Amid the charming, historic surroundings of Venice’s Madonna dell’Orto church, Bill Gates, joined by his partner Paula Hurd, made a notable appearance at the elegant welcome celebration held in honor of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s highly awaited wedding weekend.
The event, held in an elegantly restored cloister on the evening of June 26, kicked off the three-day celebration unfolding across Venice. Celebrity attendees appeared via private water taxis, traversing the city’s romantic canals for a night of elegance and opulence.
High-profile guests included luminaries such as Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brady, Kim and Khloé Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Orlando Bloom, Diane von Furstenberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Queen Rania of Jordan, alongside tech moguls Andy Jassy, Eric Schmidt, Lachlan Murdoch, and Bill Gates himself.
Since publicly confirming their relationship in early 2023, 69-year-old Bill Gates and Paula Hurd have remained in the public eye. Their latest outing follows appearances at Bezos and Sánchez’s engagement party in August 2023 and the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony in April 2024.
The couple’s bond has grown deeper in both public and private spheres. Gates has described Hurd as his “serious girlfriend,” acknowledging her early support while crafting his memoir, Source Code: My Beginnings. In February 2025, he said he feels “lucky to have a serious girlfriend named Paula”.
While the lavish celebration dazzles attendees, it has provoked both delight and debate among locals. Some city residents applaud the international attention and financial influx, while others as well as climate activists have criticized the extravagance and environmental impact. To address logistical, security, and environmental concerns, organizers relocated certain events to the highly secure Venetian Arsenal district.
The Venice wedding festivities span through June 26–28 and include events at iconic venues like San Giorgio Maggiore, a Gatsby-themed soirée, a foam party aboard Bezos’s superyacht off the Croatian coast, and a grand finale at the historic Arsenale shipyard.
Security remains tight, with police-enforced restricted zones and continuous coordination to balance the transparency desired by the public with the privacy of VIP guests. Protests, including banners reading “No Space for Bezos,” have surfaced, spotlighting the cultural and environmental concerns surrounding mega-events in Venice.
Bill Gates’s attendance alongside his longtime partner Paula Hurd reinforces the convergence of global tech, entertainment, and celebrity spheres at this landmark event. Their presence helps solidify the significance of Bezos and Sánchez’s union, while also spotlighting both the glamorous and contentious sides of hosting a billionaire-level wedding in a historic city like Venice.
