Kim Kardashian Arrives In Venice For Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Wedding
Kim Kardashian 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.
Kim Kardashian 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 from her sister Kim's
SKIMS collab with Dolce & Gabbana, that showcased her famous
curves.
The siblings were joined by 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 - no doubt keen to greet the new arrivals.
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.
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.
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.
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.'
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.'
Campaign group No Space For Bezos have
already said they plan to disrupt the wedding by blocking canals and have asked
activists to 'turn up with snorkels and masks',
They have also been encouraged to bring inflatable
crocodiles or other toys to scatter along the canals to impede the dozens of
water taxis hired to ferry guests between venues.
Ruling Brothers of Italy MP Salvatore Caiata hit back and
said:'We do not agree that Piantedosi should report to the Chamber on this
topic also because the Minister of the Interior is not a wedding planner, we
cannot ask that the government come to report to the Chamber on every topic, it
is paradoxical that every situation is used to exploit.'
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