Sir Paul raps at his wedding

Sir Paul McCartney had his 270 guests in fits of laughter when he rapped a song about his love for new wife Heather at the reception following their wedding at Castle Leslie in Ireland last night.

The former Beatle was joined on stage by five rappers and dancers, then his brother and best man Mike, and eventually Lady McCartney herself in the rap which ended with them revealing the location of their honeymoon - McCartney's house in the Hamptons, Long Island.

The performance was one of many highlights of the £2.5 million wedding in the grounds of the 17th century castle in Glaslough, County Monaghan.

The grand finale came at 1.20am with the couple sailing across the lake in a boat festooned with flowers while watching a £100,000 firework display.

They then left in a helicopter bound for Belfast International Airport where their private jet was waiting to fly them to America.

After a meal of mushroom pastry, salad, a roasted wheat dish, plus an Indian-style buffet washed down with merlot, Australian chardonnay and gallons of champagne, in a 500-metre marquee beside the castle lake, Sir Paul and Lady McCartney screened a 10-minute video the theme of which was "kissing" said one guest. The couple were filmed kissing some 20 times in different countries around the world.

Sir Paul's droll Scouse humour flavoured his speech when he recalled his Liverpool childhood. Guests laughed when he said: "Back then, I'd have had a wedding just to get the rice.

He went on: "My trousers were so thin that if I sat down on a penny I could find out which way up it was - heads or tales."

The bride's sister, Fiona Mills, who gave her away, spoke movingly about the fact that Heather had looked after her like a mother throughout her life, and that she's been a "best friend".

Heather, 34, also grabbed the microphone and started singing God Only Knows What I'd Do Without You, by the Beach Boys.

Sir Paul shed a solitary tear before standing up and applauding wildly.

Throughout the reception, Heather showed off a stunning white gold ring inset with half a dozen white and yellow diamonds.

The 270 guests included Steve Buscemi, Ringo Starr, Aidan Quinn, Jools Holland, Chrissie Hynde, Twiggy, Monica Seles and Sir George Martin.

One couple said: "It was just fabulous - a fairytale wedding, so romantic, funny and personal."

The guests, most of whom contributed to Heather's charity, Adopt a Minefield UK, were given silver Waterman ball pens engraved with the words "Love Paul and Heather" before leaving at around 2am. Scores carried on partying at local hotels until dawn.

The couple married in San Salvatore's church, Glaslough, on the estate of Castle Leslie.

In keeping with tradition the bride was eight minutes late for the 4.30pm ceremony, performed by the Venerable Cecil Pringle, Archdeacon of Clogher.

The Irish wedding marked a return to Paul's maternal roots - his mother, Mary Patricia Mohin, lived in nearby Castleblaney and was raised there before moving to Liverpool. Heather briefly faltered and wept tears of joy while making her vows. She wore a fitted ecru lace dress and train she designed herself and made by Eavis & Brown.

She carried a bouquet of 11 McCartney roses and two peonies - in 1993 rose growers named a special redpink rose in Paul's honour.

Sir Paul chose to wear a Richard James hand-finished bespoke suit in dark chocolate, lined in deep purple silk.

Set off with a Richard James classic double-cuff shirt and one of his exquisite colourful pure silk ties, Sir Paul McCartney looked every inch the perfect modern English gentleman. Hymns at the 30- minute service were Praise My Soul The King of Heaven and Lord Of All Hopefulness.

The bride entered the church to the strains of a bridal march set to Heather, the song Paul wrote for her on his recent album Driving Rain.

Instead of a traditional reading the couple's friend, the poet Adrian Mitchell, read Roses In The Summertime, a poem he wrote specially.

As the widely smiling couple walked down the aisle, the organ played the Wedding March from the film The Family Way, for which Paul wrote the soundtrack in the Sixties.

Heather, give Macca a makeover