The other day, someone in our wedding party said that he's going to show up to the wedding wearing a Speedo. He thinks he's a riot, but this was the last straw. Yes, we know that people who propose insanely inappropriate wedding ideas to the bride and groom are just looking for attention, their moment in the spotlight. But when you get enough of these pitches, it can start to wear on your nerves. So here are a few pointers for dealing with Wedding Jokers before they steal your peace:

1. DON'T just laugh it off like it's the funniest thing you ever heard. Yes, general wisdom says to take the high road, but these pranksters see your laughing as a payoff....and they'll start suggesting even more ridiculous stuff. Especially if you or others tell everyone about what they said [As in, 'Hey, (insert name here) is going to come to the wedding in a Speedo! Isn't that funny??' is just more payoff. Don't share the tale. This is a toddler-age mindset, like a little kid throwing spaghetti in a restaurant because everyone thinks it's cute.

2. Impose a penalty. Joe and I just set a $50 fine for anyone who calls us up with Joking Ideas for the wedding. Yes, we're serious. We're paying for the wedding, we have a lot invested in it, people are flying in from all over the country, and we want our collection of pranksters to know that we have Zero Tolerance for games played at our expense. Each $50 we collect will offset our wedding expenses, too, so that brings a smile to our faces. C'mon, Speedo, let's hear another one!

3. Communicate your wishes. Just tell the Jokester that you and everyone else can see through these jokes as a grab for attention, and 'we don't want you to embarrass yourself.' Tell them, 'We'd like you to deliver your size card and tux payment, the things we're waiting on, and knock off the jokes about what you're planning to do to upset our wedding day.' They don't like it when you're right.

4. If the Joker says you have no sense of humor, your wonderful comeback can be, 'Yes, I do, when the joke is actually funny. Messing with our wedding plans isn't funny, not in the least.' Let them make faces and throw spaghetti in the restaurant. Their insecurity is on display, and no, it's not cute.

5. Have a plan for Jokesters who really do plan a spectacle for your wedding day. Joe and I have arranged with our reception site manager about having bouncers there to remove anyone who acts inappropriately. That removes our fears about drunken guests, weird toasts, and people showing up in a wedding dress [yes, we've heard that one too!]. We know a pro is on the case, so we don't have to worry about confrontations. The staff will keep us far away from any bouncer activity, as is most sites' policy to keep any problems from the bride and groom. We both slept just fine last night knowing our Jokesters will face a penalty for any future games.

In the end, very few Jokesters will actually enact any of their ideas on the wedding day. There are too many relatives and friends there, and that 'great idea' fades away with the proper atmosphere and parental eyes. So your task for returning to peace is to inhibit future Jokes. When you take a tough stand, you can curb the jokes from coming in.