'No gifts, please': Jeff Bezos and Lauren S¨¢nchez want wedding guests to donate to local organisations in Venice

Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are all set to get married in a lavish setup in Venice, Italy, on Friday, June 27. Apart from the A-listers' guest list and multiday wedding celebrations, a copy of their wedding invitation cited by E! News noted that Bezos and Sanchez are planning to give away a unique and special age-old custom of wedding gifts, and the couple also mentioned, "We have one early request: please, no gifts," in the invitation.

Meanwhile, the duo have announced that in honour of each of their guests, donations will be made to three local organisations working to preserve Venice's unique culture, ecosystem and future. The lavish wedding has a carefully curated guest list of the world's elite group.

The multi-day affair includes a ceremony aboard Bezos's $500 million yacht, Koru, and is being planned by the top-tier event planner Lanza & Baucina.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez request that guests bring gifts to the wedding

The 61-year-old billionaire and 51-year-old journalist have requested that wedding guests not bring gifts, and instead they have planned to make donations to local organisations in Venice that are primarily focused on preserving the city's culture and ecosystem.

This request was communicated in their wedding invitation. The invitation continued, "Donations on your behalf are being made to the UNESCO Venice Office to safeguard this city's irreplaceable cultural heritage."

Credit: X | @PopCrave

It further mentioned CORILA to restore the vital lagoon habitats that protect Venice's future and Venice International University to support research and education for sustainable solutions.

What's planned for the return gifts?

According to TMZ, the couple will treat their attendees with goody bags filled with locally crafted Venetian glassware from Laguna Beach and traditional sweets from Rosa Salva.

The couple are asking the guests to contribute to charities that will help secure the future of Venice, as it holds special significance for them. The gesture is seen as a meaningful way to give back to the city that will host their wedding.

Credit: X

Significance of donations in Venice

The request by the couple and the charity decision hold major significance for the City of Canal, as Venice has long struggled with climate change, overtourism, and rising water levels.

The contributions in place of gifts from Bezos and Sanchez are focused on supporting the future of the city that will witness the start of their next chapter.

Netizens react to the 'no gift please' request

Amid this, a Reddit thread grabbed the attention of netizens and sparked discussion. One user wrote, "Just shows you money can't buy taste, even at this level."

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While another wrote, "I would have expected a scroll wrapped around a Rolex or something."

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"You can have all the money in the world, and no taste," one trolled the invitation design.

While on the other hand, an X (formerly called Twitter) said, "He should be donating to migrant causes."

He should be donating to migrant causes.

¡ª Manu Bergher (@manuelbergher) June 24, 2025

"Jeff said he¡¯s rich enough and doesn¡¯t need any gifts ?"