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If you're anything like me, the mere thought of getting up in front of a room full of people and giving a speech makes you want to crawl under a table and hide. But as the matron of honor at my sister's wedding, I had to put on my big girl pants and give a toast. Luckily, I survived the experience and came out of it with some advice to share on how to execute your speech with confidence!

Photo Credit: Maria Angela Photography 

1. Don't Wait Until the Last Minute
The last thing you need to be doing the week before the wedding is fretting over your toast. I started working on mine about a year in advance; I read through Sharon Naylor's cheat sheet on writing your MOH speech at least five times and began jotting down any ideas as they came to me. Then, about a month before the big day, I sorted through my various ideas and worked them into a cohesive speech.

When my sister first showed me a picture of the bridesmaid dress she wanted us to wear for her wedding, one of my first thoughts — aside from that I loved the style — was, "Nice! I won't need a strapless bra!" But then she clued me in that the straps are actually sheer, and the back would've prevented wearing a regular bra anyway.

Jasmine B2 Style B143923

Finding a strapless bra that is comfortable, actually gives support, and will stay in place throughout the day is no easy task. After suffering through wearing uncomfortable bras at events past, I was determined to find one I'd actually like for my sister's wedding.

Sometimes, you just want a quick cup of coffee — not a whole pot. Single-serve coffee makers using pods or capsules have flooded the market in recent years; to help you find the best fit for your caffeine fix, we evaluated some of the latest releases and best sellers from the most popular brands. After testing hundreds of cups of coffee, here are our top three picks:

Keurig Vue V700 Brewing System ($199.99)

If you’ve ever complained that Keurig coffee is too weak, then you need to try the Vue, stat. The next generation promises to “brew stronger, brew bigger, brew hotter” – and it certainly delivered.

Ever feel like you need a vacation from your vacation? After a wonderful weekend in North Carolina (more on that below!), I was exhausted — just another day off from work would've been amazing. Here, the most important lessons I learned this week:

If you fall off the wagon, get yourself back on track as soon as possible. Rene and I had the best time exploring the city of Charlotte, going out, and seeing his great family to celebrate his father’s 80th birthday in North Carolina. It was a weekend I will not forget, but I sure hope my body does after all of the food and alcohol I consumed. Unfortunately, I did not eat too well. I had fast food (gross!), comfort food (fried chicken and macaroni and cheese), and bagels and eggs for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. I drank tequila, rum, and wine on Friday and Saturday, too. I was just a disaster all weekend. I did have fun, and I got myself back on track as soon as we returned home. For dinner Sunday night, Rene and I ate sashimi and salads for dinner, so at least I had one healthy meal that weekend! 

I definitely felt better Tuesday morning after eating well and working out on Monday — I felt like I burned off some of the many calories consumed over the weekend. 

Rachel Wolf's father/daughter dance on Saturday, July 20th was everything she hoped it would be  — the only thing missing was a groom to watch on.

Her dad, Dr. John Wolf, is losing his battle with terminal pancreatic cancer, but that didn't stop the determined 25-year-old from Auburn, California from making their wedding wish come true. Regretting that he would never get to take part in her big day — yet not wanting to pressure her current boyfriend to propose — she came up with the idea to host a special dance now that she can record and play at her future nuptials someday.

"My greatest sadness of you not being here is that you won't get to walk me down the aisle or have a special father/daughter dance," she told him through tears in a video posted online by News10/KXTV.  "So I'm inviting you to my 'wedding.'"

In an interview with The Today Show, her "ultimate hero" reveals just how much the staged event meant to him: "Each and every day, we have a choice. We have a choice to either love that person that's in front of us or not. It's the relationships that you build over the years that is the most important thing in life."

One of the prettiest sights to see at a wedding (other than the décor, flowers and beautiful bride, of course!) is the dazzling dessert table. I recently came across some gorgeous tables featuring an array of yummy treats created by Alexis Streets, a Washington D.C.-based dessert and table stylist (clients include Spike Lee and the Washington Redskins). All of her food items are not only custom-made and handcrafted, but Alexis also designs the table décor. This talented entrepreneur definitely knows how to turn a negative into a positive, too: She started her business creating gift baskets while on bed rest after a car accident, and today, after just five years, her company has evolved into a highly successful business. Love that positive spirit!

Now, back to dessert tables: If you’re thinking of having one at your wedding, Alexis recommends that you “consider your own personal taste and style, your wedding colors and the needs of your guests.” And, for upcoming fall weddings, some of Alexis’ favorite choices include chocolate-covered strawberries infused with wine, candy apples, spiced cupcakes and her custom 14k-gold candies. “Our cake pops are always a year-round favorite, too, as they can be customized to look like brides and grooms!” says Alexis. For inspiration, take a look at some of her sensational tables and eye-catching goodies, and visit Alexis Streets and discover more delicious treats:

Clockwise from top left: Chocolate strawberries, gourmet pretzels, gourmet krispy treats, pecan turtles, cake pops, and gourmet strawberry shortcakes.

Photographer Joshua Watson and his wife Rachel, a film and television producer, infused both of their passions in their ingenious wedding invitations. With the help of photographer friend Jordan Nakamura, the pair re-created a selection of movie posters; then, they made DVD invites for friends and family, using the images as covers on the DVD cases. "We tried to choose a variety of films that we both enjoy," said Watson. "We also wanted to choose posters we felt had iconic designs." Take a look!

Inspiration: Inception

Inspiration: Casablanca

Inspiration: An Education

After a series of four harrowing hair trials, I'd love to share my experience with BG brides in case anyone is going through the same thing (you're not alone!) or in the process of scheduling their beauty appointments for the big day. This is my story about the connection between hair and self-image — including a few hard-earned lessons I learned along the way. 

I looked into the mirror and saw an imposter staring back at me in a haze of hairspray. I recognized the wide Katy Perry-like eyes, but everything else about her was foreign. She had a retro bouffant ‘do warped from the ‘50s, with boho braids wrapped around the sides of her head. I could barely make out the sparkling headpiece on top because it was drowning in a nest of curls.

This wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I showed the hairstylist my inspiration photo of Kate Middleton (my fashion hero!) at a royal gala, looking resplendent with her updo and amazing Jenny Packham dress. This hairdo looked like the Duchess of Cambridge got into a tussle with a pin-up and a flower child, and there was no clear winner. Would my fiancé Jason even recognize this bride coming towards him down the aisle, with her Medusa tendrils?

Photo Credit: Lucky Me Photography on Lela via Lover.ly

Q: I was surprised to receive an invitation to a friend’s wedding that only had my name on it. She knows I’m engaged and has met my fiancé a few times. Shouldn’t his name be on the invitation as well? 

The bouquet and garter toss are time-honored traditions, but these days, more than half of BG brides skip at least one of the tosses.

One couple decided to put a new twist on the tradition that was anything but stale — Natasha and Jake Johnson launched themselves in a human slingshot before making their tosses! Their venue, Hobble Creek Lodge, already had the slingshot on premises; after taking turns going up in it the night before the wedding with their bridesmaids and groomsmen, they decided to do it during the wedding as well. 

"Jake and I joked around about me doing the human slingshot in my wedding dress but I thought, 'No way, it will ruin my dress,'" Natasha told HuffPost Weddings. "Well, I changed my mind the night before the wedding and said, 'Why not!'"