George Lucas's bride-to-be was an inimitable force even before the ring. The money manager, financial commentator for CBS, and chief of After School Matters (the late Maggie Daley's charity) saw her career reach new heights in October when DreamWorks named her board chairman. "Globally, America is still the primary source of entertainment," says Hobson, who's also on the boards of Starbucks, Estée Lauder, and Groupon. Even after she gets married, she says she's firmly planted in Chicago, where she grew up, and in the company where she has spent her entire career: "I'm always thinking, What can I learn that will be an additive to Ariel?"

Photograph: CHRIS STRONG