Spice wedding frenzy

The couple are planning to marry at a secret location, with celebrations reportedly planned for a huge marquee at the 560-acre Luttrellstown Castle estate, just outside the city.

Guests are expected to start arriving in Dublin on Friday. Beckham's best man, Gary Neville, told children at a school in Bolton on Thursday he would be arriving in Ireland with some of their other United team-mates to prepare for the big day.

Security has been stepped up outside the castle, with security guards from England patrolling the estate.

A strict media blackout is likely to be enforced as the couple have sold media rights to celebrity magazine OK! for a reported £1m.

The magazine also secured rights to Scary Spice Mel B's marriage to dancer Jimmy Gulzar last September.

A canvas tunnel ran the short distance from the church to the singer's mansion at Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire, protecting guests from onlookers - and rival photographers.

Mel B, along with fellow Spice Girls Mel C and Emma Bunton, is on the guest list, as is Sir Elton John.

Spectacular show

The entire Manchester United squad have tickets for a concert by Fatboy Slim - dance maestro Norman Cook - at Dublin's Point Theatre on Saturday.

Up to 25 of the squad are reported to be planning to go to the spectacular show, Cook's last before he marries broadcaster Zoe Ball next month.

It is not known if Beckham will be turning the show into his stag night by joining them.

The 300 guests could find themselves out-numbered by the world's media - eager to cover the nuptials between one quarter of the UK's most successful pop group of the decade and one of the most gifted footballers of his generation. They have a son, Brooklyn Joseph, who is almost four months old.

Money for charity

The couple's engagement cake is being sold off on Saturday to raise money for a school in Cheshire.

The cake was given to Beckham and Posh Spice as a present by the management of Rookery Hall, the country house hotel at Nantwich where they held their engagement party last year.

But the cake was not cut, and was won in a raffle by the mother of a child who will start at Goostrey Community Primary School in the autumn, who donated it to the school to be auctioned.

Parent-teacher association vice-chairman Alison Rose said: "It is a lovely cake which is very well preserved with all the icing intact, and once it is varnished will keep forever.

"It's gorgeous. It's a replica of the hall with Victoria sitting at the top and David sitting behind her."