Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson sent Harry Maguire a personal video message which was played at his wedding to his childhood sweetheart on the weekend.
Maguire tied the knot with Fern Hawkins at a romantic French chateau on Saturday after flying to Burgundy on a £50,000 private jet with around 30 family and friends. The happy couple have since jetted off to the Amalfi Coast in Italy, after receiving permission from new Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag to miss the early stages of pre-season training.
The United defender, who had completed the nuptials at a Crewe registry office last month after proposing in Paris in February 2018, spared no expense for the big day, splashing out £250,000 for the do at the historic Chateau Varennes. According to The Sun , Fern was given a £40,000 diamond-encrusted white gold eternity ring, while £20,000 was placed behind the bar for guests to enjoy.
The grand occasion also had a few reminders of Maguire’s day job in the form of messages from Ferguson and United great Bryan Robson. Both club legends wished the current captain a lifetime of happiness with his new bride in what was described by a source to The Sun as one of “so many lovely touches”.
Maguire’s England team-mate Jordan Pickford was in attendance along with Manchester City star Jack Grealish. Pickford’s wife Megan Davison was a bridesmaid along with Maguire’s sister Daisy, while the newly-wed couple’s daughters Lillie Saint, three, and two-year-old Piper Rose were flower girls. Harry’s parents, Zoe and Alan, travelled from their home near Sheffield, while his brothers Laurence, 25, and Joe, 30, were also in attendance.
Singer Tom Grennan performed his song ‘Little Bit of Love’ as the guests enjoyed some of Burgundy’s finest wines and £200 bottles of champagne. Posting a picture of the wedding on Instagram, Maguire wrote: “A day I’ll never forget”. Fern added an image of them walking side by side with the message: “I married the love of my life.”
The happy couple are now on the Amalfi Coast in Italy, after Maguire was given permission to miss United’s first few sessions under Ten Hag. As a club insider told The Mirror : “He does not have to return until next week even though Ten Hag wanted them in early. Harry always keeps in shape and was out jogging with Jordan Pickford in France.”
Maguire was one of those absent from Ten Hag’s first training session on Monday at the club’s Carrington complex. There were 20 players in attendance , including Anthony Martial, Donny van de Beek, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, as the former Ajax manager put them through their paces.
