A-list guests celebrate with new Mr and Mrs Cruise

17 Nov 2006

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have tied the knot in a Scientology ceremony in front of family and a host of famous friends. The bride and groom exchanged vows at the majestic 15th-century Odescalchi Castle outside Rome early on Saturday evening.

The beautiful 27-year-old bride, who wore Armani, arrived at the fortress location at 2.15pm with the couple's seven-month-old daughter Suri. Her Top Gun fiancé, 44, arrived a little under two hours later, waving to fans amid tight security.

As the sun went down, the 6,000 rose and coffee-scented candles which the couple had reportedly ordered for the castle were lit. Roberta Armani, niece of fashion designer Giorgio, was the first guest to arrive, followed by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. It had been rumoured that the Roman Catholic singer would be performing during the service, but he revealed his contribution - a wedding present to the newlyweds - would come after the ceremony.

And, despite the inclement weather, the high-profile guests had pulled out all the stops for the event. A solo Victoria Beckham was stunning in a black Giambattista Valli number teamed with a stylish black hat, although football commitments meant husband David had already returned to Madrid. The couple had joined other A-list guests the previous night, though, at a special dinner in a nearby private villa.

Brooke Shields likewise exuded showbiz glam as she set off from the luxury Hassler hotel for the ceremony in a burgundy velvet Oscar de La Renta gown. The actress told reporters she wished Tom and Katie "happiness and peace and that they can remember all of this".

Jennifer Lopez and her husband Marc Anthony, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, comedian Jim Carrey and girlfriend Jenny McCarthy were also among those sharing the couple's special moment.

As Scientology weddings are not legally recognised in Italy, the couple will also have tied the knot in a civil union. But Mission: Impossible star Tom had said the wedding would just be the icing on the cake so far as their relationship is concerned. "In many ways we feel like we already are married," he said in June. "I know I'm with the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. So the wedding - that's just the party."

Scientology ceremonies are much like traditional weddings, complete with white gown and bridesmaids, and Katie's lawyer dad Martin will most likely have given his daughter away.

The Saturday nuptials are Tom's third. He was previously married to actresses Mimi Rogers and Nicole Kidman. It is a first marriage for Katie, who was previously engaged to actor Chris Klein.

The duo stunned the world when they announced their engagement in June 2005 after revealing they were an item just two months earlier during a trip to Rome. And there were more surprises in store. In October the couple announced they were expecting, and on April 18 they welcomed daughter Suri into the world.