Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez have already tied the knot in the US after signing a multi-million dollar prenup, multiple sources tell Page Six.
The happy couple, who have organized a $10 million, three-day wedding spree, have not registered to tie the knot in Venice. Sources say they were legally married ahead of their lavish ceremony on Friday on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore.
“Often a marriage in a foreign country is not valid in the USA, or creates other issues, so yes it is likely they are already married,” said one renowned Florida-based attorney.
Another Italian source confirmed to us they have legally wed before their big ceremony on Friday.
City officials told The Times of London the couple did not make an official request to wed in the Floating City, which is required under Italian law. “I can totally rule out that they will have a civil ceremony in Venice under Italian law,” an official said.
Reps would not confirm whether Amazon founder Bezos, 61, who is the world’s third richest man, and Sánchez, 55, have already had a civil ceremony.
When George Clooney wed Amal Alamuddin in Venice in 2014, the ceremony was officiated at Venice town hall before their lavish celebration.
Meanwhile, three prominent divorce attorneys told us they were aware that Bezos and Sánchez – who live mainly in Miami, Florida, where Bezos bought three homes on the exclusive Indian Creek island – have signed a huge prenup,
As one said, “They can get married anywhere as their prenup would generally be drafted to include its enforceability everywhere.”
However, “Divorce can only happen in the state of the primary residence,” added the Florida attorney, “So if they live in Florida, no matter where they marry or what the prenup says, they would have to divorce in Florida.
“Likewise, if they left Florida and moved to New York as a primary residence they would have to divorce in NY. A prenup cannot confer jurisdiction on a state to grant a divorce without residency in that state.”
To marry in Venice, as US citizens, Bezos and Sánchez would have to sign an Affidavit or “Dichiarazione Giurata” sworn to before a US consular officer accredited in Italy, stating that there is no legal impediment to their marriage according to the law of their US state.
They would then have to schedule an appointment for a notary service with one of the US Consulates General in Italy or with the US Embassy in Rome to obtain the “Dichiarazione Giurata.” They would have to sign another declaration called an “Atto Notorio”.
A civil ceremony in Italy is performed by the Mayor or one of his deputies, and you need two witnesses, while a religious ceremony is considered valid if performed by a Roman Catholic priest.
Another Italian source added they were told by the Culture Commissioner, a member of Mayor Brugnaro’s council, that no municipal authority would take part in the wedding, and that no city-owned spaces would be used for any part of the ceremonies.
“By law, civil weddings in Italy must typically be officiated at the town hall,” said the source, “However, the city can designate another venue as legally valid for the ceremony. According to the councilor, there were no signs that this had occurred, nor that the necessary documents for non-residents to marry in Italy had been submitted.”
The couple has seemingly not signed up for any of this.
Bezos and Sanchez were last seen en route to a welcome dinner in Venice on Thursday night with a host of A-list guests, including Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner and Khloe Kardashian; Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King; billionaire Barry Diller and designer wife Diane Von Furstenberg; NFL legend Tom Brady and music exec Scooter Braun, alongside newly single Orlando Bloom.
Their Miami neighbors, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have already been soaking up Venice with their three kids.
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