People have noticed an uncomfortable detail in Lauren Sanchez’s bridal photos.
Sanchez and Jeff Bezos recently tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Venice, Italy, but it’s not just the high-profile nuptials that have everyone talking.
Instead, behind-the-scenes photos from the event have gone viral on social media, and not for the reasons the couple might have hoped.
Sanchez, 55, married the Amazon founder, 61, wearing a dramatic custom Dolce & Gabbana gown adorned with intricate floral embellishments, a form-fitting bodice, high neckline, and a sweeping train.
Shortly after the ceremony, she began her social media ‘rebrand’ by deleting all her previous Instagram posts, updating her last name to Bezos, and sharing two new uploads: one of the couple hand-in-hand, and another carousel of preparation shots.
One caption on the post read: “Not just a gown, a piece of poetry. Thank you @dolcegabbana for the magic you made.”
However, online attention quickly shifted from Sanchez’s glamorous look to an overlooked element in one of the images.
Earlier in the week, Sanchez debuted a massive oval-cut diamond wedding ring, estimated at $4 million, complementing her previous $2.5 million engagement ring.
According to Vogue, the bride kept some traditions intact, including keeping her dress a secret from Bezos.
“I almost gave in,” she admitted, “but I want it to be a surprise. As you get a little older, not many things surprise you.”
For her ‘something blue,’ Sanchez carried a memento from her recent 11-minute trip into space. “It’s something from my space flight,” she revealed. “Blue Origin.”
Meanwhile, the couple’s wedding wasn’t without controversy beyond social media.
Local activist groups in Venice held protests under the banner ‘No Space for Bezos,’ a reference to both Bezos’s space company, Blue Origin, and Sanchez’s recent spaceflight.
Signs included messages such as ‘Money cannot buy style’ and ‘$55 million spent on a wedding just to get a divorce in three days.’
In a behind-the-scenes photo, two Dolce & Gabbana atelier staff members are seen in the background, dressed in outfits resembling maid uniforms – white pinafores with black accents.
Their solemn expressions and stiff posture led some online to criticize the image as tone-deaf, especially given the extravagant nature of the celebration.
One commenter added an arrow pointing at the pair and wrote: “She willingly posted this. Ma’am. If ever there was an image to encapsulate this nightmare.”
Another chimed in: “It’s giving ‘Handmaid’s Tale,’” referencing the dystopian novel.
Critics weren’t just concerned with the aesthetics. Some interpreted the moment as a symbol of inequality and extravagance.
“Peak dystopia!” one social media user wrote, while others described the tailors’ uniforms as a fetishized throwback to the 1950s.
Sanchez herself had previously told Vogue that she drew inspiration from that era and Sophia Loren’s bridal style in the 1958 film Houseboat.
Despite the backlash, Sanchez and Bezos appeared unfazed.
As they exited the luxury Aman Hotel, where rooms start at over $1,000 per night, Sanchez ignored reporters, while Bezos responded simply with: “Love you guys,” before blowing a kiss to the crowd.
