WEDDING BEAUTY TIMELINE FROM ENGAGED TO “I DO”
At Fresh Face Beauty, we want all of our brides to look and feel amazing on their wedding day. We have created a guide to help you on your beauty journey leading up to your big day. One thing we can all agree on is that there are certain things that can't happen overnight when it comes to great skin and amazing hair. That's why our timeline gives you advice and tips on how to start your journey a year out from your wedding date all the way up to the “I Do”. We hope that this checklist can inspire you to invest in self care and lessen the stress and confusion of the "where do I start?" when it comes to your wedding beauty.
DOWNLOAD YOUR PRINTABLE WEDDING BEAUTY CHECKLIST
1 YEAR OUT
SCHEDULE YOUR MAKEUP & HAIR TRIALS
Makeup and Hair vendors are starting to book brides 12-18 months in advance. It's important that you do a trial run with your beauty team to make sure you are all on the same page with the look you're wanting to create. Schedule a Bridal Trial with Fresh Face Beauty HERE. It's also a great time to talk with your regular hair stylist about what length and color you would like your hair to be on your wedding day and create a strategy for how you will achieve it.
SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR DERMATOLOGIST
Every bride wants flawless skin, especially on their wedding day! And if you're not naturally gifted with the glow from within, a dermatologist can help you to achieve one. If you are in need of any treatments beyond what getting regular facials can take care of, it's best to get started early and create a game plan with your Dr. leading up to the big day!
START GETTING REGULAR FACIALS
Facials are something your skin needs to adjust to, and getting one for the first time a week before your wedding is not a great idea. Skin can possibly purge after a facial and we don't want a lovely zit to show up right as you are walking down the aisle. At Fresh Face Beauty, we provide treatment based luxury facials that can help guide you towards the skin you are dreaming of! (Book one HERE) Or find a local Esthetician who will listen to your needs and will work with your timeline. It's best to get a facial every 4-6 weeks, so be sure to set aside a budget for treatments and start drinking lots of water to get that healthy glow!
MANAGE YOUR STRESS
As your wedding approaches, your stress levels can rise, and if you are not prepared with ways of controlling it, you could have a major meltdown! Find something that you enjoy doing to take your mind off of things and make it a regular habit. Some suggestions are yoga, walking, listening to a book on tape or podcast, or even joining a meetup group that has nothing to do with weddings! All be sure to communicate with you fiance what your feelings and needs are. Planning a wedding should not be one persons soul responsibility. Share the love to keep the stress down!
SUNSCREEN! SUNSCREEN! SUNSCREEN!
Nothing will age your skin faster than sun damage. Wear sunscreen every day! Yes. Every. Single. Day! We love the Circadia Light Day Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF-37. You can shop for it HERE
6 MONTHS OUT
IT’S TIME TO SEE THE DENTIST
Make sure you go in for your regular cleaning and while you're there, ask about teeth whitening options. Teeth whitening doesn't happen overnight, and throwing on one Crest White Strip the week or morning of your wedding may not make the difference you want or need.
GIVE YOUR NECK, CHEST, AND HANDS SOME LOVE
We are always so concerned with making sure that our face is moisturized that we forget about our neck, chest and hands! Most likely, these are areas that will be showing while wearing your wedding dress. Make sure you are exfoliating these areas once a week and moisturizing every day, plus layering on the sun protection! We love the Circadia Body Bundle for all your skin needs! Shop for it HERE.
CONSIDER STARTING WAX OR LASER HAIR REMOVAL
Many bride's don't want to have to worry about shaving their legs, armpits or bikini line on their wedding day or during their honeymoon (don't you have enough to worry about?) It takes time to train a hair follicle to produce thinner hair. So if you are considering starting to wax or do laser hair removal, now is the time! Plus, if you have any kind of skin reactions or irritations, it's better to know now rather than two weeks before your wedding.
ORGANIZE YOUR GETTING READY ROOM
Depending on your bridal party size, you will need to make sure your venue has a room big enough to fit everyone getting ready. If not, it might be time to book a hotel suite or AirBnB that will accommodate your and your beauty teams needs. Having 15 girls in one hotel room getting ready might sound fun, be trust us, it’s not.
START HEALTHY EATING HABITS
Your skin is the largest organ on your body and it needs proper nutrients to help it thrive! Start adding more beneficial fruits and vegetables into your diet, and you will see a difference in the health of your skin. And don't forget to drink lots of water!
3 MONTHS OUT
GIVE YOUR HAIR SOME ATTENTION
Now is a great time to start doing deep conditioning treatments on your hair. Consult with your hairstylist on what products will work with your hair texture. You can always go into the salon for some self care, or try out DIY treatments from home.
CONSIDER CLIP IN HAIR EXTENSIONS
If you are looking to add volume or length to your hair for the big day, now might be the time to find ones that match your hair color and length. If you get your extensions too soon they may not be the correct shade you are working towards or close to the length you need. Human hair extensions always blend the best with your natural hair. Your stylist can direct you to what brand is the best for your hair texture and needs, and might even be able to color match them to your hair tone for the wedding!
INVEST IN MANICURES
Sometimes it takes a bit of time to find the right nail artist for your needs and personal style. This person is just as important as your makeup and hair team! Your hands will be photographed on your wedding day. Close ups of your ring, cutting the cake, holding hands etc. And we don't want hangnails, bad cuticles, or uneven polish getting in the way of a beautiful picture! It's also a great time to try out different styles. You don't want to be stuck the week of your wedding trying to figure out what nail shape you want or nail polish color you love Invest in manicures (and a pedicure while you’re at it!) Plus your fiance will love the fun designs and your soft hands!
PREP YOUR GETTING READY MUSIC
It's always fun to have music in the background when getting ready on your wedding day. Put a bridesmaid with the best musical taste in charge of creating a playlist of memorable songs that you know you will laugh, dance and have fun too. Music always adds the perfect touch to getting ready with all your friends and family.
1 MONTH OUT
START LIMITING THE BOOZE
Your skin will thank you! Alcohol dehydrates our bodies and can take away that natural glow from within we all want. Plus, your skin will have more firmness and buoyancy to it. I know some of you will have that glass of wine, but just try and limit it a bit as your big day gets closer, especially the week of.
TOUCH BASE WITH YOUR BEAUTY TEAM
Now is a great time to talk with your beauty team about your wedding day timeline and if there are any adjustments that need to be made. If you have directions, parking info or even gate codes that they might need, now is the time to send them over. Also make sure all contracts have been signed and final payments have been made.
SCHEDULE IN SOME “ME TIME”
This last month is going to go by in a flash! Make sure you are scheduling some time for yourself to keep stress low and your mind clear. Get a massage or treat yourself to a spa day with a friend. Put it on the calendar, or we know it won’t happen!
TO TAN OR NOT TO TAN?
Now is the time to figure out your tanning situation. Are you going to do a self tanner on your legs and arms? Give it a try now and don't wait until the week of. You might regret it! You want to find a product that works and isn't too extreme. If you are going to get a spray tan by a professional, schedule a practice run to get the shades just right!
STAY OUT OF THE SUN
The last thing you are going to want on your wedding day are tan lines or a bad sunburn. These are both things that are very hard to cover up with makeup! And trying to foundation match a sunburned face is almost impossible. So do yourself a favor, start slathering on the sunblock and wear hats when you are out.
2 DAYS OUT
HEAD TO YOUR FINAL APPOINTMENTS
Manicure/Pedicure
Deep conditioning hair treatment
Bikini Wax
Spray tan (have all wax and nail services done prior to spray tan)
EXFOLIATE
If you are planning on getting a spray tan for your wedding, make sure you prep your body before heading to your appointment. Take a shower and exfoliate really well. Try and get any dry skin off of your body so the spray tan doesn't stick to any rough patches. Be sure to bring a pair of panties that you can throw away and loose fitting clothes to wear after the appointment. Old flip flops are great to wear as well!
PACK YOUR BEAUTY EMERGENCY KIT
Make sure you have a beauty emergency kit packed for anything that could go wrong. Things like makeup wipes, mints, eye patches, hydrating mask, lip balm, sun block, and eyelash glue. It's always a good idea to have a steamer for dresses, scissors, bandaids for blisters and plenty of water for hydration!
MAKE YOUR FINAL ARRANGEMENTS
Send one final email to your beauty team with confirmations and any last minute details.
GET SOME SLEEP
This might be the final full night of sleep you get before the wedding. Especially if you are spending the night of your rehearsal with your friends and family. People like to have a good time and drink! Take advantage of the quiet moments you have on this day!
YOUR WEDDING DAY
MOISTURIZE!
As soon as you wake up, wash your face and exfoliate with a soft wash cloth or gentle product. Then put on your moisturizer and lip balm! Some brides take a shower a bit closer to when they are about to get their hair and makeup done. If you take one first thing in the morning, moisturize right after this. Don't wash your hair! It's better to have a bit of dirty hair (from the night before, not the week before haha) so that it holds better.
HYDRATE!
Start drinking that water early, especially if you think you will start drinking champagne or other alcoholic drinks early. Let's keep that skin looking fresh!
EAT SOMETHING!
I can't tell you how many brides I have seen "hit a wall" halfway through the day because they haven't eaten very much. Especially protein! Protein is going to be your best friend today and will help you out big time!
TOUCH UP KIT!
Make sure you have some powder and lipstick with you to be able to touch up throughout the wedding, especially during photos. If your makeup artist is not staying with you for touch ups, put your maid of honor in charge of making sure your lipstick is still on and you don't look shiny.
HAVE FUN!
Your day is finally here! It will go by fast, so enjoy. Play fun music, take pictures and laugh with your friends and family. This is a huge moment and you don't want to miss any of it. Just relax and let the party begin!
