Selecting Your Wedding Day Spa

At your wedding, you are the star of the show. It’s finally time for the big day you’ve been planning for months-maybe even years. Are you ready? Don’t wait until the last minute to think about how to make yourself look and feel like a princess. Everyone knows that choosing a wedding dress well in advance is proper planning protocol. Choosing the right salon and day spa in advance, however, is just as essential to ensure you are primped and ready to shine.

First and foremost, you want a place where you feel comfortable and where you can be sure to have a wide range of top-quality, reliable services. Do some research and visit a few places in the area, close to the wedding ceremony, to survey your options. Set up a consultation with a salon spa professional at least two to three months in advance of the wedding to go over the menu of services, your particular needs, and package prices. When choosing a salon spa for your wedding day, consider the following tips:

Hair
Your stylist can help you pick the perfect coiffure to suit your style and personality. Choose whether you would like to wear a tiara, a veil, flowers, or some sort of unique headpiece. Decide whether you would like a headpiece inspired by your ethnic heritage. Consider going for one or more hair trials once you decide what you want—that way, you can work out any problems in advance, and thus avoid unpleasant surprises on your wedding day. During these trials, have your stylist experiment with different hairdos and consult with him or her on practical matters, such as how far in advance you should get highlights, a trim, conditioning treatments, or hair extensions. In addition, if you are going to need multiple processes, such as a relaxer touch-up and a coloring, you may need to schedule two separate appointments in order to avoid damaging your hair.

Makeup
If you plan to have your makeup professionally done, make sure that you have a salon professional experiment with different colors and techniques before your wedding day. Make an appointment for a practice run, and discuss the type of wedding you are having and the color scheme of your wedding party and flowers, so that together you can come up with the best look for you. Another option is to book an appointment with a makeup professional who can show you how to properly apply your own makeup, taking into consideration your skin tones, the lighting at your venue, whether you’ll be indoors or outside, what type of makeup will photograph well, and so on. You don’t want to look washed-out or shiny—or too made-up, for that matter—on your big day or in your wedding photos, so it’s important to consult with a pro beforehand.

Nails
Make sure that the salon spa that you choose offers the type of manicures and pedicures you want for your wedding. If you are not sure, test out a few colors and styles in advance. Ask the technician what your options are; perhaps you want to try acrylic nails, a French manicure, or nail designs. Another choice may be to purchase your own particular brand or color of polish and take it to the salon with you. Most salons have no problem using your personal polish–and some may even charge less if you supply your own. Remember that there will be a lot of focus on your hands and on your new wedding ring on your big day. Many couples have their photographer take pictures of their hands after the ceremony to show off their new rings, so you’ll want your nails to look their very best!

Facials
Proper skin care requires careful planning. Your esthetician can help you get your complexion in perfect condition for your wedding. He or she may recommend a time line for getting deep-cleansing facials, hydrating facials, or more dramatic treatments, such as microdermabrasion. The goal is to have glowing, hydrated, healthy skin and to avoid redness and breakouts on the day of your wedding. You may even want to consult your esthetician or a nutritionist beforehand about what foods and products to avoid prior to your wedding, so that you don’t end up with a skin-care disaster.

Hair Removal
Never undergo any type of hair removal on the day of your wedding. You will be horrified if the process causes redness, hypersensitivity, or a breakout. It is best to get your eyebrows sculpted and other facial hair removed at least a few days before the wedding, so that you’ll have time to correct any problems and so that any resulting redness or bumps will clear up before your wedding day. Also, remember to exfoliate after any hair-removal process in order to minimize bumps caused by ingrown hairs. Most spas offer some sort of exfoliation treatment, such as a sugar scrub, but a loofah sponge is sufficient—and easy on your budget.

Body Wraps and Scrubs
Spa treatments are a great way to relax, exfoliate your skin, and even shed a few pounds before your wedding. Check out what your salon spa has to offer. You may be interested in a shrinking body wrap to help you slip into (or out of) your wedding dress easier, or an exfoliating scrub to slough off dead skin cells and leave your skin feeling smooth and looking radiant. Talk to the technicians at your spa about what services will help you achieve your wedding-day goals and leave you relaxed before your walk down the aisle.

Massages
Find out what types of massages your salon spa offers. If possible, in the two or three months leading up to your wedding, try out a few different therapists, and a variety of massages. You may choose to have a series of massages leading up to your wedding day, or maybe you’ll find that you simply want one just before the wedding. In any case, you need a therapist whom you can trust to help you relax and calm your wedding-day jitters. Before you go for your relaxing pre-wedding massage, it’s very important that you make sure you are not allergic to any of the oils or lotions used, and you should avoid deep-tissue massages or anything else that may leave you sore or cause redness.

The Wedding Party
Consider whether you would like the groom and members of your wedding party to join you at the salon spa. Spa treatments make great gifts; the primping process can be tons of fun and a great way to spend quality time with your closest friends and family members before the festivities begin. Some salon spas even provide the option of reserving the entire place for private parties, and many brides choose to treat their bridesmaids to a spa day before the wedding to thank them for their support and hard work during the wedding-planning process. This is also a great way to have some important girlfriend bonding time before you tie the knot!

As soon as you decide what you want for yourself and others in your wedding party, book it! Timing and research are the keys to avoiding unpleasant surprises and ensuring wedding-day prep success. Don’t be afraid to demand perfection—you deserve nothing less on this important day!