"Bezos-Sánchez wedding hit by designer dress theft"

Lauren Sánchez reportedly brought 27 designer outfits for her wedding to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in Venice last week but departed with only 26 after one went missing.

The pair, now on their honeymoon in Taormina, Sicily, were married during a three-day event attended by numerous high-profile guests in the Italian city.

They left Venice on Sunday, but the unaccounted-for dress has fueled speculation. According to *Corriere della Sera*, it may have been taken by an individual who bypassed security and arrived uninvited to a gathering on the island of San Giorgio, where the ceremony took place on Friday. The paper claimed the number of unexpected attendees prompted the involvement of Italy’s counter-terrorism unit, Digos.

The report also stated that an older Dolce & Gabbana dress, worn either by the bride or guest Ivanka Trump, was damaged and briefly caught fire during another celebration.

Individuals close to the matter confirmed a dress was missing but rejected claims of theft. It remains unclear when or where it disappeared. The couple stayed at the high-end Aman hotel, where the bride’s wardrobe was reportedly carefully monitored.

These sources emphasized that no formal report regarding the missing item had been filed, with the expectation that it would eventually resurface. They also refuted allegations of a dress catching fire or unauthorized guests disrupting the festivities.

The wedding, estimated to cost between €40m and €48m (approximately £34m-£41m), reportedly featured various events, from casual parties to formal dinners and a *Great Gatsby*-themed gathering.

However, opposition to the event was widespread, with critics arguing it highlighted Venice’s growing reputation as an exclusive retreat for the wealthy, offering little benefit to residents. Due to threats from demonstrators—who planned to obstruct waterways with inflatable crocodiles—the main reception’s location was altered last-minute to ensure the arrival of around 200 guests, including Whoopi Goldberg, Orlando Bloom, and Kim Kardashian.

Attendees traveled to Venice via luxury yachts and over 90 private jets.

During Friday’s festivities, protesters projected the phrase *"No Kings, No Bezos"* onto St. Mark’s bell tower using a green laser. Demonstrators also floated a life-sized effigy of Bezos down the Grand Canal, clinging to an Amazon package while holding counterfeit money.

Luigi Brugnaro, Venice's mayor, called the protests “disgraceful” and defended the wedding as economically beneficial for the city.

The couple has since relocated to Taormina, reportedly arriving by Bezos’ yacht before flying by helicopter to San Domenico Palace, a luxury hotel overlooking Sicily’s eastern coast.