Friday, November 20, and Saturday, November 21
For Carine’s Bridal Atelier’s (1726 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-965-4696) three-year anniversary, is discounting all bridal gowns by 13 percent. Designers include Angel Sanchez, Carolina Herrera, Kenneth Pool, and Pronovias. Friday 11 to 7, Saturday 11 to 6..

At the bridal boutique Hitched (1523 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-333-6162), you can catch Anna-Maier Ulla Maija dresses at this weekend’s trunk show. Sample gowns will be available for viewing, but all the New York-based designer’s gowns are custom-made for each customer. Friday 11 to 6 , Saturday 9 to 5. To schedule appointments, which are required, call the store or e-mail appointment@hitchedsalon.com.

Sunday, November 22
A glitzy wedding cake isn’t just for photos—it has to taste as good, too. Custom Cake Design (8535 Ziggy Ln., Gaithersburg; 301-216-1100) is holding its monthly open house with more than 60 cakes on display. Brides can try 12 flavors as well as the company’s imported-Belgian-chocolate-fondue fountain. Noon to 4. Call 301-216-1100 to reserve a spot.

As a live-music fan, something funny I realized about planning a wedding is that the wedding ceremony is the “opening act” of the day. The ritual binding of you to someone for eternity, amidst the hoopla that is the wedding day, is the appetizer. It’s the biggest part of the day only to those on stage or those directly related to those on stage. A wedding ceremony is, ironically enough, a lot like the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Jimi Hendrix? Let me explain where I’m going.

Hendrix achieved fame in 1967 at the seminal acid-rock event known as the Monterey Pop Festival. (Remember footage of Hendrix on his knees stoking the flames of a burning guitar? It happened at there.) Hendrix and his band opened for the only act to ever record four number-one albums in a single year: the artistic juggernauts and the ’60s cultural icons known as the Monkees.

Thursday, November 12, through Saturday, November 14
Starting tonight, the Junko Yoshioka trunk show at Carine’s Bridal Atelier (1726 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-965-4696) offers discounts on Yoshioka wedding gowns each day from 4 PM on Thursday through 6 Pm on Saturday: 12 percent on Thursday and Friday and 10 percent on Saturday.

Saturday, November 14
Recently relocated to a new Vienna store (8496-B Tyco Rd.), Crystal Bridal Gallery is holding a grand reopening. Visit from 10 to 6 for 25 percent off any special order or purchase plus a preview of the gallery’s 2010 collection. Call 703-288-3066 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Sunday, November 15
Maggie Sottero’s selections from Allure Bridals and Impression Bridal will be on display at the High Tea Bridal Open House from noon to 5. The event is hosted by It’s All About the Dress (511 11th St., SE) and will feature modeled wedding presentations at 1 and 3. Check out mother-of-the-bride dresses by Sarah Danielle and Jovani and bridesmaid designs from Bari Jay. Appetizers are included with the $5 price; call 202-546-7682 to reserve your spot.

Kristin and I were standing on the grounds of a tranquil little wedding venue, with a great outdoor setting situated on the banks of the Potomac, when I realized a jumbo jet was screaming toward us. I could see the people on the plane putting up their tray tables, the heat coming off the engines, and rivets. Looking across the water from the back porch of the establishment, I watched as a massive 767 touched down at Reagan National Airport no more than 500 yards away. I turned to Kristin and said, “Tower, this is Ghost Rider requesting a flyby.” To which she responded, “That’s a negative Ghost Rider. The pattern is full. We’re planning a wedding, honey, not an air show.”

Finding a venue got off to a rocky start. Besides the landing strip, we also had an establishment at National Harbor that wouldn’t call us back and a place in Dupont Circle where the event coordinator stood us up. At one hotel, the salesperson showed us a room that was way too small for the number of guests we were planning to invite. We had to sneak into the joint late one night and find a ballroom that was large enough.