Jay-Z and Beyoncé Married...Or Did They?

After years of speculation, singer Beyoncé Knowles wed her longtime boyfriend, rapper Jay-Z, on Friday, a friend of the couple tells PEOPLE.

Though there is no official confirmation, the friend says, "It happened earlier this evening. Jay wanted it to be a really private affair – close friends and family."

Rumors of a marriage between hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and singer-actress Beyonce drew swarms of media to the street outside his penthouse on Friday, even as speculation swirled about the possibility of a hoax.

Throngs of photographers, TV crews and onlookers crowded around the garage entrance to the apartment building in Manhattan's Tribeca district where the wedding ceremony was thought to be taking place.

A parade of sport utility vehicles with tinted windows was seen coming and going from the garage late in the afternoon, one of them carrying two people dressed in chef's uniforms carrying large, square, white boxes on their laps.

And men dressed in tuxedos were spotted on the roof of the building, where a white tent was erected.

HOLLYWOOD - Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z will marry at the rap mogul's New York apartment at 4 p.m. on Friday, according to sources close to the couple.

Workers have been spotted setting up an event inside a block in the city's TriBeCa neighborhood, where rapper Jay-Z owns a luxury home.

A marquee has been erected on a terrace at the building, and elegant bouquets of white flowers and candelabras have been delivered.

It's rumored just 30 people will be present at the all-white ceremony, including close family members and Beyonce's Destiny's Child bandmates, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams--who are known to be in New York.

The date and time are very special for the couple--four is a number close to both bride and groom.

Jay-Z was born on Dec. 4, 1969, and Beyonce was born on Sept. 4, 1981.

The rapper, real name Shawn Carter, also owns a nightclub franchise called 40/40 and he and Knowles have matching 'IV' tattoos on their ring fingers.

The couple is also planning a second wedding celebration in France on May 4, according to reports.