Keep Nails Mar-Free

Every bride wants to look perfect on her wedding day this includes the hands. Not only will everyone want to look at your wedding and engagement rings, but your hands will be photographed holding flowers, champagne glasses and other items. You’ll definitely want your nails to look your best!

When going to have your professional wedding manicure, be sure to take someone with you. The other person can assist with the little things that can ruin finger nails such as taking money out of your wallet and opening doors. You may even want the other person to drive you to your next destination so you don’t scrape your nail polish on the steering wheel.

It takes at least 30 minutes for fingernails to dry completely, so don’t skip this necessary precaution.

Looking Beautiful On Your Wedding Day

The best beauty tips for your upcoming wedding are to start long before the wedding. You should be investing in good skin healthcare months and months before the wedding. From facials occasionally to day-to-day maintenance of your skin, the best way to do this is to establish a proper skin care plan based on your skin type.

While it may sound like you hear this all the time, good eating habits and regular exercise are as important to your skin health as they are to your overall body health. So once you make the investment in proper skin care, how do you achieve the look you want for your wedding?

Hire a professional.

How to feel great on your big day

On the day before you wedding make an appointment with your maid of honor or all of your attendants for a spa day. This should include a facial, haircut (nothing drastic), manicure, pedicure and body massage. You will shine the next day and look like the most relaxed person in the room.

Beauty time line, on the wedding day

* Have a massage in the morning. This will give you time to relax and reflect before your big event.

* Take a long bath.

* Eat at least one small meal, you don´t want to pass out at the altar.

* Have your hair and make-up done a few hours before the ceremony. If at all possible, have your stylist and make-up artist come to you. This will prevent any "weather" damage.

* Start dressing one to two hours before the ceremony and do any necessary make-up touches.

Take deep breaths and enjoy the moment! All of the planning is over, it´s time to enjoy the blessed event!

Don´t Kiss Off

You can take a few extra steps to make regular lipstick more longwearing. Before applying lip color, smooth a bit of foundation over your lips---this will make your lipstick go on more evenly as well as help it stay on longer. Outline your lips with a lipliner, then fill in lips with the liner as well. Using a lip brush, apply one coat of lip color; blot with a tissue. Apply a second coat of lip color. If you'd like, you can top your lipstick with a product such as English Idea's LipLast, which seals in lipcolor and sets it for longer wear.

Men are Beautiful, Too

Be sure that the groom has had a recent haircut and that he also has a smooth, clean shave for the wedding day. If he has a problem getting a good shave, consider having a professional shave at a salon.

Hair Headaches

When you have your hair styled for your wedding, don´t let your stylist pull it back so tightly that it hurts. You may think you´ll get used to the tugging feeling on your scalp, but more likely you´ll end up with a headache.

Don´t Fade Away!

On your wedding day it´s important not to look overly made-up, but you don´t want to disappear into the woodwork either. Try this tip: practice your makeup beforehand, then move a mirror to one side of the room. From the other side of the room, how does your makeup look in the mirror? If it´s faint, you´ll need more definition. If it´s too much, tone it down a bit.

Beauty time line 2wks. prior

* Have your final dress fitting. Take along your headpiece, shoes, lingerie, jewelry and accessories so that you can get the full picture.

* Break in your wedding shoes at home.

* Give yourself a facial.

* If you can afford it...have a mini spa day and let a professional pamper you.

* If you color your hair, now is the time to refresh your color.

Stop the Shine

If carrying around a container or compact of powder for touchups is too bulky, consider buying blotting papers (they´re often dusted with powder) to occasionally absorb oil and moisture on your face and keep shine from showing up in your photographs.

Just the Way You Are

Don´t make big changes such as getting a perm, coloring your hair, etc. right before your wedding. Have these treatments done well in advance in case something needs to be fixed in time for the wedding.

Hair Scare

Make sure that you have a practice hair session a month before the ceremony, and the final cut two weeks before the wedding. Don´t forget to bring your veil so you will have a true idea of the final effect.

Excuse My While I Powder My Nose . . .

Your wedding day is one day when you want to keep your face shine to an absolute minimum, especially since you´re going to be photographed all day long. Be sure to keep a powder compact (not loose powder, which could spill onto your dress) nearby throughout the day, either in your own purse or with a bridesmaid.

Beauty time line 1mo. prior

Practice your hairstyle with your headpiece, practice your make-up, get another professional manicure. During this manicure you should choose your nail polish color and treat yourself to a paraffin wax treatment.

Beauty time line 1-2mo. prior

Have a make-up artist do a trial run. It´s wise to start this early and plan it on a day when you have another special function to attend. Not only will you look great for the event, but you will also be able to test drive the products that they applied. Many department store cosmetic counters offer this service free with the hope that you will buy some of their products.

If you plan on doing your own make-up on your wedding day, we suggest that you take your maid-of-honor with you for your makeover so that she can help you recreate the look. With one month left, you should schedule your final fittings for your dress.

Free Makeup Help

If you´re clueless about what makeup to wear for your wedding but don´t have the budget to pay for a professional makeover, make a trip to your local department store cosmetics counters. They often do makeovers for free and will show you application techniques and help you choose your colors.

Natural Nails

If you´re going to have close-up photos of your hands, it´s important that you have a professional manicure the day before the wedding. Some of the best choices are a pale pink shade of polish, or a French manicure that would give you a natural-but-better look. If you´re dead-set against using nail polish or are allergic to it, have a manicure without polish---your cuticles will look nice and neat, and the manicurist can buff your nails so they look shiny and healthy.

Hold That Hair!

If you´re wearing an updo or other kind of complicated style, consider consider keeping a small trial-size bottle of hair spray with you (or with your maid of honor or another bridesmaid).

Beauty time line 4-6mo. prior

* Remember to take into account the cut of your dress and how many hours you will have to spend in the lingerie. Not a good time to start wearing something with "boning" if your not used to torture devices!

* Now is the time to start experimenting with your hair. How do you see yourself on your wedding day? Should you be growing your hair, or getting it cut into a specific style? Schedule an appointment with your stylist, take your headpiece and magazine clippings of hair styles. Work with your stylist to get the right look for you.

Beauty Bag for the Groom

To make sure the groom looks dashing for the wedding, help him along by making a little bag of ´beauty´ supplies that he may need. Include shaving cream, skin cleanser, cologne and other little necessities.

Beauty Budget

Just like other parts of your wedding, set a budget for your beauty treatments and stick to it. Many makeup counters, spas, manicurists, etc. will give you bridal discounts, especially if you also have appointments for bridesmaids.

Pre-Wedding Relaxation

Rent a cool car for the day and take off with your spouse-to-be. A vintage car or an expensive sportscar will make you both feel like you´re leaving the world behind without having to spend a fortune.

Pack a picnic lunch and drive for hours. (don´t forget that men are most comfortable speaking their mind when they´re behind the wheel). Call your state or provincial tourist office and tell them where you are. Ask what there is to do within an hour of home. You´ll be surprised what new and exciting things you can find in your own backyard. Go fishing, bowling, or miniature-golfing together! Playing and laughing will soon make you forget the stresses that a wedding can bring.

Beauty time line 3mo. prior

* Start shopping for your trousseau and honeymoon clothes.
* Get a manicure and pedicure. Your hands are going to be well photographed on wedding day so start getting them in shape.

Establish a skin care routine. You don´t want to start with a new product just prior to your big day and find out that it gives you hives, or worse, blemishes. If you are one of those women with perfect skin and have never used a moisturizer, now would be a good time to start. One day you will have to use these products so this is a good time to start the practice.

Two Looks for One Big Day

If you´re going to have black and white photographs taken, you may need to change your makeup----the soft colors usually worn by brides don´t show up well in black and white pictures, and often photographers suggest wearing more intense neutrals and darker lipsticks.

Workout Wear

Buy the right exercise equipment. Finding the right shoes for your fitness routine will make a world of difference. Whether you chose high impact or low impact, the proper shoe will absorb the shock and keep your joints free from stress. Wear comfortable clothing that will let you breathe and give you ease of movement. Workout clothing is not a fashion statement, it´s a fitness statement.

Practice makes Perfect!

Practice your hairstyle with your headpiece, your wedding-day make-up, and get a professional manicure. During this manicure you should choose your nail polish color and treat yourself to a paraffin wax treatment.

Don´t Hide Behind Your Hair

When deciding how to wear your hair for your wedding, keep in mind that if you have long hair, it can tend to hide your face and the neckline and shoulders of your dress. Pulling at least the sides back or up will bring your face back into focus and let everyone see the beautiful dress you spent so much time choosing!

Workout Buddy

Workout with a buddy. Exercising with a friend will keep you motivated and on the right track. Your routine should be fun, not a chore. Maybe add music to your routine too.

Two Dos in One

If you´re going to remove your veil or headpiece after the wedding ceremony, make sure your hairstylist takes this into consideration when she´s doing your hair---you don´t want your style to become messed up when you make the transition.

Day Trippers

Rent a rowboat or canoe for a few hours. Lazing around on the water is a great way to re-connect with each other.

Call your local volunteer agency and ask if you can both volunteer together. The only thing better than the wonderful feeling that volunteering brings is sharing that feeling with your love.

Take a blanket and a picnic to the park and snuggle together under a tree. Give yourselves an hour of no talking time, just watch the leaves and clouds and listen to each others´ heartbeats.

Workout Variety

Vary your workout. If you bike on Monday, play volleyball on Wednesday, and swim on Fridays, you won´t get bored. Remember, doing different types of exercises, means you are using different groups of muscles. This will help in all-over conditioning and fitness levels.

Outdoor Beauty

Getting married outdoors under the sun? Don´t forget to apply the sunscreen before you put on your makeup---a burnt bride doesn´t look good!

Banish the Biting

From the day of your engagement to the day of your wedding, there´s going to be a lot of focus on your nails. Now is the perfect time to stop biting your nails and to start using a nail strengthener to insure your hands look beautiful for your big day.

Pre-Wedding Workout

Set reasonable goals. Maybe try walking or biking for 20 minutes every other day. You can increase gradually as you feel more fit. Always start each workout session with a warm up and end with a cool down period. Stretch slowly and don´t forget to breathe.

Fitness as a Way of Life

Don´t let your exercise patterns become obsessive. Exercise is meant to enhance your life not rule it. If your Monday, Wednesday, Friday pattern changes to Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, treat it as a new routine. Go with the flow and let your life situations rule your routine. Never let the exercising rule your life. Fitness can be a way of life for you and your new husband; something you can enjoy together. Remember...always keep your fittest foot forward!

Bust Prewedding stress - Daytrip

Daytripping together, whether for a few hours or a whole day is a wonderful way to escape the rigors of planning your wedding. A simple day trip will help you remember why you´re going through all of the hassle of planning a wedding.

Every bride we´ve spoken with felt as though she was sometimes alone during the planning. Every groom felt that sometimes he was left behind. Taking a "day off" together where you don´t obsess over details is a perfect way to regain the energy you need to get to the finish line together.

Change the Mood

When you feel stressed out by planning your wedding, try sitting down with a glass of something good to drink and some soft music, putting your feet up and just relaxing. Close your eyes and clear your mind. Just thinking about nothing can be the best stress reducer you can find.

No-Fade Lipsticks

For kiss-proof lips, try using a transfer-resistant lipstick such as Revlon ColorStay or Maybelline´s Budge-Proof. You can also try Lipink, a formula that will stay on for up to 24 hours.

Taking Care of Tattoos

If you want to cover your tattoo for your wedding, try using a product such as Leg Magic from CoverMark Cosmetics. Their products are budge-proof and will last all day long.

Short Hair

If you have a very short hairstyle, be sure you don´t get your hair cut too far in advance of the wedding. Short hairstyles tend to grow out fairly quickly and you want to make sure your style looks like you want it to and not ´grown-out.´