Gary Neville and Emma Hadfield married at Manchester Cathedral Bride arrives

Manchester United's Gary Neville married girlfriend Emma Hadfield at Manchester Cathedral, in front of some of the game's biggest names.

Hundreds of well-wishers gathered outside to cheer as they arrived.

Earlier, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard wed Alex Curran at Cliveden House Hotel, and Neville's team-mate Michael Carrick wed Lisa Roughead near Melton Mowbray.

Neville, 32, who has played for England 81 times, and his long-term girlfriend Emma Hadfield reportedly turned down magazine deals to cover the big day.

In pictures: The weddings

The bride and groom, along with and team-mates Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, were greeted by huge cheers from onlookers as they arrived.

When the newlyweds emerged they were showered with cream rose petals, and the crowds whooped and clapped as the couple made their way down a red carpet.

Giggs arrived at the cathedral having celebrated being awarded an OBE for services to sport announced in the Queen's Birthday Honours' list.

The Man Utd captain's best friend, David Beckham, was not at the wedding because he is on duty with Real Madrid.

Rooney and his fiancee Coleen McLoughlin were there, however. They are understood to have hired a helicopter to fly to Manchester from Gerrard's wedding in Berkshire.

Wag phenomenon

Gerrard, 27, who has 57 England caps to his name, married Alex Curran earlier. It is believed they signed a deal with a glossy magazine to cover the event.

Curran, 24, a style columnist for the Daily Mirror newspaper, and Gerrard have two daughters from their five-year relationship.

Carrick, who has played for England 13 times, got married at St Peter's Church in Wymondham, Leicestershire.

Carrick was joined by several former team-mates from Tottenham

On Friday, England captain John Terry married Toni Poole at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, in an event believed to have cost almost £1m.

Guests pictured at the event included Chelsea team-mates Ashley and Joe Cole.

All four England players featured in England's 2006 World Cup campaign in Germany.

During the competition, the wives and girlfriends of the players - who became known by the acronym Wags - shot to prominence.

Their outfits and nights out were mainstays of the tabloid newspapers, attracting almost as many column inches as their sporting other halves.