Sir Elton John will lead a host of performances at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding, sources have told the Mail.
The Rocket Man singer, 78, owns an apartment in Giudecca in Venice, just a short boat ride away from the Bezos wedding events across the cities.
Also set to perform as part of the extravaganza is Lady Gaga, 39.
Elton and Gaga do already have a close friendship – she is godmother to his children – and Jeff and Lauren were said to have personally requested the both of them, says a well-placed source.
The pair have a couple of songs already which they have collaborated together on including Hello Hello and Sine From Above.
It’s thought to hire Elton would have cost Bezos around £1million, but perhaps more, according to sources.
Sir Elton John and Lady Gaga will lead a host of performances at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding in Venice on Friday, sources have told the Mail.
Jeff and Lauren’s wedding will take place over the weekend of June 27 in Venice (pictured together at Vanity Fair Oscar Party 2025)
Two grand pianos were spotted arrive to the destination by gondola earlier this week
The same would be said for Lady Gaga.
On Wednesday night, Jeff and his bride to be Lauren hosted a cocktail party at the Aman hotel.
Clearly lovers of music, they blasted More Than A Woman by the Bee Gees in the garden of the hotel.
They then continued to play tunes like Nina Simone’s I’m Feeling Good, Lovely Day by Bill Withers and Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison.
After being dropped off by water taxi to the hotel’s private jetty, the couple were also joined by around 50 other of their closest guests and friends.
Earlier in the day, in the private garden of the hotel, which is surrounded by a 10ft brick wall, staff could be heard working to erect marquees, ready for a weekend of celebrations.
The Mail revealed that Bezos has hired out the hotel, which is the same that George and Amal Clooney used for their wedding, from Wednesday for 48 guests.
Huge security staff also surrounded the property, around five or six men at each entrance.
Elton and Gaga have a close friendship, and Jeff and Lauren were said to have personally requested both of them (pictured at the Rainforest Fund’s 21st Birthday Concert in NYC 2010)
The pair have a couple of songs already which they have collaborated together on including Hello Hello and Sine From Above
Sources told the Mail 30 guests of the Bezos wedding are staying at £2,700 a night Hotel Cipriani (Jeff and Lauren pictured at the Arman hotel in Venice on Wednesday)
Already a local, Sir Elton bought his one bedroom property in Venice in 2004, and it has views across the water of San Marco as well as huge gothic windows out of the front.
It’s a short walk away from the famous Hotel Cipriani, the only hotel Brad Pitt will stay in when he visits Venice.
Sources told the Mail 30 guests of the Bezos wedding are staying at £2,700 a night Hotel Cipriani.
Staff of Bezos visited the five-star, private hotel at the beginning of the week, to check security measures as well as fly a drone over the opposite island San Giorgio, where one of the wedding events is going to be held.
A huge marquee has been erected in the private gardens on the island and security, who are all ex-marines, have done multiple site visits.
On Thursday, security men could be seen surrounding the island, marking one every few metres. Even at the back of the island where there is a wooded area.
A source told the Mail earlier this week: ‘A function is happening on the island, in the private gardens. They’ve closed parts of it for days and days and you can only hire that out if you’re very very rich.’
The star-studded guest list is said to include Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, Oprah Winfrey, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady and Kim Kardashian.
Ahead of the glitzy ceremony, Orlando Bloom enjoyed a friendly reunion with Kim Kardashian as they mingled in Venice on Thursday
Orlando, 48, wasted no time reaching in for several air kisses with Kim, 44, as the pair joined Khloe Kardashian and friends for a catch up before the ceremony
Other high-profile guests such as US First Daughter Ivanka Trump and her family have already arrived.
The couple are currently being plagued by protesters across the city who are furious the needs of local residents are allegedly being sidelined to make way for wealthy tourists.
Bezos is worth around $224.6 billion and is thought to be spending tens of millions on his wedding.
‘If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax,’ one gigantic banner read in St. Mark’s Square.
Greenpeace and the UK-based collective Everyone Hates Elon have joined protests in Venice attempting to disrupt, or even prevent, the planned wedding celebrations of Amazon founder Bezos this week.
‘Jeff Bezos is the second-richest man in the world yet is reported to pay a 1.1 percent true tax rate,’ the two groups said in a joint statement. ‘The multi-million-dollar wedding is reportedly happening over three days, with the wedding ring alone worth as much as $5million.’
Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro and regional governor Luca Zaia have spoken out in favor of the nuptials, which have been dubbed, ‘the wedding of the century,’ pointing out that the celebrations are expected to bring $23-34million to local businesses.
‘This is a city that handles 150,000 people a day,’ Zaia told Italian daily Corriere della Sera. ‘George Clooney, François-Henri Pinault and Salma Hayek, Alexandre Arnault, Elton John and many others got married here.’
The reality star put on a very animated display during the chat as Orlando giggled away
Kim was later seen greeting another friend as the group mingled with each other
The Lord Of The Rings star kept things casual in a black vest that displayed his muscular arms and Nike shorts
The actor was also seen enjoying a chat with music manager Scooter Braun – who used to manage Katy
Ahead of the glitzy ceremony, Orlando Bloom enjoyed a friendly reunion with Kim Kardashian as they mingled in Venice on Thursday.
The actor is said to have split from fiancée Katy Perry and is preparing to make his debut as a ‘single man’ at the star-studded wedding.
Orlando, 48, wasted no time reaching in for several air kisses with Kim, 44, as the pair joined Khloe Kardashian and friends for a catch up before the ceremony.
The pair have history – with Orlando famously being caught ‘checking out’ Kim’s bottom while at an event with Katy last year.
The actor was also seen enjoying a chat with music manager Scooter Braun – who used to manage Katy.
The pair famously did not see eye to eye when Scooter bought the rights to Taylor Swift’s music catalog and original masters, with Katy tweeting: ‘I stand with Taylor. Stay strong my friend.’
For the day out, Orlando kept things casual in a black vest that displayed his muscular arms and shorts.
Kim – who recently spent time in Paris with Lauren on her hen do – looked incredible in a tiny Balenciaga bandeau top, which also featured a ribbed maxi skirt.
She teamed the garment with snakeskin boots and oversized shades while she shrugged a black hoodie off her shoulders.
By her side was Khloe, who exuded glamour in a skintight leopard print catsuit that showcased her famous curves.
Orlando was later seen sharing a hug with entrepreneur Elsa Marie Collins, who is one of Lauren’s closest friends, as they dined al fresco
The pair seemed in good spirits as they chatted away
Earlier in the day, Kim and Khloe were seen arriving in Venice alongside their mother Kris Jenner on the outing, who showcased her figure in a low-cut dress.
While across town, bride-to-be Lauren and fiancé Jeff looked in good spirits as they left their hotel the day before their extravagant wedding – no doubt keen to greet the new arrivals.
Following on from the Kardashians, Oprah Winfrey was seen making more of a low-key arrival as she stepped out in a white ribbed jumper and trousers.
The couple began their wedding celebrations with a drinks reception with a playlist of romantic music, blasting More Than A Woman by the Bee Gees.
They then continued to play tunes like Nina Simone’s I’m Feeling Good, Lovely Day by Bill Withers and Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison.
Jeff and Lauren mixed the hits with a selection of traditional Italian music as they prepared for their big day.
Kim ensured she would turn heads as she arrived at her Venice hotel in a tiny ab-flashing bandeau top on Thursday
By her side was Khloe Kardashian, who exuded glamour in a skintight leopard print catsuit that showcased her famous curves
Kim, was joined by her mother Kris Jenner on the outing, who was also dressed in black, showcasing her figure in a low-cut dress
While across town, bride-to-be Lauren and fiancé Jeff looked in good spirits as they left their hotel the day before their extravagant wedding
The celebrations are expected to kick off on Thursday and end on Saturday.
But the historic venue that Bezos and Sanchez chose for part of their $20 million bash is covered in scaffolding, MailOnline can reveal.
The lavish three-day event will feature a party held within the fabulous 15th-century Madonna dell’Orto church in Venice’s quaint Cannareggio district tomorrow night.
Venice City Hall issued a directive on Wednesday cordoning off the area, isolating guests from activists who have been protesting for weeks that the celebrations will turn the city of gondolas and palazzi into a private amusement park for the rich.
Bezos, who remains the executive chair of e-commerce giant Amazon and sits at number 4 on Forbes’ billionaires list, got engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to Mackenzie Scott.
In preparation, security guards have now blocked off entrances to the closure where the party will be held, but what guests will first see when they arrive is the iconic bell tower covered in scaffolding.
Kim – who recently spent time in Paris with Lauren on her hen do – looked incredible in a tiny Balenciaga bandeau top, which also featured a ribbed maxi skirt
The mother-of-four was dressed to impress as she sashayed along the dock and jumped into a river taxi as she made her way to check into her hotel
Kim was flanked by security as she left the airport and headed to greet the wedding couple
An assistant was seen holding onto one of the star’s bags as she made her way to her hotel
This has left locals speculating that Bezos may have booked the venue based on seeing pictures on Google without realising it is being repaired.
The revelation comes just a day after MailOnline revealed how a careless wedding organiser had unwittingly leaked sensitive details of the VIP event to the media by being photographed carrying a printed guest list.
Meanwhile, the fact that the huge wedding is taking place in one of the world’s most vulnerable heritage sites has become so controversial that it is being angrily discussed in Italian parliament.
This controversy intensified overnight as council chiefs ordered the blocking off of the canal running in front of the church for around 200 metres, with a landing point for boats closed off with red and white tape.
Access from the Brazzo and Dei Muti canals blocked as well from 6pm tonight – when the wedding festivities kick off with a pyjama party at a secret location – until midnight tomorrow.
Dozens of electrical cables, threading along the ground like spaghetti, are being run from a noisy generator boat moored in the Madonna dell ‘Orto canal, which is creating a noisy din.
The venue for the party is the cloister next door to the church, which is where the famous Renaissance artist Tintoretto is buried.
Khloe strutted along the walkway like a supermodel while clutching onto a Stanley Cup and a large pink Louis Vuitton holdall
She shielded her eyes from the sunshine with a pair of oversized sunglasses
Khloe looked incredible in her figure-hugging one piece as she jumped into a river taxi
Khloe’s assistants dealt with her luggage as she got herself settled on the boat
The website for the cloister describes the venue, which is used for the famous Biennale art exhibition in Venice, as ‘simple, yet elegant’.
Pictures from previous events show tables beneath the vaulted ceilings, atmospherically lit by candlelight – but this week the scaffolding on the church tower will be clearly visible.
The cloister extends to three sides and is supported by ornate columns with a beautiful herringbone floor.
When MailOnline approached a guard and asked if the cloister was open, we were told: ‘No, it’s closed, there is a private function.’
The Aman hotel has built a private jetty for the lucky 48 guests who will be staying there for the Bezos wedding.
Sat on the Grand Canal, the hotel has constructed a small pier covered in a blue tent for those who will be arriving by boat and require privacy. The couple have booked out all 24 grand rooms at the hotel from Wednesday.
Extra police and added safety measures have been brought in for the wedding, and local authorities have been holding a series of daily meetings to discuss how to protect the expected 200 VIPs.
According to local media reports, the city will pay overtime to an unspecified number of police officers involved in security for the wedding organisers.
Kim and Kris were seen enjoying a catch up after their long flight from Los Angeles to Venice
Kris looked incredible in her floor length gown that was adorned with ruffle detailing
Kim looked in good spirits as she waved at onlookers from her river taxi
Kris received a helping hand as she made her way onto the river taxi
Among the assorted billionaires and millionaires on the guest list, there is also Ivanka Trump, who as the US president’s daughter has an extra added level of security.
All of this has prompted questions in parliament from furious MPs – mostly from opposition centre left and environmental parties – wanting to know just how much Italian taxpayers’ money was being spent.
Angelo Bonelli, an MP with the Italian Green and Left Alliance, angrily demanded that Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi from the ruling Brothers of Italy right-wing party provide cost details.
Mr Bonelli said: ‘We need information because from Wednesday until Saturday night the city of Venice will be in a virtual lockdown to allow the Amazon magnate’s wedding to go ahead.
‘It will be locked down, but it will also be a city bought for three days in a sort of unbridled celebration of luxury that will limit the movement of citizens.
‘I am here to ask the Ministry of the Interior to guarantee the freedom to express dissent. How is it possible to buy a city for three days creating a series of inconveniences?’
He added: ‘I remember that Amazon is under investigation for the exploitation of workers, Bezos’ wealth comes from this. If they can buy Venice for three days, these super rich can pay taxes.’
Bonelli’s request was echoed by opposition M5S deputy Antonio Iaria, who said: ‘We too, as the Five Star Movement, ask Piantedosi for information.
‘In the Senate as M5S we also proposed an increase in the web tax not to go against a sector but to address a problem of the future.
‘This government immediately bows to billionaires, it does not ask itself if in a historical moment like this a public order problem is not created.
‘The government shows that Venice must not be a playground for billionaires, tourism is welcome but not to those who rent a city to the detriment of the citizens themselves.’
Following on from the Kardashians, Oprah Winfrey was seen making more of a low-key arrival
Oprah kept things casual in a ribbed white jumper as she made her way to her hotel
Gayle King was spotted making her arrival with Oprah, looking chic in mint green combat trousers
Gayle followed her pal Oprah to the boat as they prepared to join the celebrations
Tom Brady was also seen making a lowkey arrival into Venice on Thursday in time for the celebrations
The former NFL quarterback dressed down in a hoodie and baseball cap as he hopped on board a waiting boat
American film producer Brian Grazer and his wife Veronica Smiley were also seen arriving
Veronica looked incredible in a plunging green shirt that she paired with white hotpants
Kim looked in great spirits as she set off along the canals of the Italian city
He added: ‘Bezos is getting married. Venice is blocked. And how much does it cost the Italian State?
‘We asked Interior Minister Piantedosi. We pay, certainly, for security, for public order, to lock down an entire city and protect a cover wedding.
‘But how much does all this cost Italy? Who guarantees security? Who coordinates traffic?
‘Who manages the inconveniences for citizens and workers? The answer is always the same: the public machine, with public money.
‘And in exchange? Selfies and luxury, while those struggling to pay the rent watch from afar.’
No-one from the organisers or Venice town hall who cover the local police budget was immediately available for comment.
