The Bridal Style Checklist

Your wedding day is the day you really want to look your best, but instead of stressing yourself out in the days before, worrying if your hair will cooperate, if your dress is going to fit, and if you’re going to have to cover up those blemishes, a little planning over the long haul will leave you feeling fresh and radiant on your big day. After all, you’re going to have plenty of other things to deal with in the final days – start taking time now to give your beauty and style regimen a little TLC, and it will pay off in the long run.

If you have the time, it’s important to take small steps throughout the entire year or so leading up to your wedding. Use this guide to start kicking your wedding planning into gear, and you’ll be well on your way to making sure your special day is one for the record books.

One Year Before

Now is the time to start taking care of your skin. Experts seem to agree that a few minor, everyday steps will keep your skin glowing:

• Wash your face twice a day with a very gentle cleanser. As with anything, do your research here. Different skin – oily versus dry – requires different soap, but always make sure it’s a gentle one, and always remove makeup before bed.
• Use a brightening serum.
• Moisturize daily. If you aren’t in the habit of wearing sunscreen, a moisturizer with SPF is a great idea to keep your skin from getting sun damage and wrinkles.
• An anti-aging cream at night is also not a bad idea.

For your hair, you’ll want to keep in mind a few guidelines, too:

• Shampoo only every other day, focusing on the roots and not so much on the ends. However, you do want to condition your hair every day, or use a light leave-in conditioner.
• Apply a moisturizing hair treatment weekly.
• Put down the curling iron and straightener, and let your hair heal.
• Your hair grows about half an inch per month. If you want to grow your hair out, now’s the time to think about what length you want it to be on your wedding day, and only get it cut minimally – no more than one-eighth an inch at a time.

Fitness is key – eating healthfully and maintaining an appropriate level of activity will keep you feeling upbeat while moderating your weight, and might even help you lose fat.

• Incorporate more green vegetables, fruits, and water. Minimize fried foods, sugar, and alcohol. Of course, practice moderation. You don’t want to eliminate all of your favorites, but if you’re known to splurge, think about scaling back a bit.
• Work out regularly. At least 30 minutes of heart-pumping activity a few times a week is all you need. You’ll start feeling more positive due to the influx of endorphins, and your skin will thank you for the detoxifying effects of working out.
• Switch it up and incorporate weight lifting into your routine. Muscle helps to burn fat. You don’t have to look like a bodybuilder, but you do want to make sure you’re toning your muscles.

The key here is to make gradual changes that you know you’ll incorporate into your daily life, leading up to your wedding day and beyond. Doing a complete 180, starving yourself, exercising maniacally, or taking weight loss pills or supplements is not the answer. You’ll end up seeing only minor, temporary changes at best, and at worst you’ll harm yourself or make yourself sick.

Style – Your Dress and Jewelry

Keep a binder of inspiration for your hair, makeup, and dress. You’ll refer back to this throughout the wedding planning process.

As far as jewelry goes, it’s a good time to pick your wedding bands now. Jewelry stores might have a busy season, so if you want something customized or fitted, you’ll want to make sure you do it far enough in advance. Give yourself plenty of time to find something that your spouse loves and that goes with your engagement ring if you have one.

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Some people also give gifts of jewelry to parents or those in the wedding party, such as bridesmaids. This is a way to say thank you for the time and money they spend being a part of your wedding. Our wholesale jewelry specialists can help select the right gift for anyone in your party – something they’ll want to wear again and again.

Nine to Six Months Before

Now’s the time to start thinking about how you’re going to achieve your look.

• Hair – Take some pictures to the salon and see if your stylist can replicate the hairstyle you want. You can also test out new hair colors now if you want to really change things up.
• Makeup – You might also want to start looking for a makeup artist if you’re using one. Again, bring examples of what looks you’d like to try, and see if your makeup artist can achieve them. An important tip: Take pictures both indoors and outdoors with your makeup on. You’ll want to see how it photographs in different kinds of lighting.
• Brows – Another thing to focus on now is attending to your brows. If you need to regrow your brows a bit, now’s the time to start. Professional brow treatments are inexpensive, and the aesthetician will know what a good shape would be for you.

Make your dress purchase about eight months before the wedding. This will give you time for alterations.

Keep in mind the location of your wedding; this will dictate what type of dress you’ll want to get. A beach wedding might not be the place for a formal ball gown. You might instead want something more lightweight and unfettered. Also, you’ll want to start shopping around for the appropriate undergarments.

There is no perfect dress. Limit your options, and pick one that’s within your budget but which is also beautiful. Keep in mind, too, that it’s not a problem if the dresses of your bridesmaids don’t match. Especially if the bridesmaids are going to be paying for them, you’ll want those in your wedding party to have something they could possibly wear again.

Three to Two Months Before

If you really want to splurge, start booking monthly facials with a trusted aesthetician. This will make your skin clearer and brighter.

If you’re doing at-home teeth whitening treatments, keep in mind that they take six to eight weeks to show results. If you’re doing professional teeth whitening, results take less time, so you have a bit of wiggle room here.

This is also when you’re going to want to have your first dress fitting.

One Month Before

Avoid any harsh treatments like peels, dermabrasion, or anything chemical – this will eliminate the chance of redness or irritation.

Two Weeks Before

Things are coming down to the wire, so start thinking about tying up loose ends so that you can relax and have fun on the day of your wedding. You might want to do your final hair and makeup trial run now, in addition to the following:

• Teeth – If you’re going with a professional treatment, get your teeth bleached, since it can leave your teeth feeling sensitive for a few weeks afterward. Avoid red wine, coffee, tea, and other foods that can stain your teeth.
• Jewelry – You’ll also want to get your engagement ring cleaned before the event. Call ahead to your jeweler to make sure this detail will fit into the schedule. Our jewelry specialists can walk you through the process of cleaning your jewelry – both at home and professionally.
• Dress – This is when you’ll want to have your final fitting, if necessary.

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One Week Before

Get lash extensions if you’re going that route. If you’re getting your eyebrows done, do it now. If you wait for the day before, there could be redness or swelling.

The Day Before

• Mani/Pedi – Now’s the time to get your final manicure and pedicure. This way, you’ll avoid opportunities to chip your nail polish. Make sure you get a backup bottle of polish that matches your color, so you can fix any last-minute problems.

• Emergency Kit – Now’s the time to make sure you have all your last-minute necessities in place. One thing to double check is your emergency bag. This will have everything you need to stave off emergencies and keep your appearance in tip-top shape on the day of your wedding. You’ll definitely want to include:

• Hairspray
• Breath mints
• Hairpins
• Blotting papers and sweat-eliminating wipes
• Nail polish
• Emergency sewing kit
• Extra buttons
• Stain-removing wipes
• Lint brush

Ways to Save

Want to cut down on your expenses but still achieve results? Substitute professional treatments for in-home, DIY alternatives, and the savings will add up. For example:

Ultimately, your wedding day should be about celebration, not achieving perfection. Focusing all your energy on preventing every possible disaster might leave you feeling like you’re always putting out fires; instead, remember that all your guests want is to celebrate your special day with you. Pick your battles, save your energy for the big issues, and make sure you spend plenty of time doing what matters most, which is enjoying time with your new spouse and the guests with whom you’re sharing your special day.