For Katie Holmes, marrying your all-time crush is a dream come true, especially if that man is Tom Cruise. The couple got married in Italy on November 18, 2006, with Katie Holmes’ wedding gown becoming a celebrated item in the press and among fans the world over.
The Wedding Scoop takes a look at this lovely designer bridal gown and Katie and Tom Cruise’s much-celebrated and talked-about love story.
A Closer Look at Katie Holmes’ Wedding Gown
Katie Holmes’ wedding gown is a Giorgio Armani original, focusing on simple elegance. It features an off-the-shoulder top with ruffled edges and an A-Line skirt with a Chapel train. Beautiful bridal lace and Swarovski crystals adorn the dress all over, completed by a Watteau train and veil.
The dress construction was intricate and involved 350 hours to piece together those precious Swarovski crystals onto the dress.
Speaking with People, Armani shared his thoughts on his exclusive dress for Holmes, “Katie wanted a simple, elegant dress that was rich in material with a slim silhouette. I couldn’t have been more in agreement. I wanted to make it modern but at the same time, complement the sweetness and energy she conveys.”
Katie Holmes’ wedding dress cost $50,000.
Armani designed two bridal gowns for Holmes, one for the solemn vows and one for the reception. The second dress is a champagne-colored, silk-and-organza sleeveless creation, with a one-shoulder strap and a flowing skirt.
The luxury designer also dressed Tom Cruise and their then-infant daughter, Suri, who was born on April 18, 2006, a year after their date.
Katie and Tom’s Luxurious Dream Wedding
The lovely couple’s grand wedding took place in Odescalchi Castle, just across the Bracciano Lake in Rome, Italy, on November 18. 2006. There were 150 guests in attendance, with their closest family and friends.
The guestlist included Giorgio Armani himself, along with Jennifer Lopez, Brooke Shields and Chris Henchy, Victoria and David Beckham, Richard Gere, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy, John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, Andrea Bocelli, DJ Mark Ronson, and other guests.
Yes, baby Suri was also there, along with Tom’s kids with first wife Nicole Kidman, Connor and Isabella, and joined the festivities
The couple had a quick civil wedding first, as required for international couples, a day before flying to Italy for their wedding.
Katie enthralled the crowd with her Armani wedding dress, which became an inspiration to many women across the world. Tom’s best man was David Miscavige, Church of Scientology leader. Katie’s sister, Nancy Blaylock, was the maid of honor.
The super lavish, $3 million wedding and reception soon became legendary, and one of the most high-profile weddings in recent history.
Katie and Tom’s Love Story
Katie’s long-time crush on Tom Cruise was just wishful thinking years before. But it turned into a hot romance and one of the most talked-about weddings in Hollywood and in showbiz history.
“I think every little girl dreams of her wedding. I used to think I was going to marry Tom Cruise,” she once said in Seventeen Magazine in 2004.
Before they got together for real, Katie was first engaged to her co-star Chris Klein in 2003. They later called off their engagement in 2005, and they split up.
Her split with Chris opened the doors for her romantic wish. Cruise knew about Katie’s crush on her, and after finding out she was single, he had his manager contact Katie under the guise of discussing a role for his next Mission Impossible movie.
That first meeting in early April 2005 was love at first sight for both.
Speaking with Glamour after this, Holmes gushed about their relationship, saying that, “..When I met Tom, I knew in an instant that we were going to be together, that we were going to get married. He does have a very big life. And you know, we just do it. And, as a woman, you make that transition from being single to [being] a partner. I have a teammate, and it’s like, we’re going to make this work.”
Within that same month, they started dating, and by April 27, they made their first public appearance as a couple in Rome, Italy. Cruise accepted the Special David award at the David di Donatello award ceremonies on April 29.
The next month, Tom was on Oprah, and he was madly in love, getting all hyper on set, before introducing Katie to the crowd and to the TV audience. Oprah remarked, “The boy is gone!” It became one of the most popular TV segments on air.
Tom Proposes to Katie
On June 17, 2005, the couple went to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, to have dinner at Le Jules Verne. There, Tom got on one knee and proposed to Katie.
Tom gave her a 5-carat oval-shaped diamond ring with 6 carats worth of small, round diamonds on its halo, and the pavé split shank, on a platinum and 18k gold band, designed by Fred Leighton. It was an instant yes.
Later, Tom spoke with The Insider, saying, “I’ll be jumping on couches for a very long time.”
On October 5, 2005, the couple announced they were expecting a baby. Over a year later, they presented their cute baby daughter, Suri, to the world through the popular magazine, Vanity Fair.
Get the Same Look of Katie Holmes’ Wedding Dress
Katie Holmes’ wedding dress was a Giorgio Armani original, and cannot be replicated. However, many similar designs can give you the same look and romantic feeling.
Here are the top five picks of The Wedding Scoop:
- Simple elegance makes dresses more iconic, such as what we have in this dresss by OYISHA. It also features a sleeveless, strapless top with a mermaid silhouette and a chapel train. Beautiful lace applique adorns this sexy, curvaceous dress.
- A beautiful variation of the original dress in this ABaoWedding Store creation offers a sleeveless top adorned with lovely lace in an evening dress form. It features a V-neckline and a backless V design. partnered with an A-line floor-length hemline skirt.
- Another elegant and seductive dress we recommend is this creation by Hegabch Store. The rundown of features includes a dipped V-neckline, long lace sleeves, and a backless design. The mermaid silhouette highlights the bride’s curves from bodice to knees, ending in a strong Chapel train.
- If you love the off-the-shoulder top of Katie Holmes’ wedding dress, check out this Justin Alexander piece. The off-the-shoulder top, dipped V neckline, V backline, A-line skirt with cutaway slit, and sweep train combine sultry features and classic bridal designs. Lovely floral lace motifs adorn the dress and create lovely textures all throughout.
- Finally, our last dress on the list is a lovely variation created by JJ’s House. This gorgeous dress features a V neckline, long lace sleeves, an illusion lace back design, and a long flowing skirt that ends with a Chapel train. This dress doesn’t have the extra sultry features of those dresses above, but still looks stunning.
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