Ellie Goulding is getting married in Yorkshire today and these are the A-list guests

The 32-year-old singer will exchange vows with art dealer Caspar Jopling, 27, in a chapel at York Minster this afternoon before partying at a festival-themed reception in the grounds of the magnificent Castle Howard estate.

The pair lived together in New York but are now thought to have returned to London, and Caspar is expected to begin a postgraduate course at the University of Oxford this year.

Photos show events crew setting up Ellie Goulding's wedding reception at Castle Howard

Where will the wedding take place and why is it in Yorkshire?

Ellie grew up in Herefordshire and is not known to have had Yorkshire connections until she met Caspar.

GALLERY: Live updates from Ellie Goulding's wedding as guests arrive

Caspar was educated at Eton College and Harvard University, and comes from a family of gentleman farmers in the Thirsk area. His grandfather is the former Conservative MP Michael Jopling, who served as Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire and as a Thirsk district councillor. His father is the Honourable Nicholas Jopling and he has a sister, Charlotte Jopling.

His parents are divorced and his mother, Jayne, is married to her second husband Charles Warde-Aldam, another Yorkshire landowner. The Warde-Aldams live at Grade II-listed stately home Frickley Hall, near Doncaster, and are well-known in equestrian circles. They have two daughters together.

It was originally speculated that the couple would hold their reception at Frickley Hall after Ellie was reported to have signed the visitors' book in the village church.

In 2005, the Warde-Aldams rented out their Georgian mansion to wealthy guests when the Royal Ascot race meeting was moved to York Racecourse during the refurbishment of the Berkshire course. The couple moved into their children's bedrooms and cooked for their temporary tenants.

To get married in York Minster's chapel, a couple must apply for a special licence which will only be granted if they can demonstrate a strong link with the cathedral. This has likely to have been secured through the Jopling family's history of public service to the county.

Who is on the guest list?

The most exciting names on the list are Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge - Ellie performed at their wedding reception in 2011 and she maintains close friendships with the young royals.

William's cousins Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are also invited - it was Eugenie who introduced Ellie to Caspar at a dinner party and the pair were guests at Eugenie's wedding to Jack Brooksbank. Their mother, the Duchess of York, may also attend.

Although Ellie has socialised with Prince Harry in the past, he's not thought to be going.

Over 300 friends and family members have been asked to the reception.

Ellie's celebrity friends include actress Cressida Bonas, a former girlfriend of Prince Harry, and model Cara Delevigne. She has holidayed with fashion designer Misha Nonoo, who is believed to have introduced Harry to his wife Meghan Markle.

Her popstar pals include Ed Sheeran, Rita Ora, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

On Caspar's side, he also has some well-connected friends through his time spent in the New York art world. These include supermodel Karlie Kloss, who is married to Joshua Kushner - Kushner's brother Jared is the husband of Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka.

He was also a Team GB rower at youth level and represented Harvard at the sport, so his side of the church could include some successful athletes.

What about the venue?

Castle Howard doesn't just host celebrity weddings - the ancestral home of the Earls of Carlisle, famous for its appearance in Brideshead Revisited, can be booked by couples for a minimum cost of £15,000. In Ellie's case, the entire estate is closed to the public this weekend.

It's 15 miles from York Minster, tucked away in the beautiful Howardian Hills. Castle Howard is still the private home of the Howard family, who run it as a popular visitor attraction.

This week a glasshouse with stage and two marquees were constructed in the grounds, and guests will stay in VIP glamping pods. The menu is vegan.

Will there be photos?

Photographers representing major news outlets will be stationed outside York Minster, which is a public area, to capture guests' arrivals.

However, security at Castle Howard is expected to be tight and the estate is private land.