Italian celebrity wedding venues: Tom Cruise's castle, George and Amal Clooney's canalside hotel & more

With the snowy Alps, rustic cities such as Rome and rugged coastlines along The Amalfi, it's no wonder that Italy has long been a hugely popular wedding destination.

The European country steeped in history has played host to numerous high-profile weddings, including Kim Kardashian and Kanye West and Salma Hayek and Francois-Henri Pinault.

From historical villas, canal-side hotels and towering fortresses, take a look at all of the most impressive celebrity Italian weddings. It's time to get inspired by Jessica Chastain, Neil Patrick Harris and more…

Jessica Chastain and Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo

© Dave Benett

Following a five-year relationship, Jessica Chastain married Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo in Carbonera in 2017.

The ceremony took place an hour outside of Venice at the groom's family's stunning Villa Tiepolo Passi, so very few photos have been shared of the private event.

The actress looked stunning in a strapless wedding dress with a sweetheart neckline as she exchanged vows in front of stars such as Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt.

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka

Neil Patrick Harris tied the knot with David Burtka in a castle in Perugia, Italy.

Kelly Ripa revealed on Live! With Kelly and Michael that the celebrations included fireworks and magic tricks, joking: "Because you know, Neil is way into magic."

Sir Elton John performed and the couple's twins Gideon and Harper were involved in the ceremony, which was officiated by How I Met Your Mother director Pam Fryman.

Neil and David looked dapper in custom Tom Ford tuxedos.

Lady Kitty Spencer and Michael Lewis

Princess Diana's niece Lady Kitty Spencer married millionaire Michael Lewis in July 2021 at Villa Aldo Brandini in Frascati, Italy. The country mansion perched on the Monte Tuscolo offers stunning views towards Rome, which is just an hour away.

Charles Spencer's daughter looked stunning in six wedding dresses, starting with a lace corset gown from Dolce and Gabbana.

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin

© PIERRE TEYSSOT

Hollywood star George Clooney and British-Lebanese barrister Amal Alamuddin became man and wife at the end of a four-day Venetian extravaganza in September 2014. The couple tied the knot inside the luxurious 16th-century Aman Venice Hotel on the Grand Canal; the star-studded guest list included Cindy Crawford, Bono and Anna Wintour. George, of course, has also owned a villa on beautiful Lake Como since 2002.

Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty

Cat Deeley and Irish comedian Patrick Kielty had an intimate wedding ceremony at a church in St Isidore's College in Rome on 29 September 2012.

The This Morning presenter later admitted that she took a very relaxed approach to wedding planning and left the details up to her husband –  she didn't even see her venue until her wedding day! "I barely even did my own wedding. Patrick went and tried the food and did all that. I never even saw the place where I got married before I got married – that’s how uninvolved I was," she told Closer .

"I don’t care, as long as everybody was there and had a good time – it doesn’t bother me. Plus, I’m quite lucky I get to dress up and have really special occasions all the time, so to me that wasn’t the most exciting thing to happen."

David Hasselhoff and Hayley Roberts

The Baywatch star married his long-term girlfriend Hayley Roberts in the southern region of Puglia on 31 July 2018. The couple said their vows in front of their close friends and family following a two-year engagement.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

In May 2014, reality TV queen Kim Kardashian and rapper Kanye West spent a reported €300,000 (£245,000) renting the stunning 16th-century Forte di Belvedere in Florence for their over-the-top wedding, which saw them exchange vows in front of a 20ft-high wall of flowers.

Andrea Bocelli serenaded the bride as she walked up the aisle on the arm of her stepfather, Bruce (now Caitlyn) Jenner.

Kate Upton and Justin Verlander

Model Kate Upton married her fiancé Justin Verlander in an outdoor ceremony in Tuscany, Italy in November 2017. The bride looked stunning in a bespoke Valentino gown for the nuptials before changing into a second wedding dress from the designer for their evening reception.

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel

Hollywood sweethearts Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel tied the knot in an intimate Italian wedding at the magnificent Borgo Egnazia resort in Puglia in 2012. The groom serenaded his bride with a song specially written for her as she waltzed down the aisle in a spectacular pink Giambattista Valli gown.

Why did they decide to marry in Italy? Well, the couple openly admitted their love for Italian food, ("We love to eat!"). And during the special weekend, they urged their guests to join in their adoration, offering affogato (ice cream and coffee) and mini Caprese salads.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

© Getty Images

Tom Cruise married Katie Holmes in a sunset ceremony at Odeschalchi Castle in Lake Bracciano, Italy in November 2006, after a whirlwind romance. The star-studded nuptials were attended by the likes of Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith. However, their marriage ended in June 2012, when Katie filed for divorce.

Chrissy Teigen and John Legend

The model and John Legend celebrated their nuptials on Lake Como, Italy, in September 2013. The wedding took place at Villa Pizzo, the location where they first fell in love.

Chrissy wore a total of three Vera Wang dresses on her big day. Speaking to E! News after her special day she revealed that she couldn't stop buying Vera Wang's gowns. "Every time I went in for a fitting, I couldn't stop getting one," she explained. "It's just too pretty."

Wayne and Coleen Rooney

Wayne Rooney married his childhood sweetheart in a lavish £5 million ceremony on the Italian Riviera. The couple said 'I do' at the Villa Durazzo, a 17th-century palace in the Mediterranean resort of Santa Margherita Ligure with just eight close family and friends as witnesses.

The couple were married by the deputy mayor, Gianni Costa, who said afterwards: "It was a simple 20-minute ceremony with around 15 people inside, mostly family. The bride looked lovely in white and the groom wore a brown suit with no tie. No rings were exchanged and the ceremony was very simple yet very beautiful."

Emily Blunt and John Krasinski

© Gilbert Flores

Emily Blunt and John Krasinski tied the knot in Lake Como in July 2010. Guests included Matt Damon and wife Luciana, Meryl Streep and David Schwimmer. The bride wore a Marchesa Bridal sweetheart draped wedding gown.

Petra Ecclestone and James Stunt

Proud father Bernie Ecclestone splashed out a slice of his considerable fortune to ensure his daughter had the wedding of her dreams. Petra, the apple of the Formula One boss' eye, wed businessman James Stunt in Odescalchi castle, the spectacular 15th-century Italian fort where Katie Holmes married Tom Cruise.

But, despite the estimated £5 million bill, as with any ordinary family, what really made the nuptials so special were the many personal touches provided by friends. Eric Clapton's gift to the young lovers was to serenade them during their first dance as man and wife.

The medieval town of Bracciano came to a standstill as 250 high-profile guests swept in, among them, the Duchess of York and her daughters Eugenie and Beatrice. However, the couple divorced in 2017.

Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster

The couple married in Portofino, Italy, in 2007, and renewed their vows in honour of their tenth wedding anniversary in 2017. While Rod originally wanted the vow renewal to take place at the same venue, they staged the second ceremony at their home in Essex.

Salma Hayek and Francois-Henri Pinault

After marrying in a low-key civil ceremony in Paris, actress Salma Hayek and Francois-Henri Pinault took their celebrations over to Venice where they celebrated with family and friends at Venice's Opera house La Fenice. Salma Hayek wore a Balenciaga wedding gown designed by Nicolas Ghesquiere.

Theo Walcott and Melanie Slade

© HELLO!

Arsenal footballer Theo Walcott married his childhood sweetheart Melanie Slade in a magical medieval castle in Florence, Italy. At the time the bride told HELLO! : "That moment when I saw Theo waiting for me at the altar was so overwhelming. Your emotions are all over the place – you're so excited and euphoric because you're marrying this person who you love so much, but there are some nerves there too because it's such a big step."

Matthew Lewis and Angela Jones

Harry Potter star Matthew Lewis married his partner Angela Jones i n the idyllic setting of Portofino, Italy, in May 2018. The Neville Longbottom actor shared the happy news on social media, joking on Twitter: "Not only did I miss @ArcticMonkeys in LA but they were performing in Italy at the same time we were there and my wife made me get married instead. Fuming."

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