Every bride wants to look and feel their best on her wedding day: after all, all eyes will be on YOU! With less than 3 months (gulp!) left until I tie the knot, my pre-wedding beauty and workout routine has begun! Not everyone might be concerned about this or find it a good use of money, but why not pamper and treat yourself? As a spa junkie, I’m using my wedding as the ultimate excuse to indulge! The most important advice though is to try all of this out WAY in advance.
Workout Plan:
Most of my friends and family would already lump me in to the workout fanatic category, so naturally my pre-wedding plan includes working on my fitness. There are plenty of excuses out there to not workout: I work too late, I don’t have time, I don’t know what to do, and on and on. Even if you only have 30 minutes of free time a day, you can still fit in a workout. There is a TON of information out there on this topic already so I won’t get preachy. Personally, I need a gym with classes to keep me motivated. Every year from January to April, I take it a step further and sign up for Fit Club, which is a group training program at my gym, Federal Hill Fitness. Four of us plus Reese Ashe, Baltimore’s best trainer, meet three times a week and give it our all in the gym. I need someone pushing me and creating new ways to engage my muscles. Plus, the group aspect not only makes it MUCH more affordable but also creates a wonderful sense of camaraderie. If group programs are out of budget, you could still work with a trainer a few times to learn some new routines and gain comfort with some of the machines. Or if working out at home is more to your comfort level, Comcast OnDemand has a whole section dedicated to workout videos. And these are FREE!
Put Your Best Face Forward:
While working out is nothing new in my daily routine, something special I have added is getting facials once a month. This is another expensive investment in yourself but it is well worth it! Brides should start this process about 4 months before they are set to walk down the aisle. This will give you time to fix any problem areas and most importantly, see how your skin is going to react. Talk to your esthetician about any concerns you have upfront…they are the experts and will generally know what you need to look your best. Of course, facials are not cheap. I ended up signing up with Massage Envy (McHenry Row) which runs $69 per month not including a tip. My skin, which can be sensitive, has reacted very well to their products and the staff there is really knowledgeable. Plus if you don’t use you service for that month, it just rolls over. Which means the next month, you could get a facial AND a massage!
Photo credit: Massage Envy
Show Off Your Pearly Whites:
Now that you have a gorgeous complexion, you want a smile to match. This is the happiest day of your life, so you will be smiling a lot! And as much as you might love coffee or wine, you don’t want that showing in your pictures. I have tried many different whitening products over the years and can honestly say that Crest White Strips are my favorite. They are affordable, cause me limited sensitivity and last for a long time. Plus the thin strip means I can do other things while I have them on, unlike other bulky trays which I have tried. I’m also a big fan of Crest’s Glamorous White toothpaste which helps keep your teeth white.
Photo credit: Crest
Getting That (Faux) Glow:
Being of Italian decent, my skin is naturally olive toned, which means without a bit of color, my skin tends to turn yellow and I look ill. Not a good look especially for my wedding! And since my wedding is in April, there is no hope for getting any color naturally. Therefore I have to rely on a faux glow! This one can be VERY tricky and definitely needs a lot of experimenting with before the big day. If you plan on using lotions, try them out multiple times to see how they will make your skin look. If you plan on getting a spray tan,ABSOLUTELY try this out ahead of time. The last thing you want to be is a lovely shade of Oompa loompa orange. I’ve done Mystic Tan before and have had mixed results. The color on my body looks decent but my fingers always turn orange and splotchy (no matter how much of that cream I use). I went to a professional and had them spray me and the results were much better. Word of warning though: while my tan was nice and even, I was crazy dark. Make sure the technician understands how dark you want to look. In addition to testing this out, make sure you exfoliate before you either get a spray or use your lotion, drink lots of water and make sure you get this done at least a few days before the big day (this is key!). Your color will rub off the first day or so and the last thing you want is tanner on your beautiful white dress! Again, the more you try this, the more comfortable you will feel.
This just a sample of my pre-wedding beauty routine and by no means should anyone feel obligated to do all of this. You will look your most beautiful when you happy, smiling and truly enjoying this massive moment in your life. But a little bit of extra help from some professionals never hurts! – Carrie Costantini
