When Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez finally tied the knot in Venice last June, it wasn't just a wedding. It was a hostile takeover of the Italian lagoons. Imagine 90 private jets clogging up Marco Polo Airport and enough security to protect a small nation-state.
The "wedding of the century" had everyone from Oprah to the Kardashians riding water taxis like they were the local bus. But when the dust—or rather, the sea spray—settled, two major names were missing from the pews. Salma Hayek and Eva Longoria didn't go to the Bezos wedding, and honestly, the internet had some thoughts about it.
People immediately started whispering about "feuds" or "snubs." You know how it goes. If you’re not at the $50 million party, you must be "canceled" or angry. But the truth is way more boring and, frankly, more relatable (if you’re a global superstar).
The Mystery of Why Salma Hayek and Eva Longoria Didn't Go to the Bezos Wedding
First off, let’s kill the drama. There is no beef.
Lauren Sánchez has been tight with the "Latina Powerhouse" circle for years. We’re talking decades of history. So, why the empty seats? It basically came down to the one thing even billionaires can't control: the calendar.
Salma Hayek: Glastonbury Over Gondolas
Salma Hayek was actually invited. Her husband, Francois-Henri Pinault, was literally there in Venice. He was photographed looking dapper on a water taxi alongside Kim Kardashian and Orlando Bloom. So why wasn't Salma next to him?
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She was in a field in Somerset.
While the Bezos crew was sipping Prosecco in Venice, Salma was at the Glastonbury Festival. She was spotted hanging out with Stella McCartney and Anya Taylor-Joy, trading the Venetian heat for the muddy, legendary vibes of the UK's biggest music fest. For Salma, the choice was apparently between a formal black-tie affair in Italy or watching SZA and Coldplay in her wellies. She chose the wellies.
Eva Longoria: The Career Grind
Eva's story is a bit different. She’s a workaholic. It's no secret.
The reason Eva Longoria didn't go to the Bezos wedding wasn't because she didn't want to celebrate her "space sister" Lauren. She was literally in the middle of filming her CNN series, Searching for Spain.
Production schedules are brutal. You can’t just halt a multi-million dollar film crew because your friend is marrying the guy who owns half the internet. Plus, her husband, José Bastón, was reportedly recovering from shoulder surgery at the time. She was seen in Marbella, Spain, shortly after, looking totally relaxed.
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The 50 Million Dollar Elephant in the Room
It’s worth noting that Eva Longoria and Lauren Sánchez are business friends, too. Back in 2024, Bezos and Sánchez gave Eva $50 million as part of the Bezos Courage & Civility Award.
You don't take 50 million bucks from someone and then "snub" their wedding over a petty disagreement.
Who actually showed up?
Since the "no-shows" made such big waves, let's look at who did make it to the Venetian Arsenal:
- The Kardashian-Jenner Clan: Kris, Kim, Khloé, Kendall, and Kylie were all over Venice.
- The Tech Titans: Bill Gates (with Paula Hurd) and Sam Altman.
- The Legends: Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King were practically the guests of honor.
- The Entertainment Heavyweights: Leonardo DiCaprio, Katy Perry, and Usher.
The guest list was capped at about 200 people. It was intimate by billionaire standards. Losing two heavy hitters like Salma and Eva definitely left a hole in the "Old Hollywood" glamour of the event, but the party went on.
Why This Still Matters in 2026
We're sitting here months later, and people are still obsessed with the logistics of this wedding. Why? Because it represents the pinnacle of "lifestyle" excess.
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Venice was practically under siege. Local activists were hanging banners from the Rialto Bridge and threatening to throw inflatable crocodiles into the canals. There was a lot of tension between the ultra-wealthy "invaders" and the locals who feel like their city is being sold to the highest bidder.
When Salma Hayek and Eva Longoria didn't go to the Bezos wedding, it inadvertently spared them some of that local PR backlash. They avoided the "Kardashian Jetty" drama and the protests.
The Bottom Line
Sometimes a missed wedding is just a missed wedding. In the world of A-listers, schedules are booked years in advance.
If you're looking for a scandal, you won't find one here. Salma wanted to hear live music in England, and Eva had a show to film in Spain. They’re still part of the inner circle. In fact, Eva and Lauren were seen grabbing dinner in Beverly Hills at Funke just a few months after the wedding, looking as close as ever.
What you should do next:
If you're following celebrity friendship dynamics, don't look at wedding guest lists as the final word on who's "in" or "out." Instead, watch for the smaller, unpublicized interactions. The real loyalty in Hollywood isn't shown at a $50 million televised event; it's shown in the $50 million grants and the quiet dinners in 90210.
Keep an eye on the upcoming Met Gala 2026, where Bezos and Sánchez are set to be major sponsors. That will be the real test of who is currently in the "inner-inner" circle of the world's most powerful couple.