Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes

Their Day
One of the biggest celebrity weddings of the year was, of course, the gorgeous ceremony held for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes in Italy on November 19th. First, let's talk about what this high-profile couple did to make their wedding amazing, then we can discuss how their celebrity wedding could inspire your day.

Location Bracciano
No discussion of the wedding would be complete without talking about the location. The service was held in Bracciano, Italy. The area is named for the beautiful Lake Bracciano which does double duty as a tourist attraction and as the water reserves for the city of Rome, which is located a short train ride away. Behind Lake Bracciano is the 12th century Orsini Odescalchi castle where Tom and Katie actually said “I do.” Just looking at the photos of the castle is enough to conjure up thoughts of fairytales and princesses. It's definitely the ideal spot for a wedding and, in fact, has been rented out many times in the past for ceremonies, as well as other events.

Boost for Armani!
Of course, if you're going to get married in a castle, you need to be dressed like a princess and Katie definitely was in her ivory silk off-the-shoulder gown made by Giorgio Armani. In fact, everyone in the wedding party, plus Tom and Katie's 7 month old daughter Suri, wore outfits designed by Armani for the occasion.

Not surprisingly, the ceremony was conducted by a Scientology minister. Most of the aspects of a Scientology ceremony do not differ greatly from those of the more familiar Christian ceremonies. However, some parts of the ceremony have greater significance. For example, the guests – over 150 at Tom and Katie's wedding – play a role in the service. In Scientology, reality is created through agreement, so for Tom and Katie's wedding to be real, all of their guests must agree to recognize their union. Tom and Katie would have also been asked to agree never to go to bed angry because open communication is of the utmost importance in Scientology. The rings that were exchanged by the couple also have special significance: they serve as a reminder to continue growing closer to one another.

Andrea Bocelli Sings
One of the best parts of any wedding is the reception and a celebrity wedding is usually no exception. Italian singer Andrea Bocelli serenaded the couple in front of their reception guests and after everything else fireworks went off over the castle to signal the end of the evening and the beginning of married life for the happy couple who left Rome the next morning to start their honeymoon in the Maldives.

This was the kind of wedding ceremony that couples, particularly brides, dream about having, but – let's be honest – most would never be able to afford. So how can you capture some of this same magic in your own wedding at a price that is affordable? See Tom & Katie Tips to find out.