Wedding Beauty Timeline: How to Prepare for the Big Day

So, they proposed, and you said yes. Congratulations! You are going to get married. (Cue happy dance!)

But while for many women this is the happiest moment of their lives, it can also be the start of a long period of stress and anxiety. Purely because they want to look and feel their best as they walk down the aisle.

Thankfully, with the average length of engagement in Australia being almost 69 weeks - from the time of proposal to the actual wedding day - there is lots of time for you to become the best version of yourself.

But how do you go about doing that?

Well in this article we will aim to provide some guidance, by outlining our recommendations for how to prepare for your big day with the perfect wedding beauty timeline.

6 - 12+ months prior to wedding

It's never too early to start getting yourself right for your wedding! So here are some things you can do right off the bat to prepare for it.

• Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. This will keep you healthy and hydrated and ensure your skin really starts to glow.
• Regularly take multivitamins. This again will ensure you maintain a good level of healthiness and give you more energy to tackle the stress of planning a wedding,
• Start to exercise. Going for a run, swim or walk as often as you can is an essential way to maintain your physical and mental well-being.
• Try and get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep every day. This will prevent you from getting sick and helps you to keep your skin healthy.
• If you have a goal weight you want to reach by your wedding day, consider joining a group run or fitness group.
• Those who suffer from, or are concerned by, skin issues like rosacea or acne, should consider making an appointment with a specialist to come up with an appropriate skin treatment plan.
• Get in the habit of exfoliating both your face and body at least once a week.
• Begin a facial regime that involves double cleansing, toning and moisturising every day. Be sure to take off your makeup every night!
• Wear SPF wherever you go outside, even on cloudy days. There are plenty of products out there that are designed for your skin type and age. So try and find the most suitable one for you.
• If you can afford it, consider booking regular sessions at a sauna to get massages or facials.
• Start your hair preparations. Source a wedding hairstylist and then go for regular trims. Also use hair masks often and develop a plan to phase in the style and colour you want for your big day.

4 to 5 months before your special day

This far away from the wedding is a nice time to have some fun and experiment with some different looks.

• For those thinking about changing their hair colour this is a good time to trial a new one. If you love it, great! If you don't then you have plenty of time left to change it.
• Get your teeth cleaned and whitened by a dentist. This will put you well on the road to ensuring your smile is gleaming!
• If you are considering cosmetic procedures or invasive skin treatments, this is a good time to do it as it will give your skin plenty of time to heal.
• If you are planning on reshaping your eyebrows in a major way, doing so now will give it more time for growth.
• Schedule your hair and makeup trials. You can experiment with different looks but be sure you settle for the one you are most comfortable with.
• Start putting together your wedding beauty routine team.

4 - 6 weeks prior to your big day

After devoutly doing the above activities for a prolonged period, with only 4 to 6 weeks to go before the wedding, you will need to step up the pampering activities.

• If you plan on subtly reshaping or tinting your eyebrows (as opposed to doing it in a major way), this is a good time to start doing that.
• Should you intend to start using new products or have procedures like exfoliating facials, anti wrinkle injections and facial peels done, then undertaking them now is a good idea. You will give yourself more than enough time to recover if you suffer from an allergic reaction. (And don't worry about recovery time, as it's a lunchtime treatment!)
• Top up your body moisturising applications, ensuring it becomes part of your daily routine.
• If you are planning on having pre-wedding waxing down, start to let your body hair grow.
• Schedule your nails, waxing and tanning for the week before the wedding.

2 weeks before your wedding

In the two weeks before your wedding, last minute preparations should start to be in full swing.

• Get your haircut and/or coloured, to give it enough time to settle properly.
• Use a hair conditioner that is deep conditioning, at least a couple of times a week, for the next two weeks, if you are not doing that already.
• Tidy up your eyebrow shape and tint
• Treat yourself to a gentle facial (though make sure it is one you have successfully had before).
• Confirm the appointments you have made in the week before the wedding.
• Select, or purchase the perfume, lipstick, and any other beauty elements you will want on your wedding day.

The Wedding Week

In terms of preparations, there will be a lot to do in the week before the wedding. But try and remember to do the following too:

• Consider getting a relaxing and de-stressing massage.
• Get all your waxing done
• Enjoy a full pedicure and manicure. Aim for a treatment that is long-lasting like gel or shellac which offers better protection against chipping.
• If you intend to get your lash extensions done, doing so two or three days before your special day will ensure they last for the duration of your honeymoon.
• For brides considering a fake tan, get your spray tan two or three days before the wedding and err on the side of 'less is more'.

The night before the wedding

The night before the wedding should be a time for you to slow down and take things easy in preparation for your big day. Therefore:

• Don't stress if you start to break out, and definitely do not pick or attempt to treat them, as you could end up making them worse. Instead, inform your makeup artist, as they will be able to cover up the blemish(es).
• Give your hair a thorough wash the night before the wedding, to ensure it is in the best possible condition for styling.
• Enjoy a lovely massage to clear your mind and relax your body.
• Try to get between 7 to 9 hours sleep. You are going to need to be as fresh as a daisy the next day! If you can't sleep, then get plenty of rest.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it! Our wedding beauty timeline of how to prepare for your big day.

For someone who has just got engaged, it may seem like a lot to take on board. But ultimately, this beauty timeline is all about ensuring you feel happy, confident and comfortable in the way you look on your wedding day.

And to create that feeling, all you need to be is organised, optimistic and disciplined.