A guide to the royal wedding day - in pictures

Friday 29 April. Thousands of people will be lining the route between Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Thousands more will be watching the events on giant screens in Hyde Park and Trafalgar square. Members of all three services will also line the route interspersed with military bands. Image Bing Maps Photograph: Graphic

Kate Middleton will leave Buckingham Palace at 10.30am and drive along the Mall, through Horse Guards Parade, along Whitehall, round Parliament Square and up to the Abbey Photograph: Graphic

Inside the Abbey, the wedding service will begin at 11am. The Dean of Westminster will conduct the service, the Archbishop of Canterbury will marry Prince William and Miss Middleton, and the Bishop of London will give the address
Photograph: Graphic team

Kate and William will be married at the top of the steps leading onto the magnificent cosmati mosaic floor of the sacrarium (above) in front of the altar. Image: PA
Photograph: PA

The couple will go round to the shrine of St Edward the Confessor where they will sign the register surrounded by the coffins of Henry III and many of the Plantagenet kings of England, their wives and other relatives. Photograph: PA
Photograph: PA

The quire blocks the view of the people in the nave so large plasma screens will be erected to enable them to see the wedding ceremony. Photograph: PA
Photograph: PA

Return journey: Kate and William will travel in the 1902 State Landau if its dry - the Glass Coach if its wet - escorted by 160 horses of The Life Guards and Blues and Royals of the House-hold Cavalry Mounted Regiment back along the Mall to Buckingham Palace.
Photograph: Bing Maps

12.30pm. On arrival at Buckingham Palace, the Queen will give a reception for the couple and guests drawn from the congregation representing the couple?s official and private lives Photograph: Graphic

Nineteen state rooms in Buckingham Palace will be given over to revelry for the afternoon reception (600 guests) which will be followed in the evening by a dinner and dance for 300 friends. Photograph PA Photograph: Graphic

The cake. Actually two cakes ? a traditional fruit cake created by Fiona Cairns, decorated with edible flowers; and chocolate biscuit cake (above) made by McVitie's, specially for William. Photograph: PA Photograph: Graphic

In time-honoured tradition the couple will appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at 1.30pm to wave at the crowds and witness a fly-past of second world war aircraft. Photograph: PA Photograph: Graphic

Roads immediately surrounding the route will be closed all day. Neighbouring roads may also be closed in late afternoon/evening to enable onlookers to leave safely Photograph: Graphic