‘As a die-hard romantic, I shall wish the couple all that life and love have to offer’

Milly Johnson

I love a good party and I’m all for making few memories, so yes, I’ll be joining in with the celebrations, “oohing”’ along with the nation at the big frock and generally enjoying the throng.

Yes, we’ll have flags and hats and yes, we’ll have union jack buns and probably paint our faces because it’ll be fun. At least to me it will; my sons will probably look at me in that ‘she’s insane’ way that I’ve become accustomed to over the years.

My hair is presently dyed blue for my new book launch (it’s a story about the sea), so it makes royal sense to have a bit of red and white to complement the colour scheme – in the form of wine, obviously.

I think it’s my solemn patriotic duty to toast their nuptials in time-honoured tradition. We won’t be having jellied eels or boiled beef and carrots – but I shall make a traditional roast beef dinner that day. I just need to hire a bulldog and a pearly king and we’re sorted.

I can’t say that I’m the world’s staunchest monarchist but as a die-hard romantic I’ll be cheering on the gorgeous young couple and wishing them the very best that life and love have to offer.

Barnsley author, Milly Johnson’s latest book Here Come the Girls is out now.

Wayne Hemingway

I definitely won’t be watching. I don’t mind the Royal Family, but I wouldn’t watch anyone’s wedding on television unless it was my own daughter’s, so I see no reason to change the rules for Will and Kate.

One of my children will be at school that day, so for me it will be a normal day catching up with emails and getting ready for Vintage at Goodwood, which celebrates five decades of British design, fashion and art. So while, I might not be sat in front of the television, I will be indulged in a patriotic venture.

To be honest, I can’t see what all the fuss is about. However, what I do like is the fact that the Royal wedding it has inspired a lot of tongue in cheek creativity. On Friday night, there’s a White Wedding night in London featuring terrible dad dancing, lots of white stiletto heels and soft focus photography. I’ve also heard about a Feeling Gloomy divorce disco, which will be serving tea and sympathy throughout the day and that seems like a much more entertaining way to celebrate.

If you are a monarchist go ahead organise a street party and enjoy it. If you’re not, why not do something equally as fun but just a little bit subversive.

Wayne Hemingway, founded fashion label Red or Dead in the 1980s. He is also a housing design consultor and founder of Vintage at Goodwood.

Simon Le Bon

We’re just relaxing a little after finishing a series of gigs in America, but before we head back for our UK tour we’ve got a couple of final concerts abroad.

So on Friday I will be on a plane, somewhere in the air, on the way to the Dominican Republic. It’s not an attempt to avoid the celebrations, like most other people of course I’m interested in the Royal wedding.

We were always flattered to be referred to as Princess Diana’s favourite band and I’m happy for Will and Kate.

I’m sure I’ll catch some of the coverage at some point, I think it’s probably going to be hard to avoid, and when I do see them on screen, I’ll be sure to blow them both a kiss and wish them well.

Simon Le Bon and the rest of Duran Duran play Sheffield Motorpoint Arena on June 4.

Ian McMillan

On the day of the Royal wedding I’m happy to say that I’ll be in Much Wenlock in Shropshire, doing a gig with my band The Ian McMillan Orchestra.

At about the time of the actual exchanging of rings and the kissing of the bride I’ll be doing a soundcheck, going, ‘One Two, One Two’ rather than ,‘I do, I do.’ And when the street parties are in full swing, our gig will be in full swing and our notes will be flying like bunting.

I’d been looking for a way of avoiding the wedding (sorry The Wedding) because I’m not interested, and this seems like the perfect way to do it because otherwise I’d be like somebody trying not to find out the football results before Match of the Day and finding that at every turn I’m faced by the fact that somebody one one-nil and somebody is marrying somebody else.

I wish Britain would grow up and leave these anachronisms to themselves; that’s just my personal view, obviously, and doesn’t reflect the feelings of the management.

Anyway, there’ll be No Wedlock in Much Wenlock. Mind you, nobody might come to the gig…

From Shropshire, Yorkshire Post columnist Ian McMillan will be heading back north where he play the Holmfirth Festival in June.

GP Taylor

In a modern age I cannot believe the fuss which is made over someone due to an accident of birth. Historically those who sought to be monarch were often the most vile and ruthless in the land. Even in modern times our royalty have hand their fingers in some dubious pies and adultery, divorce and cover-ups are commonplace in this outdated institution.

That is the reason why I won’t be celebrating the Royal wedding. It has all become part of the glorified soap opera that is Britain. Posh and Becks, Elton and Furnish will push their way to the front of the pack as millions ogle.  The whole event will look like a gaudy scene from Footballers Wives.

All they would need to make the day is Katie Price and Peter Andre, a few Big Brother contestants waving flags and fashionistas commenting on the dress. For me, I will be sat in Bonnet’s café in Scarborough eating my cheese scone. That will be followed by a brisk walk around the Marine Drive and a coffee in Blue Crush. Later, as the Royal BBQ’s fill the night air, I will sit in my garden with a glass of wine thanking God I was born a commoner.

GP Taylor lives in Scalby, near Scarborough. His latest novel in the Vampyre Labyrinth series is due out in July.

Joolz Denby

I will be pointedly ignoring the Royal wedding. I have been invited to an anti-royal wedding party, which will apparently feature a guillotine, but it’s in Hastings, which seems a rather long way to go to publicly register my disinterest.

Instead I will be probably be tattooing and should anyone want Stuff the Royal wedding as permanent souvenir on their arm, I’ll certainly consider at least giving a discount.

I think the whole thing is a colossal waste of money, particularly at a time when the reality of the Government’s cuts is just beginning to be seen.

People say I am naïve, but the cost of the wedding dress alone could pay for a child’s kidney machine. If the royal family had any sense they would have made a big thing of not going down the same excessive routes as normal and we would have all applauded. Sadly it’s the same old story.

Back in 1981 when Charles and Di got married there was a big do at Roundhay Park where various band’s played and there was a sense of activism. Today the pervading feeling among the young generation is complete and overriding disinterest and I can’t say I blame them.

Joolz Denby is a poet, artist, band manger and tattooist. She lives in Bradford.

Clare Teal

Don’t get me wrong, I wish William and Kate all the luck, health and happiness in the world and sincerely thank them for the extra bank holiday. But I’m sure they won’t be the slightest bit offended if I don’t spend all of the bank holiday watching them walk down that very long aisle waving at folk.

Instead, I’ve been compiling a list of alternative activities. The supermarkets, I’m hoping, are going to be very quiet, so it would be an opportune time to get the weekly shop done. Also there’s only one car wash in Bath, where I am currently living, and it’s always stupidly busy – I reckon we might be in with more of a chance on Friday.

If I wasn’t such a wuss I might go to Alton Towers or Blackpool Pleasure Beach. I’m thinking the queues won’t be so bad, but as work starts on the new kitchen that weekend we’ll probably be chipping tiles off the walls.

That said, I hear some areas are having street parties to celebrate the wedding. I think any excuse for neighbours and communities to hang out together regardless of the occasion has to be applauded. Certainly, if there’s a street party anywhere near here, we’ll gatecrash it.

Jazz singer Clare Teal grew up near Keighley. Her new album, Hey Ho is due out next month.

Philip Benham

It’s going to be an early start for me on Friday as it’s the beginning of a 10-day festival on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, marking the 175th anniversary of the Whitby to Pickering line. We’d already planned in the celebrations before William and Kate announced their engagement, so I like to think the Royal Family have taken their lead from us.

By the time they reach Westminster Abbey, our gates will have already been open for two hours, so I expect when they actually exchange vows, I will be surrounded by fellow rail enthusiasts admiring some historic steam engines.

While I won’t be near a television and will no doubt be too busy to listen to the coverage on the radio, I will still be getting into the patriotic spirit. The bunting is being hung and Stephenson’s famous Rocket will also be pulling into the station. You can’t really get much more British than that.

Philip Benham is general manager of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The 175th anniversary celebrations run from tomorrow to May 8.

Don’t bother with the bunting... The people who wish the wedding was not happening

On July 29, 1981, my brother refused to get out of bed until late in the afternoon. He was 13-years-old and back then, a sleep-in was the only way of avoiding the hours of coverage.

Avoiding this Friday’s Royal wedding will be even trickier and hiding under a duvet may not be enough. Official coverage begins at 8am on the BBC and half an hour later on ITV. It will last six hours and after a brief respite for the news and a couple of family films, Sophie Raworth will back looking back at the day before it’s even over.

An estimated two billion people around the world are expected to watch at the ceremony at West Minster Abbey as Prince William and Kate Middleton tie the knot. Add to the wall to wall television coverage, a thousand bloggers and Tweeters offering their opinion on the dress in 140 characters or less and the marriage is set to become the media event of the decade.

Except it seems inn one pub, where bosses have banned anything royal wedding-related. At the Alexandra Hotel in Derby, the words “royal” and “wedding” are banned. Those customers who fall four of the albeit temporary regulations are being ordered to donate to a “swear box”.

On Friday, the TV will be ceremoniously turned off, there is no bunting adorning the building, and even the pub brewery’s specially-created ale Kiss Me Kate won’t be served.

Landlords Ralf Edge and Anna Dyson, who are getting married themselves next year, said they