The Royal Wedding: You're Invited (to the Marketing, Anyway)

Ever since Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement, all kinds of marketers have made plans to build on their April 29th wedding.

Fashion designers favored by Kate are, of course, the most obvious beneficiaries. From souvenir stamps to plates to beers to sweets, the royal wedding is a marketing bonanza for many. There's even an app for royal weddings.

Some marketers have taken a not-so-serious approach, offering limited-edition breakfast cereals, "sick bags" (for those who are sick of all the hype), and even a LEGO-scale version of the wedding.

Serious or fun, the marketing fever comes to a head on Friday when Kate and William walk down the aisle. Expect big ratings and big post-wedding sales.