Paul marries Mills

Pop legend Paul McCartney and former model Heather Mills were married on Tuesday in a 8216;8216;rock 8217;n roll8217;8217; wedding at a...

Pop legend Paul McCartney and former model Heather Mills were married on Tuesday in a 8216;8216;rock 8217;n roll8217;8217; wedding at an Irish castle during which the bride wept tears of joy.

The former Beatle went back to his Irish roots on his mother8217;s side to be married in front of 300 guests at a 17th-century church on the grounds of Castle Leslie, in County Monaghan near the Northern Ireland border.

Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr flashed a 8216;8216;V8217;8217; sign to photographers as he arrived fashionably late, just before the ceremony was due to begin. Other celebrities included Chrissie Hynde of rock group the Pretenders, 1960s fashion icon Twiggy and former Beatles producer Sir George Martin.

Mills, wearing an ecru gown she designed herself, arrived for the ceremony eight minutes late to the strains of a bridal march version of 8216;8216;Heather8217;8217;, a song McCartney wrote for her. 8216;8216;Overcome by the emotion of the occasion, she briefly faltered and wept while making her vows,8217;8217; a family statement said. The bride carried a bouquet of two peonies and 11 red-pink McCartney roses, named by rose growers for the singer. Poet Adrian Mitchell read 8216;8216;Roses in the Summertime8217;8217;, written for the couple.

McCartney wore a three-piece brown suit for the ceremony. The band which has been touring with him in the US was due to play, after which McCartney and Mills were expected to board a 40-foot boat on the castle8217;s private lake to view a mammoth fireworks display.

Later they were expected to be whisked away by helicopter to start their honeymoon at an undisclosed location. The romance between McCartney and Mills, who lost her left leg below the knee in an accident, blossomed after they met at a charity event three years ago.

The sleepy village of Glaslough, where Castle Leslie is located, has never seen anything like the wedding, and activity had reached fever-pitch, with Ireland8217;s World Cup victory against Saudi Arabia adding to the excitement.

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Her only regret was McCartney and Mills, now Lady McCartney, had not observed the custom of shaking hands with the onlookers. 8216;8216;It8217;s just a pity that they8217;re not coming out to shake hands. That would have been the perfect end,8217;8217; she said. Reuters