[Peacefield]

I use PSE 4 and Canon's DPP. I'm pretty happy with this combo for most things. I'm beginning to do many more weddings, just purchased a new PC running Vista, and am thinking about investing in better software to both make my photos look better as well as my work more efficient. Here's what I want to be able to do better:
- Skin softening: Gaussian blur on another layer just doesn't give me a good enough look. Indeed, I don't even like PSE4's blur filters; I don't want to blur, I want to soften.
- Vignetting: Not happy with the control I feel I have now around the shape and look of my vignettes.
- Noise: I've always felt that DPP or PSE4 do an okay but not great job with noise.
- Simplify steps: It's frustrating to work through the number of clicks I have to just to do something simple like a vignette.

So here are my questions/options:
- Will upgrading to PSE7 get me any of what I'm looking for or not really?
- Do I need to step up to full PhotoShop? And if so, can I save a few dollars by purchasing the older CS3 off of eBay?
- I'm thinking of dropping the money on Portraiture and Noiseware no matter what I do with PS. Does it make sense to pick up these two and just stay with PSE4? This would get me some of what I'm looking for, but neither better vignetting nor simplified steps.

I'll spend what I need to, but obviously don't want to spend more than is necessary.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.