Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills told of their nerves and excitement as they prepared to tie the knot at an Irish castle today.

Sir Paul, 59, wearing a blue sweater and grey trousers, passed a rose to Ms Mills and kissed her twice as more than 200 fans cheered.

Ms Mills, 34, wearing a cream jumper and blue jeans, revealed she had made her dress with the help of two London designers.

Just hours before the ceremony was due to start at St Salvator's Chapel, within the Castle Leslie estate in Co Monaghan, Sir Paul said: "We would just like to thank all the people who have wished us good wishes and who have written to us."

Asked if he was nervous, Sir Paul, who lives in Peasmarsh, near Rye, replied: "Just a bit." Ms Mills added: "We are excited."

Sir Paul's spokesman Geoff Baker said the singer and Heather were "like a couple of excited teenagers".

The pair turned down a £1.5 million deal to sell the rights to their wedding photos to celebrity magazine Hello!

Sir Paul and Heather will be married by a local priest at Castle Leslie.

There will then be a party for 300 guests, including Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Sting and John Eastman, the brother of Sir Paul's late wife Linda.

Sir Paul met Heather two years ago. His wife Linda died of breast cancer in 1998.

His marriage to Miss Mills, who has a home in Hove, is in stark contrast to the simple affair of his and Linda's union in 1969.

Linda was four months pregnant when they decided to marry at Marylebone Register Office.

Sir Paul was so busy recording he forgot to buy a ring and had to persuade a jeweller to open up after closing so he could buy the £12 band.

The next day his brother, Mike, the best man, was an hour late because his train from Liverpool had been delayed.

The workaholic Beatle left the reception at London's Ritz Hotel to return to the studio to complete work on a recording.