Jeff Bezos' Wedding May Be Too Toxic for Lady Gaga and Elton John's Brands: 'They Fear Being Labeled Hypocrites'

Lady Gaga and Elton John are reportedly reconsidering a performance at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's European wedding, fearing it could harm their reputations.

Although the Amazon head and his fiancée asked the stars themselves to attend their wedding, sources say the artists are also reportedly feeling reluctant to have their names associated with a drama-filled event, from environmental blowback over private yachts to long-standing criticism of Amazon's labor practices.

"The Bezos wedding may be a giant payday, but it's hardly a great look for their 'do-gooder' reputations," one insider told Radar Online. "They fear being labeled hypocrites."

Reputations vs. Riches

Bezos and Sánchez are getting married an extravagant ceremony on the Venetian island of San Giorgio Maggiore, with a second location, the 14th century Scuola Grande della Misericordia, also reportedly in the running.

Both the living and dining rooms are well suited to large gatherings, offering a glamorous setting for an A-list soiree. Yes, guests such as Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio and Orlando Bloom are reportedly on-site, but not everyone is celebrating. Across the city, posters plaster the walls with anti-Bezos slogans, casting the billionaire entrepreneur as a villain trying to turn Venice into a billionaire's playground.

"This is Venice behaving as a prostitute," said Matteo Secchi, leader of Venessia.com, a group dedicated to protecting the city's cultural integrity.

Concerns about the event's carbon footprint are also contributing to the backlash. The arrival of luxury yachts and private jets for guests has also irked environmental groups, who say the environment will be a big loser during the ceremony. Citing city sources, Bezos appears to have offered concessions, which include giving money to critics, but the tension remains.

Fashion and Fallout

Sánchez is rumored to be wearing an Oscar de la Renta gown, similar to the one she wore at the Met Gala. Dolce & Gabbana is also thought to be dressing the couple, which was revealed after Sánchez and Bezos were seen at a fitting in Milan.

Though the wedding will surely capture global attention, the spotlight is proving bittersweet to many of its performers, such as Gaga and Elton, who have thrown their weight behind humanitarian and environmental causes for years.

The source summed it up plainly, "They don't want to be seen as being in the pockets of billionaires."

Tags

Elton John, Lady Gaga