GARY NEVILLE finally managed a smile at his own match of
the day.
England ace Wayne Rooney and fiancee Coleen McLoughlin are among
the celebrity guests at Manchester United star Gary Neville lavish
wedding to long-term girlfriend Emma Hadfield at Manchester
Cathedral.
Earlier Neville and Hadfield pulled up in a silver Bentley beneath
heavy grey skies as flowers were still being taken into the
church.
Neville had originally hoped David Beckham would repay him the
favour of being his best man, but the Real Madrid star is playing
in an important club match.
Neville and Hadfield's marriage is believed to have cost upwards of
£1 million including the reception.
Hundreds of well-wishers brandishing home video cameras and holding
up mobile telephones gathered on the streets outside the cathedral
as they waited for guests to arrive for the 3pm ceremony.
Neville and Hadfield are the only ones of the four Premiership
couples marrying this weekend who have reportedly turned down
magazine deals in favour of a "normal" wedding.
A huge cheer went up from gathering fans as England ace Wayne
Rooney and fiancee Coleen McLoughlin entered the cathedral.
McLoughlin, wearing a turquoise and white dress and Rooney, in a
grey suit, smiled at the screaming children on either side of the
church entrance as the sun began to edge its way from behind the
clouds.
The well-connected pair reportedly hired a helicopter to fly in for
the celebration after attending Steven Gerrard and Alex Curran's
wedding in Berkshire this morning.
Manchester United favourites Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky
Butt were next to arrive, to the delight of many girls in the
crowds.
Giggs, 33, had already been celebrating this morning after being
awarded an OBE for services to sport in today's Queen's Birthday
Honours.
The cathedral as closed to the public for the 32-year-old's
marriage to the 25-year-old former shop girl.
There was no sign of Victoria Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, Sir Alex
Ferguson and Sol Campbell, who were expected to make up the "who's
who" of the football celebrity world attending the nuptials.
Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick also tied the knot
today.
He married longtime partner Lisa Roughead at the luxurious
Stapleford Park County House hotel near Derby.
The ceremony took place in the estate grounds.
