Who is Lauren Sanchez, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' bride-to-be?

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez have reportedly tied the knot legally in the US ahead of their multi-million dollar nuptials set to happen on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Italy on Friday. he wedding in Venice which is going to be a three-day affair is expected to cost $46.5 - $55.6 million.

But who is Lauren Sánchez, set to marry one of world's richest man?

Lauren Sanchez was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on December 19, 1969 and raised in California. She completed her schooling from Del Norte High School and later went to the University of Southern California where she studied journalism.

After completing her course, she joined the KCOP-TV in Los Angeles as a desk assistant. Later she held different positions, including an anchor and reporter at the company.

Sanchez came to limelight after she joined Fox News in 1990 as an entertainment reporter and later moved to Fox Sports Net, UPN News 13 and Good Day LA.

In 2003, she appeared on the cover of lads' magazine Open Your Eyes with the headline: America's hottest news anchor, reported BBC, citing The Times. Sanchez also hosted the dancing competition series, So You Think You Can Dance and appeared in the 50 Most Beautiful issue of People magazine in 2010.

A helicopter pilot

Inspired by her father, Sanchez, at the age of 40 moved out of news room and became a licensed helicopter pilot.

In 2016, she became the first woman to own an aerial film production company called Black Ops Aviation. The company provided cinematography to Netflix and Amazon and served as a consultant on Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, reported the BBC.

Sanchez's interest in aviation made her the first female journalists to reach space in an all-female flight earlier this year alongside Gayle King and Katy Perry.

Personal life of Sanchez

In 2001, she married former National Football League (NFL) player Tony Gonzalez, with whom she shares a son. The marriage did not last long and in 2005, she tied the knot with an American entrepreneur, Patrick Whitesell with whom she shares three children -a son and a daughter.

Sanchez reportedly met Bezos after her company Black Ops Aviation was hired to film for Blue Origin.

It was rumored that duo started dating in early 2019 after which Bezos announced his divorce from MacKenzie Scott in January of the same year. Sanchez too filed for divorce from Whitesell in a few months.

In 2023, Sanchez and Bezos got engaged and are now legally married.