How to Look Picture Perfect

Your wedding photos preserve in time the beauty, memories and joy of your wedding day. From the moments you remember, to the ones you never knew took place, you’ll relive your wedding night time and again through your wedding photos.

All couples want to look their best in their wedding day photos. Whether formal or candid, you’ll want to look healthy, trim and glowing.

Looking great in your wedding day photos starts with the right routine, and ends with the right products and care. From an exercise routine to final makeup decisions, we have the rundown on what to do to look your best.

3 MONTHS OUT

Everyone wants to look healthy and trim in their wedding photos. But now is not the time for couples to try crash diets, extreme weight loss methods, or unusual beauty treatments.

Stick to daily healthy eating, hydration and creating an exercise plan that is sustainable for a few months. Couples who choose healthy lifestyles together have the most success. Sit down as a team and discuss what healthy food options work with your time and taste buds, and what exercise program is feasible. This could be as simple as nightly walks together, or skipping a trip to the movies in favor of a couple’s hike.

This is a great time to tackle any problematic skin concerns you want to work on. Schedule some time with a dermatologist or aesthetician depending on your needs. Even if you have no major skin concerns, begin regular facials and chemical peels if you don’t already treat yourself. Starting three months prior to your wedding will give you the best results as it takes time and consistency to reach your goals. Make it a fun experience together, heading to the spa with a healthy lunch to follow.

6 - 8 WEEKS OUT

Consider that bridal portraits are often done around two months prior to the wedding. At this point in the planning process, you’ll be getting your second fitting and scheduling this photo shoot. Your photographer will likely have loads of ideas for the right spot to match your style and personality.

Increasingly, couples take their formal wedding photos together prior to the wedding to avoid delays between the ceremony and reception or capitalize on a unique location. Romantic gardens, an elegant staircase or a colorful, modern backdrop all make great locations.

Remember, at this point drastic weight changes could lead to ill-fitting gowns and suits. You’ll still have your final fitting a couple weeks before the wedding, but that will focus on small tweaks and final decisions on bustling, etc. Continue to stick to your routine, making the goal to be trim and lean overall.

3 - 4 WEEKS OUT

This can be a fun time in your wedding planning. Most of the big decisions are over, and excitement is building.

Brides will want to be meeting with their beauty experts around this time for final decisions on hair and makeup. Your bridal makeup is all about natural beauty and sticking power. The more you avoid makeup trends or heavy looks, the better your photos will age over time.

Meet with your hairdresser to discuss your hair quality and preferred style. Check to see if you need to schedule any additional treatments to boost hydration or relax curls in order to achieve the look you’re going for.

For the men, this is the time to meet with your barber to discuss beard care and length. Major changes in beard length may mean additional skin treatments to ensure the skin is soft, supple and void of razor rash. If you’re keeping your beard longer, discuss with your barber additional steps you can take to make it look clean, shiny and well kept.

3 DAYS OUT

You’re on the home stretch! The diligence and consistency you and your fiancé put into the last few months will show up with glowing skin and a trimmer look. Your main goal in these final days is to avoid sabotaging what you’ve accomplished.

For the best photo results on your wedding day, avoid salt and sugar. Water retention from salty foods is a lurking culprit, working against healthy skin goals. Carbonated drinks, even sparkling water, have high levels of sodium that could make you look puffy. Sugar is an energy zapper that also leaves your skin looking tired. Sugars in alcohol do double-duty, dehydrating your skin and adding bloat. Save the biggest indulgences for later.

Besides a clean diet, keep up your skin care routine and avoid any last-ditch treatments to repair any remaining concerns. Products and treatments that are untested on your skin may backfire, resulting on a last-minute run to the dermatologist for a fix.

As wedding photos often include close-ups, don’t skip a manicure for the groom. You’ll want those ring shots to showcase cleaned up cuticles, buffed nails and well-rounded tips.

The goal for your wedding day should never be to try and look like someone else. You’ll want your body, hair, makeup and fashion to truly reflect who you are. Whatever your final look, the joy from that day will be what you notice most in your photographs.