Your wedding day. It should be one of the happiest days of your life, not one of the most harried. The perfect wedding doesn't just happen--it takes planning. Things you never thought about suddenly occupy your every waking hour: How are the invitations worded? What is a semiformal wedding anyway? Why are announcements sent out, and who receives them anyway? What obligations does a wedding invitation confer on the recipient? Do guidelines exist for selecting a wedding gift? Who gives the wedding showers? Are there any guidelines for finding and working with a videographer?

Brides and...