Beautifying the Bride and Grooming the Groom: Our Top Tips to Help You Feel Amazing on Your Wedding Day
A recent survey revealed that the top worry for UK brides is how they’ll look in the wedding photos. When all eyes are focused on you, it’s understandable to be more aware of how you look, especially when there’s the expectation that, on your wedding day, you will be the most beautiful version of yourself. Add to this the fact that photo filters and images of seemingly flawless celebrities on social media are now just a part of everyday life and the pressure seems higher than ever for brides to look perfect on their big day. Of course, it’s not just brides who stress out about their looks. While the groom may not be feeling quite as much pressure as the bride (let’s face it, he doesn’t have to worry about the DRESS), chances are he may be harbouring some image-related insecurities of his own.
We know that it’s sometimes easier said than done to just shrug off your insecurities and focus on enjoying yourself, so we’ve put together some advice on what to do in the lead up to your wedding that will hopefully keep those feelings of self-consciousness at bay.
Skin
A common concern for many brides is their skin. Makeup can certainly be a big help when it comes to tackling a dull complexion or a break out, but an even better option is to get to the root of the issue and treat it in the weeks and months before the wedding. A qualified aesthetician can help develop a tailored plan to help your skin to look the best that it can by the time the wedding rolls around. They may recommend an updated skincare routine, or alternatively a certain treatment or course of treatments. Microdermabrasion is popular with both brides and grooms for a pre-wedding skin refresher. It uses microscopic crystals and a gentle “vacuum” to carefully exfoliate the skin, revealing a brighter, more radiant complexion underneath.
Eyebrows
Eyebrows have become huge news in recent years but if you were a little overzealous with the tweezers when you were younger, you may be dealing with sparse or misshapen brows now, which isn’t ideal on your wedding day. There are various options available for improving the appearance of your eyebrows, including makeup products and microblading, however, you may also be able to salvage your natural brows with regular brow shaping treatments. Depending on how overplucked your brows are, it could take several months to allow for sufficient regrowth, so ditch the tweezers ASAP and seek advice from a skilled beauty therapist who can, over time, carefully reshape the brows and use tint to add definition.
At Woodlands we’ve started getting a lot more requests for male brow treatments recently. A tiny trim and tidy up can totally transform the eye area, making it a great treatment to prep the groom for his big day.
Nails
No doubt your wedding photographer will take some close ups of the exchange of rings so it's a good idea to make sure your hands and nails are in good condition. This applies to the groom too - nobody likes torn cuticles and dry skin! A male manicure is a great way to tidy up the hands prior to the wedding, so that the nails are neat, clean and even. Shellac is a popular option with brides as it is available in a huge array of colours and is much less likely to chip than a regular polish.
De-stress
Even if your wedding photos aren't your biggest worry, chances are there’s some aspect of wedding planning that’s stressing you out, whether it’s the seating plan, finding the perfect band or paying for everything. It’s important to make sure you take some time out for yourself to relax and one of the best ways to do this is to treat yourself to a massage. There are several different types of massage, including hot stone, aromatherapy and Indian head massage, so if you’re not sure what to go for, ask the therapist for advice and they can talk you through the different treatments. If you can find the time in the lead up to your wedding to treat yourself to a stress-busting massage, we guarantee you’ll be floating down the aisle!
Just remember that your wedding is first and foremost a celebration for you, your partner and your loved ones and it's important that you're not only looking good on the outside, but also feeling good on the inside. It doesn't matter whether all, some or none of these treatments make it into your pre-wedding prep routine; just as long as you spend your wedding day feeling amazing!
