All You Need Is Love... and just 30 guests: Sir Paul McCartney prepares to wed Nancy Shevell in intimate ceremony on Sunday

By Ben Todd and Sara Nathan


We're getting married! Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell leave Cecconi's Italian restaurant in Mayfair on Friday night ahead of their wedding on Sunday


Sir Paul McCartney is due to marry for the third time on Sunday afternoon, the Daily Mail has learned.

The former Beatle, 69, is to wed American industrial heiress Nancy Shevell, 51, at The Old Marylebone Town Hall in central London in front of less than 30 close family – including his five children - and friends.

The wedding reception is then due to be held at Sir Paul’s house in nearby St John’s Wood, which he has owned since 1965.

On Friday, a marquee was being erected at the music legend’s home, which is just a mile from the Register Office. The marquee will be dismantled on Monday.

Events planners and interior designers were adding the finishing touches to the luxurious marquee reception in the grounds of McCartney's home yesterday.

Bouquets of pale yellow roses, bags of ice, sound equipment and even clothes for the wedding party were delivered to the door as workmen ferried in boxes shipped from Miami, Florida and rolls of carpet.

Miss Shevell made a brief appearance with two female friends to check the progress of preparations before being whisked off in a sleek black Mercedes.

Not everyone in the street was sharing in the couple's excitement though. One neighbour said: 'This has caused nothing but disruption for us for three days. Even our rubbish hasn't been collected because their vans are in the way.'

Low-key: Shevell is expected to tie the knot with McCartney at Marylebone Town Hall on Sunday

Ironically, Sunday would have been the 71st birthday of Sir Paul’s late band-mate John Lennon, who was assassinated in December 1980.

The wedding will be conducted by Westminster City Council’s Superintendent Registrar Alison Cathcart, with extra security for the event believed have been laid on by the council.

A source said: ‘It will be very small, just family.’

Mrs Cathcart is said to have signed a ‘confidentiality’ agreement ahead of the ceremony, according to one member of staff at The Old Marylebone Town Hall.

Speaking to the Mail on Friday afternoon he added that staff had still not been told when the wedding was taking place.

Hard days night: A marquee is set up outside Sir Paul's house

The staff member, who gave his name only as Mark, told the Mail: 'He [Sir Paul] is definitely having it here. Alison Cathcart is the registrar and she's had to sign a confidentiality agreement so hasn't told any of us

‘I've looked in the book and it's not in for this Sunday but that doesn't mean it won't be.

‘Usually, we only open on the first Sunday of every month. So they have just missed that one. But they could easily make special arrangements for him.

‘I know it's going to be very soon. We might only find out on the day.'

The Mail has been told that preparations at the venue, which is officially listed as Westminster Register Office, will begin on Saturday afternoon.

Ice ice baby: Ice cubes and crushed ice is delivered to the North London home of Sir Paul McCartney

The couple are also said to have asked for extra lighting to be brought in to brighten the room.

The local council had previously expected the wedding to take place on a Friday. It was believed it was changed to a Sunday at late notice.

The Mail revealed last month how Sir Paul – who divorced second wife Heather Mills in 2008 following an acrimonious separation - had decided to marry Miss Shevell at the same registry office where he wed late wife Linda in 1969.

The banns for the former Beatle’s wedding to Miss Shevell were posted at the central London venue on September 14 and had to be public for 16 days before the couple could wed.

Legally, as a result, Sir Paul and Miss Shevell then had a year from October 1 to marry at the venue. They had been expected to marry at some stage this month.

On the document, Sir Paul listed his profession as a 'Business Executive' while Miss Shevell – who is also a divorcee - listed her occupation as 'Executive'.

Third time wed: McCartney was previously married to Heather Mills, pictured the night before their 2002 wedding (left), and wed the late Linda Eastman at Marylebone Registry Office in 1969

Sir Paul – who is expected to wear a suit designed by daughter Stella - and Miss Shevell will have a choice of four rooms at the Town Hall in which to marry.

The Reception Room is the largest, with wood-panelled walls and an elaborate corniced ceiling. It holds 100 guests and is described as ‘perfect for anyone wishing to make a grand entrance’. More intimate options are The Yellow Room, The Blue Room or The Purple Room.

Yesterday, it was still unclear in which room they would wed.

The music legend married his beloved first wife Linda at Marylebone Register Office on March 12 1969.

Back then, hundreds of fans gathered outside the venue to catch a glimpse of the couple as they arrived with Linda’s daughter Heather, then six, from a previous marriage.

A dozen policemen were on hand to fend off enthusiastic teenagers, many of whom were distraught that the last remaining bachelor Beatle was tying the knot.

At the time, Linda was four months pregnant. The couple’s eldest child together, Mary, was born that August.

Together they also had two other children Stella and son James, now 34.

Sir Paul and Linda then enjoyed one of the most famously happy and stable relationships in showbusiness until she tragically died of cancer in April 1998, aged just 56.


The best man? Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach leave Stella McCartney's birthday party last night in Notting Hill, London

Sir Paul and Miss Shevell’s engagement was announced in early May, when he presented the brunette with a vintage 1925 Cartier engagement solitaire diamond ring, which was reported to have cost an astonishing £400,000.

In the subsequent days, Miss Shevell – a multi-millionaire in her own right - was reported to have said the newlyweds will live in the UK, with her returning to America once a month because of her business commitments.

At the time, Miss Shevell also revealed the couple were planning a ‘small’ ceremony with only families invited. She said: ‘I’d love to live here [New York] but it’s probably England. I still have a job here so I’ll commute once a month.’

Miss Shevell also admitted it was ‘a total surprise’ when the former Beatle proposed to her while they were in California in April.

Nevertheless, according to Miss Adams, Miss Shevell said the wedding would take place ‘soon’ and be an intimate affair.

When asked about the plans, Miss Shevell replied at the time: ‘Small. Just our families. I don’t know the exact date.

‘And don’t ask what I’ll wear, because how dressy do you get to stand before a Justice of the Peace in his chambers – which is exactly what we’re going to do.’

Sir Paul and Miss Shevell started dating in 2007, after she separated from first husband Bruce Blakeman. She has a son, Arlen, 19, from that marriage.

It will be Sir Paul’s third marriage.

Linda tragically died of breast cancer in 1998. He adopted her daughter Heather from a previous marriage and had three children with Linda.

Following her death, he then fell in love with model turned charity campaigner Heather Mills after they met at an awards ceremony in April 1999.

They married in a lavish ceremony in St Salvator’s Church at the 17th century Castle Leslie in Glaslough, Co. Monaghan, Ireland in 2002. That wedding cost £1.5million and was attended by more than 300 guests.

Together Sir Paul and Miss Mills – who had lost a leg below the knee after being hit by a police motorcycle in 1993 - had a daughter Beatrice, now seven.

However, they separated in 2006 and – following a bitter battle – finally divorced in 2008 with Miss Mills receiving a settlement of 24.3million.

Last night, a spokesman for Sir Paul declined to comment.


source:dailymail