Cruise disappoints fans at star-studded Italian wedding

Tom Cruise and his new wife, Katie Holmes, flew off for a honeymoon in the Maldives yesterday after their A-list wedding in a 15th-century castle.

The cream of Hollywood made the trek to the town of Bracciano, 28 miles north-west of Rome, to see the 44-year-old ardent Scientologist tie the knot with his 27-year-old bride. Among the guests trooping into the imposing, turreted castle were Richard Gere, Will Smith, Jim Carrey, Brooke Shields and Jennifer Lopez.

Hundreds of fans who had waited since early morning to see the star got no more than a curt wave from the back of a black van for their trouble. He didn't even bother to lower the window. Jim Carrey and Will Smith seemed to have a keener idea of what the crowd expected, getting out of their cars and waving and signing autographs before striding up to the castle.

The windows and battlements of the castle were lit by hundreds of flickering candles and oil lamps. Inside, guests were serenaded by the blind Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. The bride wore an ivory silk gown designed by Giorgio Armani, who was present at the party with his niece, Roberta. Armani also designed the single-breasted hand-made, navy blue suit worn by Cruise. Best man was David Miscavige, the head of the Church of Scientology. The ceremony followed a form prescribed by Scientology; it took place in the castle's former stables, decorated with white flowers and lasted barely a quarter of an hour, The kiss that sealed the union went on so long that some of the guests shouted "Stop, stop!"