What did brides do before the internet? How was it possible to plan a wedding without recourse to Google? I can only imagine they spent countless hours leafing through the Yellow Pages, badgering friends and family for recommendations, visiting quaint, old-fashioned bridal shops, and invariably settling for the first thing they came across.

Today's bride has the world at her impeccably French-manicured fingertips. Such is the choice out there that she could probably plan the whole day without once having to get off her Pilates-toned rear. From bridesmaid dresses and horse and carriages, to those tiny, pointless favours that have insinuated their way into the modern bridal psyche (wedding playing cards in a personalised tin, anyone?), there is nothing she can't source within the click of a mouse.

I personally have spent hours in front of my computer, searching, scouring - rebooting every time it crashes on some cheesy bridal shower website - leaving no stone unturned in my hunt for that elusive, must-have knick-knack. I know most of it is useless tat that I wouldn't buy in a million years, but it's staggering how the world of weddings sucks you in and spits you out. From Devon to Delaware, it spans continents now that the internet has become our global shopping mall.

Inconsequential fancies aside, there is some good stuff out there if you look hard enough: wedding-related acquisitions to drop through my letterbox in recent weeks include place-setting cards, necklaces for the bridesmaids, candles, and some paper lanterns to light the path to the marquee after dark ("What are those paper things? Sick bags?", asked my future husband unromantically when I presented them to him).

Instead of taking a van and tripping across the Channel to Calais for the wine and champagne, my father ended up buying the whole lot online. The internet pointed me in the direction of the wedding car, made it possible to book our flights and entire Moroccan honeymoon in the space of an hour one Sunday afternoon, glass of champagne in hand and not a dingy high-street travel agent in sight. I don't think it's overstating the case to say that we'd have been lost - or at the very least, severely impeded - without it.

And, then, there's all the hotels and B&Bs for all the guests. A couple of mouse clicks and everyone down to great-uncle George had checked out where they'd be passing out for the night and booked themselves in. Even seemingly tedious chores such as planning the order of service become a (relative) pleasure when you've got the internet at your disposal: the vicar e-mails the template, you cut and paste in the words to the hymns from the internet - even sample them first to make sure that you know your Mendelssohn Wedding March from your Arrival of the Queen of Sheba. Simple. I'd hate to think how long that would have taken my sister ten years ago when she got hitched.

Of course, surfing can only take you so far - at some point you're going to have to make decisions for yourself. My friend, Chris, eager for inspiration for an upcoming best man's speech, checked out YouTube. "I watched almost 50 clips and nearly all the speeches included the line: 'Being asked to be best man is like being asked to sleep with the Queen: it's an honour, but no one wants to do it.’ They'd obviously all been visiting the same website." Best men, take note: surf if you must, but remember: Big Bride is watching you.

Our bride-to-be’s top five sites

1. www.coxandcox.co.uk Gorgeous, unusual and undeniably tasteful accessories and table decorations, from wooden flares and kasbah lamps to confetti boxes and white voile bunting. Why go anywhere else?

2. www.littlebevan.co.uk Lovely made-to-measure little bridesmaid and flowergirl dresses - not cheap, but a cut above the high street.

3. www.confetti.co.uk A one-stop shop for bridal information, advice and tips for every step of the plotting process.

4. www.monsoon.co.uk Tried-and-tested girlie finishing touches: fascinators, beaded Alice bands, sparkly clips and combs, corsages and ballet pumps. No bridal party would be complete without it.

5. www.fireworks.co.uk The place to go for your grand finale: firework boxes start at £50 for "Feisty Bridesmaid" and rise to £100 for an 188-shot combination of "Wedding Bells". There's even a heart-burst rocket for guaranteed "ooohs" and "aaahs".

The Hitch insists that you send your own nominations post-haste.