Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ wedding photographer has candidly revealed what it was like photographing the event.
The famous couple married in November 2006 at the Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, Italy, in front of a star-studded guest list.
On hand to capture their wedding on camera was Robert Evans, who took around 5,000 photos of the A-list event.
He claimed that Cruise and Holmes’ relationship “seemed very real and natural” before calling out the pitfalls of non-disclosure agreements.
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ wedding photographer has candidly revealed what it was like photographing the event
The famous couple married in November 2006 at the Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, Italy, in front of a star-studded guest list
For years, Cruise and Holmes were considered one of Hollywood’s greatest couples.
The Mission Impossible star infamously declared his love for his fellow actress, who was 16 years his junior, while jumping on a couch during an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show.
And after he proposed at the Eiffel Tower, the couple walked down the aisle at a Scientologist ceremony just months after welcoming daughter Suri.
The wedding, which included fireworks over the 15th-century castle, reportedly cost more than $3 million. E! News.
The couple’s photographer, who also photographed Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt’s ceremony in 2000, has now spoken to Yahoo Entertainment about how the ‘wedding of the century’ unfolded.
Speaking about the build-up to the event, Evans said he was asked to submit his previous works for consideration – along with a host of other photographers – before being hired by a very enthusiastic Cruise.
‘When I first met him, he was very excited to meet me. It was around the time he started getting a bit of the bad press for the bench jumping. But he was super nice.
‘He said, ‘I’m so happy to meet you! When I saw your book I thought, That’s my man! That’s my man!’ He was excited about it.
Robert Evans was on hand to capture their wedding on camera, taking approximately 5,000 photos of the A-list event
After Cruise proposed at the Eiffel Tower, the couple walked down the aisle at a Scientologist ceremony just months after welcoming daughter Suri.
‘I’m meeting Tom Cruise for the first time, this is within the first minute of our meeting, and I was like… “Thanks?” I’m not very good with compliments.’
Evans and a fellow photographer flew to the location in Rome and stayed at the hotel next door to the soon-to-be newlyweds.
He covered two days of events leading up to the official ceremony, before 150 guests, including Jennifer Lopez, David and Victoria Beckham, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, arrived at the event.
But he said the “wow factor” of the impressive list of guests quickly disappeared, admitting he didn’t even remember some of them being there.
Discussing Cruise and Holmes’ relationship, Evans told the publication, “It seemed very real and natural to me.” It seemed like they were having a good time and were in love.
‘Of course I don’t think about that (while I work), but you observe and you see it. But then the pictures reflect it. I think they are actors. They could have faked it. But I just go there and do my job and photograph what I see.”
Evans usually takes a series of up to 5,000 photos at events such as Cruise and Holmes’ wedding, but said many of the more moving and intimate photos are never shared.
Revealing what he’s learned from being “on the inside” of such A-list events, Evans said that “the things that are reported afterwards are usually not very accurate.” People speculate because they don’t know the truth.’
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith were also in attendance at the event where Evan took a series of up to 5,000 photos
He captured two days of events leading up to the official ceremony before 150 guests arrived, including Jennifer Lopez (left) and Victoria Beckham (right).
He added that because of nondisclosure agreements, “obviously you can’t tell anyone that the flowers were pink or that the cake was this, so they’re all speculating, and you often hear that that didn’t happen.”
‘It gives a little insight into what it must be like to be a celebrity and have no privacy. Yes, I realize that this is the job they chose, but that is the disadvantage of the professional.’
But the partnership between Cruise, who had been married twice before, and Holmes would not last long, as the couple split just five years later.
The relationship had slowly crumbled, with sources claiming Holmes felt intimidated by the Church of Scientology and its influence before filing for divorce in 2012.
The fallout from the acrimonious split has left Suri, who is now 17, estranged from her father, with the actress given ‘sole custody’ of her daughter following the divorce.