Cruise-Holmes wedding venue a mystery

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, in Italy for their Saturday wedding, were still keeping their fans guessing Thursday about exactly where they will exchange their vows.

Photo: Cruise-Holmes wedding venue a mystery

The Hollywood stars' late-Wednesday visit to Rome City Hall caused a flurry of speculation that they were getting a marriage license, but the city hall said Thursday it was only a courtesy visit to the mayor, a big movie buff.

Media speculation about the wedding venue has focused on a 15th-century castle overlooking Lake Bracciano, near Rome. As of midday Friday, the Bracciano Town Hall said it had not received any request to celebrate the wedding, but preparations for a party appeared to be under way at the Odescalchi Castle.

The Bracciano Town Hall said, however, that the mayor would not need much time prepare for a civil ceremony if the necessary papers were presented before Saturday.

U.S. citizens planning to marry in Italy must present specific documents including their passports, birth certificates and an affidavit that there is no impediment to their marriage to obtain a marriage license. Because the documents need to be translated into Italian and certified, the process is generally time consuming.

Meanwhile, Katie Holmes' parents arrived in the Italian capital on Thursday, two days before their daughter's wedding.

The pair were traveling with about a half dozen other people, and were whisked away in a van that had been waiting for them outside Rome's small Ciampino airport, reports AP.

Also spotted at the airport Thursday morning was actor Jim Carrey, Jennifer Lopez and Brooke Shields.

Cruise and Holmes were first photographed together in Rome in April 2005. They became engaged in June 2005 and are the parents of a daughter, Suri, who was born April 18.

Cruise had flown into Rome on Monday with an entourage of 10.