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).