Parker, Longoria exchanging Paris vows (AP)

The two married in a civil ceremony in Paris on Friday, before a modest crowd of about 40 guests, including French soccer player Thierry Henry and some of Parker's teammates from the San Antonio Spurs.

Parker, a 25-year-old who was born in Belgium and grew up in France, asked Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe to officiate. Parker's friends translated when Delanoe gave a speech calling the basketball star a model in the fight against racism.

"I married a friend to the woman he loves. It was touching, moving, very warm and at the same time very relaxed," Delanoe said on RTL radio Saturday.

And romantic, he added: "They kiss all the time."

He praised Longoria's choice of dresses and designer — the 32-year-old wore a pink Chanel mini dress on her way into the town hall, but changed into a white dress in the district mayor's office. French law requires a civil ceremony even when couples marry in a church.

Saturday's events were likely to be much more elaborate — and much more strictly guarded.

Police cordons circled the cathedral where the couple was to wed in a religious ceremony, across from the Louvre Museum in central Paris. Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, which once served French royals, was closed to visitors throughout the day.

In the afternoon, two pearl gray Mercedes minivans pulled up carrying several young women wearing dark red or sky blue track suits, believed to be Longoria's bridesmaids. Soon afterward, guards started erecting 10-foot-high wooden panels to block the public's view of the church entrance.

Gray, drizzly skies loomed over the big day, but that didn't deter fans.

"I love the series and I came out today for the chance to see to Eva, the 'American in Paris,'" said Lola Michot, a 16-year-old high school student from the eastern French city of Besancon. She waited outside the church for hours Saturday for a glimpse.

The couple and their entourage have given very few details about the nuptials, but media reports said they were to follow the religious service with a bash at Vaux-le-Vicomte, a 17th century chateau about 35 miles southeast of Paris.

Rumored guests include Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, movie stars Catherine Zeta-Jones and husband Michael Douglas, and Longoria's "Desperate Housewives" co-stars.

Fellow "housewives" Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman and Nicolette Sheridan reportedly arrived Friday at Paris' Bourget airport in a private jet. Marcia Cross, who stars in the series as persnickety Bree and recently gave birth to twins, is not expected to attend the wedding.