Bezos – Sanchez Wedding: From Fabrizio Mellino’s Menu to Bastien Blanc-Tailleur’s Creations

You say “dream wedding” and you think of gondolas, sunsets and eternal promises: but Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s in Venice is also – and perhaps above all – a gastronomic event built down to the millimetre. The couple chose Venice for three days of celebrations, with 200 guests and a direction that was curated down to the smallest details, where even the smallest biscuit tells something. There is great secrecy about the event that will see the participation of movie stars and top-level managers: there are still few rumors about the menu, while some news has arrived about who will take care of the desserts. Here’s what we know so far.

Menu and Chef: Mystery All Along The Line

From June 24 to 26, 2025, Venice is the stage for a wedding that has combined glamour and haute cuisine. With around 200 guests, including Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio and the Kardashians, the ceremony takes place in the Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore and will be followed by celebrations at the Arsenale and other historic locations in the city. The organization, curated by Lanza & Baucina, has focused on a sustainable approach, with 80% of the supplies coming from local artisans.

The Amalfi Coast gave flavor to the wedding of the year, with a team from Campania that transformed Venice into a corner of Southern Italy. Fabrizio Mellino, three-Michelin-star chef at Quattro Passi in Nerano, signed the banquet for the 200 guests both at the Christmas Eve dinner and at the wedding lunch. The signature dish? A timeless classic: spaghetti alla Nerano, with fried courgettes and provolone del Monaco, prepared according to family tradition.

But the journey through Mediterranean flavors didn’t stop there: three weeks ago, Mellino ordered a thousand portions of desserts from Sal De Riso, without being able to reveal who they were for. Only yesterday did the famous pastry chef from Minori discover that his lemon, ricotta and pear delights, desserts in a glass and single-portion mignon, were intended for Jeff Bezos’s reception. To complete the menu, there was also Neapolitan pizza with dough coming directly from the Rione Sanità, signed – in all likelihood but there are no certainties – by Ciro Oliva, the enfant prodige of the Neapolitan bakery. In short, a lagoon wedding with a soul and stomach in the South.

The Spectacular Sweet Art of Bastien Blanc-Tailleur and Rosa Salva

One of the few certain pieces of information so far is that the wedding cake will be made by the famous French pastry chef Bastien Blanc-Tailleur, known for his artistic and spectacular creations, whom chef Yannick Alléno called "the reincarnation of Michelangelo". According to rumors, the monumental cake featured decorations inspired by Venetian gondolas, the symbol of the city. Blanc-Tailleur, at just 33 years old, is considered a pastry prodigy, with an internationally recognized talent.

In addition to the cake, guests were able to enjoy the delights of the historic Rosa Salva pastry shop, active in Venice since 1870. The pastry shop provided typical Venetian biscuits, such as bussolà and zaletti, which were also included in the gift bags for guests. A choice that underlines the couple's commitment to promoting local excellence and the culinary traditions of the lagoon city.

Signature Cocktail with Alessandro Palazzi

To accompany the culinary delights, Alessandro Palazzi, legendary bartender of Dukes in London, was brought in. Known for his Martini, Palazzi curated a selection of cocktails that enhanced the flavors of the menu, offering guests a complete sensory experience.

Armored Spouses, Venetians on the Warpath: The Protests

While the wedding guests enjoyed starred dishes and signature desserts, outside the golden walls of the party the atmosphere was very different. In Venice, not everyone welcomed the arrival of the American billionaire with enthusiasm. During the days of the event, the city saw activists and residents take to the streets, tired of seeing the historic center transformed into yet another exclusive set for the rich. With banners and slogans (“Venice is not an amusement park”), the protests pointed the finger at the limitations on mobility, the use of public spaces for private events and a tourism model that risks emptying the city of its inhabitants. The authorities strengthened security with blockades, barriers and transit bans, transforming some areas of the center into a sort of red zone for three days. A locked-down Venice, in short, where inside people popped champagne, and outside people asked: “And us?”.