It's definitely a special occasion when the heir to the British throne ties the knot — and the world will be watching with great interest when Prince William and Catherine Middleton are married April 29.

Greenville royal watchers will have to get up in the wee hours to watch the ceremony live; the service will begin at 6 a..m. eastern time.

Here's a guide for all you need to know about the royal wedding.

Official website:

www.officialroyalwedding2011.org

The Groom:

Prince William, 28, the oldest son of Prince Charles and his first wife, the late Princess Diana, is second in line of succession to the British throne behind his father. He was born June 21, 1982. He obtained a degree from the University of St. Andrews, earned his wings by completing pilot training at Royal Air Force College Cranwel, and is a flight lieutenant with the Royal Air Force.

He plays polo for charitable causes, enjoys fox hunting and snow skiing. He is a soccer fan and was chosen President of England's Football Association and Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union.

The Bride:

Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, 28, is the daughter of Michael and Carole Middleton. She grew up in Berkshire and met Prince William when they both were studying at the University of St. Andrews.

She has worked as a fashion buyer and for Party Pieces, the mail-order company that sells party supplies that her parents founded in 1987. She has been included on several best-dressed lists.

Her hobbies include recreational sports such as hill walking, tennis, swimming, sailing, and the arts such as photography and painting.

The Engagement:

• Prince William and Miss Middleton, who had been dating almost eight years, became engaged in October during a private holiday in Kenya. Prince William informed The Queen and other close members of his family and sought the permission of Miss Middleton's father.

• Prince William proposed with the same engagement ring —a 18-carat sapphire surrounded by diamonds — his father, Prince Charges, gave his late mother, Princess Diana, before their marriage.

• Their engagement was announced on Nov. 16, 2010.

The Ring:

• Princess Diana's engagement ring is an 18-carat oval blue sapphire mounted in white gold and surrounded by 14 diamonds.

• In 1981, after Prince Charles asked her to marry him, Diana selected the ring from several shown to her by the jeweler Garrard's. Reports vary, but the ring is said to have cost between $40,000-$65,000 at the time it was purchased. It's now considered priceless because of its association with Diana,

• Word is that Prince Harry actually selected the ring as a personal memento after his mother's tragic death in an automobile accident in 1997, while Prince William chose the yellow gold Cartier watch that she used to teach him to tell time. Insiders say the brothers agreed that whoever got engaged first would use it, and Harry was happy to give his older brother the ring.

Invited Guests:

• About 1,900 people have been invited to the service at Westminster Abbey. The invitations were issued in the name of Her Majesty the Queen.

• Confirmed guests include singer Elton John and several hundred members of British government, as well as the owner of a pub near the Middleton's family home, the local butcher and the mailman.

• U.S. President Barack Obama did not make the list, nor did French Prime Minister Nicholas Sarkozy or Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.

• About 600 people have been invited to the lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace given by The Queen.

• About 300 people have been invited to the dinner at Buckingham Palace given by The Prince of Wales.

The Ceremony:

• The wedding service will be held at 11 a.m. (6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time) April 29, 2011. The day has been set aside as a national holiday in England.

• The ceremony will be held at Westminster Abbey, the final resting place of 17 monarchs. Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother both married there, and Princess Diana's funeral was held there in 1997.

• The couple will be married by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

• The Royal family and the Middletons will bear the cost of the wedding (expected to cost around $18 million), the reception and the honeymoon, although any associated costs such as security, policing and cleaning streets —estimated at around $30 million — will be picked up by British taxpayers.

The Bride's Gown:

• Catherine's wedding gown is expected to be traditional with a modern twist — certainly less fussy than Princess Diana's famously flouncy gown. Experts forecast hand-embroidery and lace.

• Potential designers: Phillipa Lepley, Bruce Oldfield, Oscar de la Renta or Vera Wang.

The Procession:

• Miss Middleton and Prince William will travel separately to the wedding service using State Cars from the Royal Mews. The State Car collection includes two Bentleys, three Rolls-Royces and three Daimlers.

• At the end of the service at Westminster Abbey, the couple will travel along the processional route to Buckingham Palace in the open-topped 1902 State Landau Carriage. (Charles and Diana also rode in the State Landau in the procession after their 1981 wedding.)

• In the event of wet weather, William and Kate will travel in the enclosed Glass Coach, built in 1881. (Diana traveled to her wedding in The Glass Coach.)

• The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment — almost 200 horses and uniformed soldiers — will escort the wedding party from the wedding at Westminster Abbey to the reception at Buckingham Palace.

The Music:

• For the first time in history, the royal wedding ceremony will be recorded and immediately released digitally by Decca Records.

• The London Chamber Orchestra., two choirs and two fanfare teams will perform the music.

• The music will include a number of well-known hymns and choral works chosen by both Prince William and Miss Middleton, as well as some specially-commissioned pieces.

The Wedding Party:

Maid of honour: Miss Philippa “Pippa” Middleton, sister of the bride

Best Man: Prince Harry, brother of the groom

Bridesmaids and Page Boys:

The Lady Louise Windsor, age 7, daughter of The Earl and Countess of Wessex;

The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, age 8, daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Linley;

Miss Grace van Cutsem, age 3, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh van Cutsem, goddaughter of Prince William;

Miss Eliza Lopes, age 3, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lopes);

Master William (Billy) Lowther-Pinkerton, age 10, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton;

Master Tom Pettifer, age 8, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pettifer, godson of Prince William.

The Reception:

• Her Majesty The Queen will host a wedding reception for 600 invited guests at Buckingham Palace. It's reported that 19 staterooms will be used for the afternoon reception.

• Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton have chosen Leicestershire-based cake designer Fiona Cairns to create their wedding cake: a traditional fruit cake of several tiers.

• McVitie's Cake Company will create a chocolate biscuit cake, specially requested by Prince William and made from a Royal Family recipe.

• A more intimate dinner an dance for 300 friends will be held in the evening.

• Sir Paul McCartney has reportedly been asked to provide music.

What to get them?

The couple have set up a charitable gift fund for those who may want to donate to charity to help them celebrate their wedding. The fund will assist charities which support the five causes chosen by the couple to reflect their experiences, passions and values:

• support for services personnel;

• changing lives through arts and sport;

• help and care at home;

• children fulfilling their potentials (including anti-bullying); and

• conservation for future generations.

Commemorative items:

The Royal Collection has launched an official range of commemorative china to mark the royal wedding. The china, approved by the couple, is decorated with a pattern of doves, white ribbons and hearts in silver, gold and gray, set against a pale-gray striped background. May be purchased at www.royalcollection.org.uk/

There is also a commemorative coin struck by the Royal Mint and commemorative stamps from Royal Mail.

The Newlyweds:

Following the marriage, the couple will live in North Wales, where Prince William will continue to serve with the Royal Air Force.

— Sources: OfficialRoyalWedding,com, Daily News, People, Hello!, US Weekly, E! Online, Daily Mirror