Most wedding ceremonies follow a similar overall structure, but what makes each ceremony unique are the ways the couple find to personalize it through readings, unity symbols or musical elements.

Personalized vows are one of the best ways to say what your marriage means to you.

Here are some guidelines to help you write your own:

• Use your officiant’s standard vow format, "I vow to love, honor, support ..." and write them in your own style: "I promise to remember every day how much I love you and how lucky I am to have you. ..." Think about what you want to give and receive from your marriage.

• Sit down and talk about what it all means to you. This will not only give you a good starting point for writing, but it also will ensure that you’re both aware how your partner views your marriage.

• Write down the typical wedding words and emotions (love, support, cherish, devotion, respect, honor), and think about personal ways to express them. Glance through a thesaurus or take inspiration for biblical, poetic or prose passages.

• Make your vows reflect your own life. Address your individual background in terms of how it will help shape your future positively.

• Try to keep your vows under three minutes. They are meant to be your marriage vision highlights, not the daily play-by-play.

• Once you’ve written your vows, read them aloud. What sounded good as you wrote it, doesn’t always sound so smooth when you hear it. Use short, simple sentences - they’re easier for people to follow and for you to memorize.

Anyone terrified of public speaking will agree that there are few tasks more challenging than delivering a toast, no matter how joyous the occasion.

According to a survey conducted by Korbel Champagne Cellars, 97 percent of Americans fear delivering a wedding toast for one reason or another.

But if you’re part of a wedding party, there’s no escaping this traditional duty. The good news is there are a few tried-and-true strategies for saying a lot without having to say a lot.

Bernie Steenson, a Toastmasters Club past president, said the key to successful public speaking – whether it’s delivering a lengthy speech or a brief toast – is to prepare and rehearse, so you feel confident with the material.

"Rehearsing is very important," said Steenson. "The more you get used to the words, the more comfortable you’ll feel."

But what to say?

The barest bones of a toast need to include a mention of those whom you are toasting by name, your relationship to them and a wish for their future happiness and good fortune.

On top of that, you may wish to add more personal elements to your toast, such as a brief reading from a favorite poem, a quotation, a joke or song lyric that sums up your feelings.

Just remember that length does not always help a toast.

"A toast can be quite brief and still be wonderful," Steenson said.

For special occasions, such as weddings, Steenson believes it is more important for a toast to be sincere and heartfelt than polished and rehearsed.

"Unless it’s in bad taste, no one is going to be critical of your toast," Steenson says.

• Traditionally, the best man offers the first toast to the bride and groom. The groom reciprocates with a toast of thanks to his best man, then toasts his bride and both sets of parents. The bride is welcome to follow suit, as are parents, relatives, and guests.

• Don’t drink too much before it’s your turn to toast. A clear head will serve you better than "liquid courage."

Chances are, there’s a wedding on your social calendar this year. That means you could spend a fair amount of time shopping for just the right gift for the happy couple. These tips could help:

Respect the couple’s gift registry. This way, you can be assured they both will like the gift you give them.

There is no equation for what your wedding gift should cost. Spend what you want and - most important - what you can afford. The average wedding gift starts at $50 ($100 if it’s coming from a couple) and goes up from there.

Note: You never regret being generous.

• Whenever possible, ship your gift ahead of the wedding. Try not to hand-deliver your gift to the reception unless it is cash, which should be presented to the bride or groom in person.

• If you can’t bear to buy another toaster, go in on a group gift. Gather a group of friends or family and pitch in for a big-ticket item – a television, barbecue or a set of bicycles, for instance – something none of you would be able to afford alone.

• Make it memorable. If you buy a basic gift like a coffee maker, throw in something extra like a bag of gourmet coffee beans or a set of unusual mugs. Your gift will now have a unique, personal touch.