On 19 June, Prince Edward and his bride will welcome more than 2,000 of Britain's rich and powerful.

The list includes Prime Minister Tony Blair, Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber, opposition leader William Hague, actors Billy Connolly and Stephen Fry, and of course, the Royal Family, including the 98-year-old Queen Mother.

St George's Chapel has its first Royal Wedding in more than 100 years

But Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince Charles's companion, and the Duchess of York, Prince Andrew's estranged wife, are not on the guest list.

The wedding and carriage procession through the streets of Windsor will also be covered live on television.

But while the wedding will not be private, it is certainly a reflection of the times.

Something old...

Tradition has not been ignored. Like his siblings before him, the prince and Sophie will greet well-wishers in an open landau after the 5pm service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

The Wales's wedding was a national event

The couple will also have a traditional dance the night before the ceremony, hosted by the Queen.

The 45-minute service, led by the Rt Rev Peter Nott, Bishop of Norwich, will be televised live. But unlike Charles' and Andrew's weddings, no profits will be made from the coverage. Any proceeds from rights or videos will go to charity.

Prince Edward has also chosen his two brothers to act as his "supporters" - the royal equivalent of best men. Edward acted as a supporter at both his elder brothers' weddings.

And the couple have asked four children to act as bridesmaids and page boys.

Eight-year-old Camilla Hadden, Edward's godchild, and five-year-old Olivia Taylor, whose parents are longtime friends, will be the bridesmaids.

Six-year-old Harry Warburton, a son of one of Edward's aides, and seven-year-old Felix Sowerbutts, the son of other friends of Miss Rhys-Jones, will act as the page boys.

Buckingham Palace has also stated that the wedding service will be traditional. Sophie will promise to "obey" her husband - a tradition many modern brides, including the late Princess of Wales, have dropped.

...something new

But the couple have made some substantial changes.

No hats will be worn by female guests

Unlike Prince Charles and Andrew, who attended their weddings in military dress, this will be a purely civil ceremony. There will be no Guard of Honour or any other escort. Even the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York are not expected to turn out in naval uniform.

The prince, it is said, believes military presence would be inappropriate since he did not serve long in the Armed Forces. In 1993, he resigned from the Royal Marines to pursue a career in theatre production.

Gone also are the large hats, a trademark of many a summer wedding.

On the sheet of instructions accompanying the invitation, women have been asked to wear three-quarter or full-length evening dress (not ball gowns). Male guests are requested to wear white tie and tails.

The white tie and tails idea came from Prince Edward himself who is said to have taken inspiration from weddings he attended in Scandinavia.

Something borrowed...

The couple has been lucky to have the resources of Buckingham Palace. The royal staff is swinging into action to make this the event of the season.

The Queen Mother, 98, will be at her grandson's wedding

The Queen's chef is preparing the menu for the wedding which includes coulibiac (fresh salmon baked with rice), mushrooms and spinach in pastry, beef stroganoff and of course, the cake.

The Crown Equerry will provide the transport, the Queen's Press Secretary is organising media coverage.

The Master of the Household, Major-General Sir Simon Cooper, is arranging the seating plan in the chapel, the floral decorations and the entertainment at the reception.

It will be the first time in more than 100 years that a prince has been married at St George's Chapel. Queen Victoria's fourth son Leopold, Duke of Albany, married Princess Helen in 1882 in the chapel.

...something blue