Happy Wedding Wednesday! I’m so excited to have my wedding guest contributor, Lindsey Boyce, back again today with an amazing post on creating a wedding beauty timeline! As a reminder, Lindsey was my wedding planner when she worked at A Charleston Bride and she now has her own business that combines projects in events and interior design, which she appropriately named Host & Haven. You can read more about Lindsey in her introductory post on helpful wedding planning tips! Without further ado…
Hey there, Lindsey again! I love thinking back to our big day and the months leading up to it. There were so many “little” things to think about, and all the little beauty routines/regimens seemed to really add up in my mind as a place of stress. When do I decide on my look? Do I have to grow out my hair? How do I get a nice glow? When do I need to get started on everything? If you are asking yourself any of these questions, I hope my little guide below will help with your timeline. Again, only suggestions, but a plan always makes me feel better.
The Ultimate Wedding Beauty Timeline
4-6 Months Out From Wedding
So, at this point you have probably chosen and purchased your wedding gown and you will more than likely be determining your details shortly. Veil, headpiece, etc. So where to next?
1. Schedule your hair and make-up trial.
Something I would tell any friend is to pay attention to the weather!!! If it’s going to be hot, your hair fully down will look pretty sad come 10pm and you want all of your pictures to look amazing. Does it go with the look of the dress or totally overtake the beautiful silhouette you chose? Go into the meeting with photos. You will not get the same blue-eyed smokie look with dark eyes, so just be fair with yourself on that. More often than not, your stylist will suggest getting hair extensions to help create the volume and texture you desire. So much easier than worrying about growing your hair! I actually asked my hair dresser to help find the perfect color match and she was able to pick them out just by looking online with Cashmere Hair.
2. Schedule your hair appointments up to the wedding.
If you are like me, these usually hit every 6 weeks. Personally, I didn’t want my hair to look too “programed,” so 2 weeks out from the wedding was my last appointment. This was also great time to order the Cashmere Hair accessories!
3. Practice your tan & check the color tone with your man!
You will inevitably have your engagements, or a few parties lined up around this time, and that’s a great excuse to try out your wedding color. Two local Charleston options I love would be Charleston Glow and Urban Nirvana. Charleston Glow is your typical spray tan with a variety of options for a really great color. Urban Nirvana offers something a little different with a service called the “buff and bronze.”  For this, they give you an all over sugar scrub massage, then a light rinse off before applying a tinted lotion for a smidge of color. Both are great options, just a personal preference. Tip: While you might be after the just off the Miami beach look, if you have a fair skinned fiancĂ©, it might not translate as well as you hope. You don’t want to look so opposite that it doesn’t look natural.
4. Create that wedding day ora at Ella Ora.
I will be honest, I had not met Kristen & the team until after my wedding, but if I could go back in time for this, I would. They are unbelievable. I’ve never been a person that necessarily had break outs all the time, but into my thirties, it’s annoying to have any acne issues, right? It’s also not something you want to be dealing with right before the wedding. My first appointment was 3 ½ hours (yes you read that right) and from that day forward, I promised to never seek guidance on my face from any other person. They are magic. Six months later and my skin was truly transformed. I now use a mix of products from Barbara Sturm, Biologique Recherche, and MBR. Forbes recently said, “Dr. Barbara Sturm has bottled the foundation of youth.” If that doesn’t entice you, I don’t know what will!
2 Months Out From Wedding
Okay things are getting serious. You have probably upped your game at the gym and are looking for all the little extra’s left to decide. So, here goes!
1. Go Dairy Free
Don’t get mad at me for this. I love cheese just as much as the next person, but I promise your skin will love you more for giving it up. It also does amazing things for helping with bloating. Win win.
2. Eye Lash Extensions
For me, this was something I did right around the wedding that made me feel oh so beautiful. I scrub my face too much to maintain on a regular basis, but for a month or two around the wedding, it was great. You will need to come in at least 4-6 weeks before your wedding to make sure you don’t have an allergic reaction. After that, you will just need to “refill” before the wedding.
3. Ring Cleaning & Diamonds Direct.
This is a ritual I have kept doing and absolutely love. There is a Diamonds Direct down the street from me. I drop off my rings, and then scoot right over to my local nail salon for a mani/pedi. The time it takes to clean the rings is just about the same as the treatment, so you are in and out and sparkling! You feel so vibrant afterwards! Note: My rings did not come from Diamonds Direct, but they will still clean for free! I loved the service so much, I got my husband’s band from there!
2 Weeks Out From Wedding
1. Do your last facial & hair treatment
2. Get a massage
You have earned it, so let your body relax
3. Cut out the booze
It’s 14 days not a year. You can do anything for a week or two. Give your body a break and see how much it improves your sleep.
4. Epson salt baths & face masks
Again, this is a weekly ritual for me. A little lavender oil, bubbles, and Epson salt. I wash my face and then put on a mask and some tunes. I zone out for 15 minutes and it helps so much with the nerves. Also, I always feel better when I’m “doing good.” If I’m treating my body well, it appreciates me, and I become calmer.
Week Of The Wedding
This is just a typical run down of the wedding week that works for most!
Wednesday:Â Spray Tan
Thursday:Â Ring Clean & Mani/Pedi
Friday:Â Final Face Mask & Bath
Saturday:Â Wedding
Hope this helps! Again, there is no right way, just one way I found that helped me. If you have any questions or comments, let us know!
XO, Lindsey
Photography by Valorie Darling, originally appeared in this post
P.S. for a look at my getting ready process on my wedding day, head to this post! xx Jillian
