How is a marriage contract concluded with a Kitābīyah (a woman from the People of the Book) according to the Hanafi school of thought, and is a guardian (walī) required in this case?

According to Abu Hanifa, a chaste, mature Kitabiyyah (woman of the People of the Book) may contract her own marriage in the presence of two witnesses, and these two witnesses may also be Kitabiyyin. However, the majority of scholars hold that a woman cannot contract her own marriage; rather, her guardian must marry her off in the presence of two Muslim witnesses, and this is the relied-upon opinion for fatwa (definition). It is preferable for a Muslim not to marry a non-Muslim woman, especially in these times, due to the abundance of potential harms and risks.