Your wedding day is one of the most exciting milestones in your life. It’s that one life event you and your partner decided to have together. And because of that, wedding preparations can take a toll on you, especially if you’re the bride.
You may have dreamed of creating your fairytale wedding since you were a little girl. But plans can change, and the reality of the situation can force you to make some adjustments. So, it’s possible to feel a little harebrained leading up to the wedding day.
That’s why you should keep reading! Let this guide be your wedding planner to prepare yourself for your big day. By the end, you’ll have learned all you need to know to get ready physically, mentally, and emotionally for this life-changing chapter.
Table of Contents
Get Some Pampering Done
All that fussing over which vendors to choose will probably result in early white hair and wrinkles. Once you start feeling extra stressed out, step back and breathe. Don’t hesitate to have some me-time.
Schedule a Spa Day
It may still be months before your wedding day, but it won’t hurt to get pampered now. A good massage will loosen those knots and refresh you. Add a facial, hair spa, and a mani-pedi to make you feel more relaxed and beautiful.
Have Your Body Hair Lasered Away
Consider getting stubborn body hair out of the way, too, if that’s your cup of tea. Shaving or waxing is tedious work, and your hair will just grow out again quickly. Lasering is a more permanent option. It usually takes several sessions and four to six weeks of wait in between with a reputable hair removal service. Having this done long before the wedding saves you time and worry.
Also, take this opportunity to find services you’d like to have on the week of your wedding if you haven’t finalized any yet. A skilled and trustworthy masseuse, hair stylist, or nail technician will ensure you look and feel great on the actual day.
Try Out a New Hair Color
Planning to change up your hair color for your wedding? Don’t dye your tresses the day or week before! You can never be too sure what color would look best with your makeup and dress.
At least eight months before your wedding, test the hair colors you’d want to wear. If you love it, then that’s perfect! If you don’t, you have plenty of time to choose another color or grow your hair out.
Doing this step months in advance prevents unwanted moments like hiding fried locks underneath your wedding veil. The guests might not see the damage, but your knowledge of it could dampen your spirits a little.
Take Some Beauty Vitamins
Consider taking beauty vitamins along with your other health supplements. The results often don’t manifest until a couple of weeks or months later.
Not sure what vitamins to take? Focus on supplements with the following ingredients:
- Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E
- Iron
- Probiotics
- Biotin
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Selenium
- Moringa
- Collagen peptide
These supplements help your beauty regimen in various ways. For example, vitamin E has moisturizing properties, preventing wrinkles and skin dryness. When paired with vitamin C, an antioxidant, it can protect against cell damage caused by UV rays.
Meanwhile, biotin keeps hair, skin, and nails healthy and supports psychological function. The right beauty vitamins will make you look and feel beautiful inside and out.
Follow a Fitness and Nutrition Plan
If you’re aiming for a particular weight or have a wedding dress you want to fit in, you need to shed pounds early.
Start Working Out
Look for a workout plan that suits your lifestyle and fitness level. Immediately going for something too intense when you’ve only ever done light exercise could lead to problems.
A fitness coach can help you plan an appropriate workout routine. You may start with light exercises and slowly transition to medium-intensity ones. Remember to stay consistent with your workouts. You won’t see much difference if you only hit the gym when you feel like it.
Eat Healthier
It’s not recommended that you start a crash diet right before getting married. Not only is this method unhealthy, but it could also leave you feeling weak and tired on your wedding day.
Research healthier meal plans or, better yet, consult a nutritionist. They’ll offer expert advice on what to eat to lose or gain weight. Their meal plans will also be suited to your budget, so you don’t have to worry about overspending on food.
With professional guidance and consistency, you’ll be healthy and glowing as you deserve to be.
Visit Your Dentist
You’ll be all smiles on the day you marry the love of your life. So, take care of your teeth, too! Pre-wedding dental treatments ensure you have a healthy, clean set of pearly whites in pictures and videos.
Significant dental improvements take a lot of time, so dentists usually recommend having treatments done at least six months before. Orthodontics require the most time, around 12 to 18 months. Other major cosmetic fixes like crowns or veneers can be done at least three to six months early.
Even if you don’t need any dental treatments, regular visits to your dentist are still encouraged. They’ll perform professional cleanings and inspect your teeth to ensure your oral health is in tip-top condition.
Have Hair and Makeup Trials
Four months before your wedding day, look for hair and makeup artists and start getting trials done. Not every bridal look you like will suit you. That’s why trying several styles is important to see which works best.
Start with salons that have bridal hair and makeup packages. They might offer trials for free or a small fee.
Once you’ve made up your mind, book the artist at your preferred time slot as soon as possible. Doing this lets you avoid schedule conflicts with other brides and last-minute changes. Remember to inform your stylist if you plan to get a tan, too. This info allows them to create a look that will suit your complexion on your wedding day.
Get Tanned
Speaking of getting tanned, if you’d like to do it, it’s ideal to have it done two months before the wedding. This gives you ample time to choose the tanning method that works for you and get test runs.
Avoid sunbathing or using tanning beds. These techniques may increase your risk of skin cancer or photo-aging, which you don’t want for your wedding or any day of your life.
Exfoliate Your Face and Body
With two weeks left until your wedding day, take this time to exfoliate. If you haven’t done it yet, do this beauty step at least twice to thrice weekly.
Slough off dead skin with a gentle body scrub without removing the natural oils and moisture. Chemical exfoliators like salicylic or glycolic acid are ideal for brides with sensitive skin.
Proper exfoliation will make your skin feel smooth, perfect for those caresses and hugs from your soon-to-be spouse.
Pick Your Nail Colors
Your nails might not be something your guests will notice immediately, but they’re part of your whole wedding look. During this time, select nail colors and styles that would match or complement your wedding outfit.
A skilled nail tech can help you here. They often provide clients with examples of bridal nail designs and can customize the looks based on your tastes.
Keep your dress color in mind when selecting a nail color, too. Your nails’ undertone should ideally suit it.
Groom Your Brows
Your makeup artist will likely trim your unruly brows on the big day. But last-minute grooming could leave redness and bumps that may be difficult to cover up.
To keep your brows neat, wax, thread, or shape them two weeks before the wedding. If you have any stray hairs, you can pluck them the day before. This is enough time to let the skin around your brows recover.
Do a Final Wardrobe Check
Inspect your whole bridal outfit the last week before your wedding day to ensure you aren’t missing any pieces. Don’t forget to have a final fit with assistance. This will help you check if the dress isn’t squeezing you or feels too loose.
Take this time to practice wearing your wedding shoes. The last thing you want is to struggle on the aisle with heels you haven’t broken in yet. Buff or scruff your soles if they’re too slippery. Sole grip pads work, too. If your shoes are made of suede, spray them with a protective covering to shield them from dust and grime.
Get Enough Rest
Wedding prep is no easy task, and you know it. You could be spending the whole day planning that you don’t notice it’s already way past midnight. Preparations are indeed necessary, but not at the same level as your health.
If you don’t get enough sleep, you’ll be frazzled and irritated on a day you’re supposed to feel your best. To sleep soundly every night, consider following these tips:
- Avoid using your phone right before sleeping to reduce blue light exposure.
- Take a melatonin supplement.
- Don’t drink coffee or anything caffeinated late in the day.
- Lessen those late-night cravings.
- Relax your mind in the evening through meditation or listening to calming music.
Setting reminders to sleep and wake up at consistent times also helps you achieve better, longer sleep. You’ll be more refreshed to take on another day of extra prep.
Stay Hydrated
Leading up to and on the day of your wedding, drink enough fluids. But not too much, or you’ll go on frequent bathroom breaks.
Water keeps your skin hydrated and ready for all that makeup. Staying hydrated also provides a lot of health benefits, like preventing constipation and headaches.
Find time to take a few sips of water hours before the ceremony. If you think you can’t get enough leeway for a quick water break, go for electrolyte-rich liquids first thing in the morning.
Pay Attention to the Getting-Ready Time
Typically, the bride will have her own dedicated set of stylists. But some opt to share them with their whole wedding party. If you’re doing the latter, you need to take note of service time for hair and makeup.
Here’s how long it usually takes for the bride and her bridesmaids to get styled for the wedding:
- One hour for the bride’s hair styling
- 45 to 60 minutes for the bride’s makeup, depending on the style
- 30 minutes for hair per bridesmaid
- 45 minutes for makeup per bridesmaid
You, as the bride, may have your hair and makeup done first. In case you won’t, stylists recommend the most responsible bridesmaid to have theirs done early in the day. This prevents you from having unnecessary delays because of one late bridesmaid.
Some hairstylists also prefer to work on the bride last. The makeup artists may just do face prep and do her makeup first. The photographer, who tends to arrive later in the day, can get all those great shots of her looking her freshest.
If your wedding ceremony begins at three in the afternoon, consider starting hair and makeup at least six hours before. This is a sample wedding timeline you can refer to if you have a bridal party of four:
- 9:00 a.m. – Bride’s makeup and first bridesmaid’s hair
- 9:30 a.m. – Second bridesmaid’s hair
- 10:00 a.m – Third bridesmaid’s hair and first bridesmaid’s makeup
- 10:30 a.m. – Fourth bridesmaid’s hair
- 11:00 a.m. – Second bridesmaid’s makeup
- 11:30 a.m. – Bride’s hair, third bridesmaid’s makeup, the photographer arrives to take getting-ready photos
- 12:15 p.m. – Fourth bridesmaid’s makeup
Following a set timeline helps get everyone prepared and avoids stress befalling your party and styling team.
Wrapping Up
Getting ready for your wedding day is challenging, but it doesn’t have to be the worst months or weeks of your life. Following this guide may be beneficial and help you create a self-care schedule that works for you.
Some of the earlier steps might already be things you’ve been doing before your engagement. Just crank it up a notch to look and feel your absolute best before and on your special day.
Put on the mindset that you can overcome these preparations. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from the people you trust. Or invite your spouse-to-be to join you in all the prep work. Think of it as bonding and pampering time together before seeing each other again on the actual day of your wedding.
