Tom & Katie Arrive In Rome To Prep For Wedding

The countdown has officially begun until Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes exchange vows in the tiny town of Bracciano, Italy this weekend.

And as preparations are in full swing, Access Hollywood uncovers some of the details surrounding the wedding.

One thing is for sure, anyone in attendance will need the appropriate attire.

“It is going to be a very formal affair. It’s black tie so all the men are required to show up in tuxedos,” People magazine senior editor Galina Espinoza told Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush. “Armani is going to be a very busy man this week because he is outfitting the entire bridal party –the bridesmaids and the groomsmen.”

After videotaping son Connor’s football game in Los Angeles on Saturday, Tom and Katie and the kids landed in Rome on Monday and a huge crowd of fans and photographers gathered outside the hotel they are rumored to be staying at to catch a glimpse.

And Castello Odescalchi is in full Cruise wedding prep mode. The medieval castle has been closed to the public since last week and the head of the town’s local police, along with 30 security people, met outside to discuss fencing off the area for the event.

Privacy is all but insured, as the church is inside the castle walls.

Access Hollywood’s reporter on the scene in Italy was able to provide some insight on the build-up towards the big day, saying the choice of the castle as the rumored location is perfect for the occasion.

“It’s easy to understand why people who want to have privacy choose a location like this. Once you got in, there’s no chance for paparazzi of any kind,” the reporter on the ground in Italy said.

Locals have seen truckloads of catering and flowers entering the property for the family affair. Katie’s entire family will be coming from Ohio, as well as Tom’s kids Isabella and Connor.

And John Travolta will reportedly be piloting guests (including wife Kelly Preston, Will Smith and Kirstie Alley) to the Italian ceremony.

Access Hollywood has also learned that Brooke Shields will be attending the wedding, and even postponed shooting a film so she could travel abroad for the nuptials.

But while friends, family and media from around the world have flocked to the quiet Italian town, as far as the locals, they don’t seem very interested in the event.

The 15th-century castle near Lake Bracciano has attracted other celebrities, including CNN foreign correspondent Christiane Amanpour and Italian pop star Eros Ramazzotti.

When Amanpour married then-U.S. State Department spokesman James Rubin in August 1998, about 180 guests, including John F. Kennedy Jr., attended the reception at the castle.

Earlier that year, Ramazzotti married TV hostess Michelle Hunzicker in Bracciano, gathering a crowd of pop and TV stars, including Tina Turner and motorcycle racer Max Biaggi. The reception was held in the castle.

Having once hosted princes and popes, the imposing residence is now used for conventions, gala dinners and receptions. With its six towers, halls, gardens, and a chapel nearby, the castle can host up to 1,400 guests. Its museum, featuring frescos and ancient furnishings, is open to the public.

“Italian pop star Eros Ramazzotti got married here a few years ago, so it’s not felt as a one-time event,” our reporter on the scene said. “The feeling is starting to be the same as the Pitt-Jolie wedding that never happened — it’s the news who makes the news.”

Tom & Katie’s Wedding Plans

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