Britain gets the chance at the end of this month, for the first time in almost three decades, to celebrate a Royal Wedding and the people of Chelmsford are determined not to miss the out. With the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton set for 29th April 2011, residents and organisations in Chelmsford are in the advanced stage of planning a number of celebratory events to mark this special occasion.

To help the country celebrate the royal event, the UK Government has declared a national bank holiday in England and the other local assemblies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have followed suit. With the wedding being held on Friday 29th April, and the following Monday being the statutory Spring Bank Holiday, the whole of the British population can look forward to a nice, long weekend. This will be for the second time in two weeks due to the Easter holidays being the previous weekend.

There have been various events announced by local organisations, including the traditional street parties which are part and parcel of British royal celebrations. Sure to be one of the best around is the J's Hospice Royal Wedding Family Street Party. Starting at midday, there will fun for all the family, including face painting, inflatables, stalls, games, live bands, plus plenty of refreshments. They will also be providing a giant screen for those wishing to watch the ceremony.

In addition to the J's Hospice event, there have also been several applications during the past couple of months for local & county council approval to close roads in order for communities to hold their own street parties. One of the first approved was from the residents of Burns Crescent in Old Moulsham in the heart of Chelmsford, who were looking to hold a traditional street party with Union Jacks flags, bunting, live music, and long tables of children enjoying party food and drink. The organisers were keen to bring the local community together for a nostalgic celebration very much in the style of the Royal Jubilee celebrations which took place in 1977.

Another place to relax and enjoy the occasion would be to book a Royal Wedding weekend at the Saracens Hotel in Chelmsford. Located in the heart of the town, they will be holding a pre-wedding party, with a DJ and free barbecue. With a stylish modern restaurant and bar, it is sure be one of the best places in Chelmsford to enjoy yourself and the Royal Wedding.

With thousands of people flocking to London to be part of history, local roads, train stations, and bus routes are expected to be very busy. If you are one of those, it has been advised by the authorities that use you should use public transport where possible and book your Chelmsford to London train tickets in advance.

Whilst the eyes of the world will be on London, it should not be forgotten that Chelmsford has its own fair share of great locations for weddings. Although on a slightly less grand scale than Westminster Abbey, Pontlands Park Hotel is set in a beautiful location in the heart of the Essex countryside. Located just outside the town centre in Great Baddow, Pontlands Park is a popular venue for weddings and has fantastic modern facilities.

Another Chelmsford wedding venue is the prestigious Hylands House which is set in the stunning surroundings of Hylands Park and home to several big events during the summer such as the V Festival and the eagerly awaited double concert with JLS & Olly Murs. Licensed for civil ceremonies since 1999, this beautiful grade II listed building and its spectacular grounds make for a stunning wedding location.

An important part of any wedding is the wedding photograpy, and the royal photographer for Kate & Wills is rumoured to be Hugo Burnand. Mr Burnand was the official photographer when William's father, Prince Charles the Prince of Wales, married Camilla Parker-Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall. As with anything related to such a public event, the cost of this service will not be revealed, but the higher the price does not always been a better quality of photography. There are many fantastic wedding photographers in Chelmsford who would do any wedding justice and if you are looking for one, then you have a wide choice from which to choose.

As with any wedding, and especially a royal one, the brides wedding dress is always a huge talking point and everyone is keen to see what it looks like. As yet, the designer has not been revealed, but it is strongly rumoured that it could be Sarah Burton, who is the wedding dress designer for fashion legend Alexander McQueen. Strangely, another rumour going round is that Ms Middleton has asked local Essex girl Victoria Beckham (aka Posh Spice) to design her honeymoon outfits, which also should eagerly awaited! Whoever it is, she is bound to be looking good!

If you are getting married in the near future, or all the excitement has got to you, then why not attend one of the local wedding fairs which are being held in the area. Everything you could ever need for your wedding can be found in one location, from dresses & suits, flowers, personalised chocolates, honeymoon holidays, and so much more that you probably haven't even thought of but you won't be able to do without. With two wedding show events each year, both Hylands House and Channels Golf Club are the main wedding fairs in Chelmsford. A little further afield, the Essex Wedding Show takes place in Brentwood as is claimed to be the biggest of its kind in the county.

How are you planning to spend your extra day off on 29th April 2011? Will you be glued to your TV set, taking in part in a local event or street party, or couldn't care less about the Royal Wedding.

Whatever your thoughts, please feel free to add them below.

Chelmsford Bin men get day off for Royal Wedding with cancellation of waste and recycling collections on 29^th April 2011. Read the full story here...  Chelmsford Council cancels April Bank Holiday waste collection