Cruise, Holmes ready to exchange vows BRACCIANO, Italy - Small flames flickered from castle battlements and hundreds of fans packed into a square outside Saturday as Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes arrived separately in this medieval town for their star-studded wedding. Pouring rain had forced Holmes, who wore a black dress and boots, and her daughter, clad in a white outfit, to take shelter under large, green umbrellas as they left their limousine. But the sun was shining on the castle when Cruise arrived, with some fans shouting, "Tom, Tom!" The actor, wearing sunglasses, leaned forward from the back seat of the van to wave. Holmes was giving Cruise a Vacheron Constantin watch engraved simply, "I Love You," as a wedding gift, the company said. It said she bought the gift in Los Angeles last week. Hundreds of the town‘s residents and fans of the actors braved the intermittent rain, hoping to catch a glimpse of the bride and groom or one of their famous guests. Richard Gere was among those who arrived. "I want to see Beckham‘s wife," said her friend Luca Costanzi, 15, with a huge grin. English soccer star David Beckham and his pop-star wife, Victoria, were expected to be attending the wedding. As the car slowed down for the gates to open, a smiling Roberta Armani lowered the window and waved at the crowd. A couple of hours later, Italian singer Andrea Bocelli was seen being driven through the gates. Other guests were expected to include "Mission Impossible III" director J.J. Abrams, Brooke Shields , Jennifer Lopez and Lopez‘s husband, singer Marc Anthony , and Will Smith . The town‘s narrow streets teemed with journalists and camera crews, while the Odescalchi family flag fluttered over the castle‘s towers. Locals found their own ways to welcome the bride and groom. "We are all participating a little in this wedding," said Simona Palazzini, a restaurant owner in the square next to the castle. "And we are quite happy to do so." At her Il Ristorantino dining spot, Palazzini offered a "Top Gun" menu that included fettuccine with seafood called "Mission Impossible" and apple pie with cream and hot chocolate named after Suri. At the nearby Trattoria del Castello, guests could order a "Tom e Kat" — a basket of parmesan cheese with truffles and mushrooms. "Wishing you love and happiness," read one sign written in English and taped to the window of a coffee shop. On Friday evening, Cruise and Holmes attended a reception at a villa on a hill overlooking Rome. Bracciano Mayor Patrizia Riccioni said the celebrity couple would wed Saturday — probably in a Scientology ceremony — at the castle, 27 miles north of Rome. Scientology ceremonies contain many elements of traditional weddings, including rings and vows. But they also include certain Scientology fundamentals, including vowing never to go to bed without communicating about any differences. A spokesman for the Church of Scientology for Rome, Fabrizio D‘Agostino, said an exchange of vows with a Scientology rite was not legally recognized in Italy, and would have to be preceded or followed by a civil union. Riccioni said her office had not received a request to celebrate a civil wedding as of midday Friday. Link - Besides Richard Gere, CNN confirmed Halle Berry as another guest. First guests… - - USWeekly: TomKat Wedding: Going to the castle, gonna get married Cruise, Holmes and their daughter, Suri, in Rome on November 16th. REUTERS The Big Day is here for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, and a little rain in Rome (hey, it’s good luck) isn’t putting a damper on the excitement. "I'm absolutely delighted for them!" pal and wedding guest Will Smith told Us as he exited the Hotel Hassler with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Holmes (with daughter Suri) arrived at the wedding venue, Odescalchi Castle, at 1:35 p.m. local time. Sticking with tradition, the bride-to-be, who had been bunking at the Hassler, spent her last night as a single woman apart from Cruise, choosing instead to sleep at the St. Regis Hotel with her parents. Her breakfast order: orange juice and coffee. Meanwhile, guests (including Scientologist pals Jenna Elfman and her husband, Bodhi) have been piling into minivans for the 20-mile ride to Bracciano, site of the 15th century castle. What can they expect when they arrive? Candelabras in the courtyard and, later in the night, a fireworks display. So how big is this affair? The Italian government has created a temporary no-fly zone over the castle — something that has only been done twice in the country’s history: during the 2004 NATO conference and the funeral of Pope John Paul II. Stay tuned for more… Link

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