couple is already legally married. Despite the grandeur of the event, held on the picturesque island of San Giorgio Maggiore on Friday, June 27, it appears the ceremony was symbolic rather than legally binding.
According to Page Six, the couple did not file the necessary documents to officially marry under Italian law. An Italian source explained, “By law, civil weddings in Italy must typically be officiated at the town hall. However, the city can designate another venue as legally valid for the ceremony.”
The source added, “According to the councilor, there were no signs that this had occurred, nor that the necessary documents for non-residents to marry in Italy had been submitted.” Insiders have since revealed that Bezos and Sánchez were already legally wed before the high-profile festivities began.
The celebration drew an elite guest list that included Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Khloé Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, NFL legend Tom Brady, billionaire Barry Diller, and designer Diane von Furstenberg, as well as music mogul Scooter Braun.
A Florida-based attorney confirmed the legality of a pre-wedding arrangement, saying, “Often, a marriage in a foreign country is not valid in the USA, or it creates other issues. So yes, it is likely they are already married.” The Times of London echoed this, citing a Venice official who stated, “I can totally rule out that they will have a civil ceremony in Venice under Italian law.”
This wouldn’t be the first time a celebrity couple held a symbolic wedding celebration in Italy. In 2014, George and Amal Clooney famously wed in Venice, but their legal ceremony was reported to have taken place at the Venice Town Hall.
Meanwhile, three prominent lawyers confirmed that Bezos and Sánchez have signed a substantial prenuptial agreement. One attorney explained, “They can get married anywhere, as their prenup would generally be drafted to ensure its enforceability everywhere.”
However, legal experts emphasized that divorce proceedings, if ever necessary, would be tied to the couple’s primary state of residence. “Divorce can only happen in the state of primary residence. So if they live in Florida, no matter where they marry or what the prenup says, they would have to divorce in Florida,” said one attorney.
They further clarified, “A prenup cannot confer jurisdiction on a state to grant a divorce without residency in that state.” While their Italian celebration captivated the world, it seems the legal union of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez had already taken place quietly, well before the grand affair.