Joyce Scardina Becker is not your garden-variety wedding planner. A veteran of more than 25 years in the industry and the founding director of a university program for wedding consulting, she knows nuptials like no other. Guided by her experience as president of Events of Distinction, an award-winning wedding planning and design company, she has designed a foolproof structure for producing a fabulous celebration regardless of time, space or even economics.

“Countdown to Your Perfect Wedding: From Engagement Ring to Honeymoon, a Week-by-Week Guide to Planning the Happiest Day of Your Life,” is organized in a 52-week structure that allows brides to hit the ground running without running amok. It’s the perfect guide for the bride who wants to get everything done -including getting to the church on time. The book includes trendy tips and insider information from an experienced wedding consultant, guidelines for the budget bride as well as when money is no object, and examples that detail unique ways brides have personalized their perfect day.

Brides need a firm timeline that tells them when they should do what – along with a healthy dose of how-tos – and Becker delivers exactly what they need. While other wedding guides are organized by topic, this enlightening and comprehensive book walks brides down the aisle step-by-step.

In addition to signing copies of her book, Becker will give a small presentation and conduct a question-and-answer session for brides, bridegrooms and their families and friends involved in the wedding. Her presentations are informative, interactive and entertaining.

A native San Franciscan, Becker shares a family home in the Lake Tahoe area and makes the trip to Tahoe as often as she can. If she isn’t busy with a bride, she may be found on the ski slopes in the winter and on a lakeside bike ride in the summer.