...It’s your wedding, do it your way and forget about the rest, right? If you plan to make a few people unhappy and quite a few more wondering where your manners are, then that is the way to go.
Although we do not want to think or talk about it, wedding etiquette is essential. At this very important time in your life, you want everyone to know who you are and what kind of life you are planning to live. The way that you present yourself here is the way they will see you as a couple.
Even if you do not care much about what they do and think, it is still essential for you to find a way to make them feel welcome into your life...

...The first important aspect of the wedding shower is who will actually throw it. You should not throw your own shower, regardless. This is impolite and seems to say that everyone should give you gifts.
It is also impolite in most cultures throughout the United States for your mother to throw your shower as well. In fact, another close family member including your sister should not throw the shower for you.
But, if your sister is your maid of honor, it is acceptable for her to do this.
Who should do it then? Your maid of honor is responsible for hosting a wedding shower for you. It may be a surprise or it may be a large, formal get together.
As the bride, you really should not play a role in its planning other than offering opinions as suggested. This is a way for those that love you to show you so. In fact, it is often something they should plan from start to finish on their own...

...There are many ways that you can personalize your wedding invitation. The design of your invitation should be a direct reflection of the type and class of the ceremony and reception to follow. If the reception is informal, then there is no need for an elaborate invitation. It will simply confuse guests.
Yet, if the reception is a black tie event, it is necessary to insure that everyone realizes this through the eloquence of the invitation itself. If you are concerned that they may not know that the wedding is a black tie event, add a small notation of it in the corner of the invitation.
You can have your wedding invitation hand drawn or have your local print shop take care of it. If you love calligraphy or a special design, go for that.
There are excellent wedding invitation companies you can work with on the web as well. Make sure to book with them early on so that you have enough time to get your invitations done correctly and out at least a month in advance of your wedding.
The wedding invitation should go out 4-6 weeks prior to the wedding celebration itself. If the reception is a separate event, held on a separate day, there should be two separate invitations sent out in a timely fashion...

...Traditionally, the groom is responsible for providing some sort of thank you gift to the groomsmen in his wedding party. This does not necessarily need to be of high cost. It is commonly something that has an engraved message or has some value to it.
It is often appropriate to give a gift to the groomsmen that fit with the sense and relationship that the groom has with those individuals. For example, a groom may give a beer mug to his friend, an usher, as a token of appreciation and a tool to remember their friendship over the last years.
The gifts for the groomsmen can be presented to the groomsmen at the rehearsal dinner. If not, they can be presented by the groom to his groomsmen on the wedding day, as the men are preparing and getting ready for the day. It is also appropriate for the gifts for the groomsmen to be given out at the bachelor party if this occurs in the right manner for doing so...