August 2003
Relax
Take time for beauty before the wedding
Relax. Everything will be beautiful.
Relax. It’s your day and you should enjoy it.
Relax. Something will go wrong, so you might as well accept it—as if that’s supposed to help a busy bride-to-be quell her pre-wedding stress! Some brides end up hearing the word “relax” more often than “congratulations.”
Stressing out over a wedding is as natural as wanting to be a beautiful bride. It just can’t be helped. The problem is that it can wreak havoc on the future Mrs., both inside and out. To counteract all that stress, brides must remember to make time for herself in the midst of all the wedding craziness. That way in the weeks leading up to the wedding, the bride will be on her way to looking and feeling her best on her wedding day.
The first step towards easing wedding woes is to get organized. Try to make all appointments for spa and salon services two to three months beforehand. Schedule a visit with the hairdresser to discuss the hairstyle for the wedding and do a trial run before the big day. Kate Mearns, Executive Manager of Spa and Fitness at The Spa at Kingsmill recommends meeting with the stylist approximately five weeks before the wedding. She also advises brides to come to the appointment prepared. “Make sure you bring pictures of looks or pictures of the dress so we have a better idea visually of what you would like,” she says. Also be sure to bring the headpiece or veil to the trial run and consider scheduling it to coincide with the bridal portrait sitting.
Once the planning details are taken care of, it’s time to focus on the pampering. Taking time out for beauty is sure to relax and rejuvenate even the most crazed of brides. Start the stress-busting process six weeks out with a manicure and pedicure. This will allow plenty of time to get fingers and toes in tiptop shape for the wedding day. In addition, it’s a perfect way to chase away a case of nerves. It’s nearly impossible for a bride to feel stressed when she’s sitting in a massaging chair soaking her feet in bubbling water while her most pressing decision is whether she wants her nails shaped like ovals or squares. After the first nail treatment, schedule additional manicures every two weeks. A typical pedicure should last about a month.
Six weeks before the wedding is also a good time to get the first facial. A second facial four weeks before the wedding is also a good idea, but avoid having one done too close to the big day. Mearns explains that having a facial two weeks or closer to the wedding is not recommended; it could be a disaster in the making. “Sometimes a facial will pull out a lot of debris and might cause irritations or eruptions,” she says. Nothing will stress out a bride faster than a blemish on her wedding day, so a facial at least three weeks before the ceremony will avoid potential problems. The same holds true for facial waxing.
As The Day draws nearer, relaxation may seem impossible but a trip to the spa three weeks prior to the wedding can help calm things down—at least for a few hours. This is a good time to have hair trimmed and colored, if desired. If another trial run is needed, it could be done at this time, too. Also, schedule a body treatment to help exfoliate and polish skin. “This just gives skin a hidden glow,” Mearns explains. The service is especially important for a bride wearing a strapless or back-baring gown. Mearns also suggests getting a massage to work out pre-wedding knots and kinks.
Brides are often so busy planning the day of their dreams that they forget to take care of themselves. Facials, nail treatments and massages keep the bride looking and feeling her best. While stress may be impossible to avoid, brides are bound to feel more peaceful after being pampered. Just relax.
