Normally hard at work behind the scenes, L.A. event planner Yifat Oren found herself in a far more visible spot on March 25, 2006—at the altar. Oren, 35, considered eloping, but her fiance had always wanted to be married surrounded by family and friends. "It would have been selfish of me to deny him that," says Oren. Once they'd decided to wed in the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, Oren began coordinating the three-day celebration. Whether you opt for a destination wedding like hers or choose to marry closer to home, here's how to think like a top planner.