Actors Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were married in a medieval castle near Rome on Saturday in a Scientology ceremony attended by a galaxy of Hollywood stars.

Yesterday the newlyweds flew out of Rome for a honeymoon in the Maldives.

With torches burning from the battlements of the 15th century Odescalchi castle in Bracciano, the couple exchanged vows out of sight of the thousands of onlookers and paparazzi camped outside or perched on window ledges and balconies.

A fireworks display from a castle tower later lit up the sky, winning applause from those who had braved rain to stay to the end.

The bride and groom wore Giorgio Armani, Holmes in an ivory silk crystal-studded gown and Cruise in a dark suit, for the ceremony presided by a Scientologist minister, and later cut a five-tier white chocolate cake, according to Cruise's publicist, Arnold Robinson.

Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli serenaded the couple at the wedding reception. The celebrations were estimated to have cost more than US$2.5 million.

The couple shared their first dance while Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird" played. Guests stayed up dancing past 1 am.

Robinson said in a statement that the couple officially tied the knot last week.

"As is customary for couples marrying outside of the United States, Cruise and Holmes officialized their marriage in Los Angeles prior to their departure for Italy," he said.

The twice-divorced Cruise is an ardent follower of the church founded by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. Holmes, 17 years his junior, was raised a Catholic.

Hollywood stars including Jennifer Lopez and husband Marc Anthony, Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett, Richard Gere, Jim Carrey and Brooke Shields were among 150 guests in attendance. Victoria Beckham arrived at the wedding alone, wearing a black dress and slanted hat, after soccer star husband David was called away to Spain to play for Real Madrid. Other celebrities who had been due to attend included "Mission: Impossible III" director J.J. Abrams and John Travolta, who shares Cruise's belief in Scientology.

Some disappointment

Despite the crowds of A-list stars however, fans in Bracciano saw little more than dark Mercedes with tinted windows whizzing past to a side entrance.

Frenzied excitement in the run-up to the wedding gave way to disappointment among the throngs waiting outside once word spread the wedding was over. "I'm really disappointed, they came to have their wedding here and it would have been fair to say at least a little hello from far away," said Michele Pagano, who had hoped to take pictures with his mobile phone outside the venue.

Most missed Cruise's wave to the crowd as he arrived in a black Mercedes in the afternoon. Holmes earlier arrived clutching their baby daughter, Suri, in her arms, then briefly appeared at a castle window when Cruise's vehicle pulled up.

Holmes, 27, gave birth to their daughter in April. Cruise, 44, also has two older children adopted during his marriage to Nicole Kidman.

Local authorities said this week Cruise, star of Hollywood hits like "Top Gun" and the "Mission: Impossible" trilogy, had not sought permission for a civil service, meaning the wedding could be purely ceremonial and have no legal value.

Frenzy in Bracciano

The wedding ended a week of Hollywood mania that had swept Italy and transformed the sleepy town 40 kilometres north of the Italian capital into a hotbed of media activity. Satellite TV trucks stood on the streets underneath the castle while shops were festooned with balloons and other decorations.

"The few cars that have arrived, we couldn't see who was inside but I'm happy anyway," said Paola Iela, a 34-year-old student.

Fans started gathering in the main square facing the Odescalchi castle early in the day, though a downpour deterred some in the afternoon. Residents looked out from their balconies, from some of which hung the American flag.

Pictures of the pair and goodwill messages in English were displayed all over town. "Best wishes for your fairy tale," read one.

Source: China Daily