LIVE: Watch the Royal Wedding

(CBS News) — It’s the day Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been waiting for. The royal wedding sees 600 guests join the couple at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle as they exchange vows, 200 of whom will join them to party into the night.

Meghan and Harry are keeping to tradition by spending the night before their wedding apart.

The dress is also a secret — another tradition. Ms. Markle’s arrival will be a big reveal for followers of fashion — the design of her dress will be kept under wraps until she emerges in her gown on the way to the chapel, but it’s rumored that Ralph & Russo are the designers.

Some 1,200 members of the public were invited onto the grounds of Windsor Castle as royal couple arrive and leave for their carriage procession; some are representatives of charitable organizations, others are community heroes.

The guest list includes no politicians. Neither President Donald Trump, former President Barack Obama nor Canadian PM Justin Trudeau will attend, nor will British Prime Minister Theresa May — the wedding is not a state occasion.

The hour-long ceremony begins at noon local time (7 a.m. ET). Rather than taking place at the altar, the couple’s first kiss as husband and wife is likely to be as they appear on the West Steps after the ceremony, surrounded by their families.

Just after 1 p.m. local time (8 a.m. ET) the couple’s 25-minute carriage ride through the town in the Ascot Landau begins, with military representatives and cheering crowds lining the streets.