Defined as the willful misappropriation, by a trustee, of a thing which had been lawfully delivered in confidence, this particular breach of trust concerned trusting brides- and grooms-to-be, their wedding money, and the owner of a wedding planning business named Custom Events.

In Jackson, Missouri yesterday, Michael Erzfeld, the wedding planner arrested in December on five counts felony credit card fraud, briefly appeared in court to waive his right to a preliminary hearing. He will return to court at the end of the month on separate felony charges of check fraud.

While Mr. Erzfeld’s alleged crimes involve stealing from customers of his defunct real estate class business, a half-dozen engaged couples have had to file lawsuits seeking the return of their wedding planning deposits when they should be spending their time preparing for their big day.

For the Certified Wedding Planner, there is no greater trust than that which is given by a bride- and groom-to-be. Beyond the trust of directing tens of thousands of wedding budget dollars, recommending the right goods and services to create their perfect wedding day, and handling countless wedding planning details, bridal clients trust with their hearts that the memories of their most important day will be handled in good faith.

They must rely on the planner’s word that the vendors and venues have been vetted. They need to believe that the planner is both competent and ethical. And they are potentially scarred for life when their trust is violated.

In a business where dreams are turned into reality, without trust there is nothing.

As every Certified Wedding Planner will attest, a million things can happen between engagements and honeymoons that are unexpected, uncomfortable, or just plain unlucky. It is the job of the professional planner to help their clients avoid, overcome, or simply accept wedding day misfortunes without allowing them to ruin the love and excitement of their special day.

Elaborately planned weddings have been doused by rain storms, snow blizzards, and erratic sprinkler systems. Ecstatic brides and grooms have been blind-sided by renegade horses, violent illness, and postnuptial depression. Basically, if it can go wrong, there is a Certified Wedding Planner who has not only witnessed the mishap, but also found a solution with minimal disruption for their clients.

So who can blame Hollywood for going to the well of wedding mayhem one more time for the new movie, “Bride Wars”? Once again we are treated to the spectacle of people meeting, getting engaged, and watching in comedic horror as nothing else goes according to plan.

Fortunately for the uninitiated, this latest whimsical wedding tale stars Anne Hathaway, in what seems to be her film forte. In 2004, her “Princess Diaries” sequel found her battling an arranged marriage. Early 2008’s “Rachel Getting Married” featured Hathaway as an estranged daughter returning home just in time to wreak havoc on her sister’s wedding.

And coming in 2010 to a theater near you, the romantic comedy “The Fiancé” gives the matrimonially-challenged actress the chance to jilt her husband-to-be for some much needed self-reflection.

Hilarity will surely follow.

Planning a wedding can be stressful even for an experienced Certified Wedding Planner. With the current economic state of affairs, many brides are choosing the do-it-yourself approach to planning their nuptials. While we strongly recommend every bride at least consult a professional planner to get their plans on track, many feel they have more time than money. Unfortunately, this often leads to mistakes and undue stress leading up to their most important day.

As a Certified Wedding Planner, it is your job to let your bridal client prospects know the benefits of your services versus the costs of going it alone. One way you can ease the concerns of the DIY bride is by offering free advice on the overall planning process.

Tia Albright of WeddingChannel.com has written articles giving advice to brides on how to reduce their stress level during the wedding planning process. Her articles can be found on theknot.com and South Carolina’s TheState.com. These helpful tips can be used to introduce potential clients to the knowledge and value you have as a Certified Wedding Planner.

Take Ms. Albright’s advice, add your own wedding stress busters, and create a handout or Web page that you can use to show your prospects that you understand what they are going through.