When I was considering a wedding abroad, I was also thinking of having a pool party the following day for all our guests. As someone with sensitive skin, I always get red bumps when I shave, so I thought about booking in for laser hair removal. Whilst I’ve since changed my mind about a destination wedding, I’m still going ahead with the treatment because I prefer to be hair-free, for the wedding, honeymoon and beyond. Victoria Phelps, learning and capability manager at Laser Clinics UK, recommends starting treatments a year before the Big Day. “We would advise [starting] 12 months before for the maximum benefits of having reduced hair in the [desired] areas,” she says. Her top tip? Avoid laser treatments the week of the wedding to swerve any last-minute or delayed skin reactions.
“Glowing skin is the number one goal, which requires a strategic, phased approach,” says Eleanor Hartley, CEO and medical director at Hart Medical. As a rule of thumb, Alexandra Hughes, facialist at Sarah Chapman, recommends starting a course of facials around six to 12 months beforehand, booking in every four to six weeks. “Typically, we’d begin with a thorough consultation and introduce foundational actives like vitamin C, gentle acids and retinoids alongside LED therapy. Around six months before the wedding, we start layering in advanced technologies such as radiofrequency or microneedling. By the three-month mark, the focus shifts to refinement and maintenance. In the final month, we prioritise barrier support, hydration and sculpting treatments.” Joanne Evans, founder of Skin Matters, agrees. “Starting with more advanced treatments allows time for the skin to settle if needed and make any changes if required.”
I’m not looking for a drastic hair colour change before my wedding, but I do want to brighten up my blonde balayage as a bride-to-be. Whilst the exact timeline depends on the colour you want, Ryan Brad, expert stylist at Hershesons Fitzrovia, generally recommends booking in a couple of months before the day. “This allows time to achieve the look gradually, maintain the hair’s condition and make any necessary adjustments,” he tells me. “Starting early also allows us to build the colour in stages and really tailor it to the client.” When it comes to choosing a shade, Brad says dimension is key. “Even the most beautifully styled updo can appear flat if the hair is one solid colour. Incorporating multi-dimensional colour helps enhance the detail of the style, allowing the movement, texture and shape to truly stand out. If you also want a cut, Brad says it’s best to book that in two to four weeks before the big day.
Everyone on my TikTok FYP seems to be getting Botox at the moment. As transformative as it can be, I’m after a slightly subtler alternative. Enter “baby Botox”, a smaller, more precise dose of the popular treatment. “Baby Botox is great for softening lines, improving smoothness and giving a fresher, more rested look without looking ‘done’, Dr Ahmed tells me. “It’s also worth mentioning that Botox isn’t just for the face. We often treat areas like the underarms for hyperhidrosis, as excessive sweating in a white dress can be a real concern for brides.” Dr Ahmed says six weeks before the wedding is the ideal time for treatment. “This allows [it] to settle and gives enough time for any small adjustments if needed”
I had braces when I was a teenager, so although my teeth are relatively straight, I’ve been looking for something subtle to do to make them look a little more polished, which is why I’m considering teeth whitening. Dr Mahsa, co-founder of the Nejati Clinic, tells me it’s generally best to book two weeks before the big day to allow for the best result. “This may involve a chairside whitening session, followed by a short period of home whitening to refine and stabilise the shade,” she says. “For those seeking a very subtle enhancement, a single session alone can be sufficient. The aim is not uniform whiteness, but a natural luminosity that sits comfortably within the overall smile.” Sign me up.
There are so many different types of manicures available, but BIAB is proving particularly popular. “The Gel Bottle BIAB is a very popular choice for brides,” says Vicky Hanna, founder of Luna & Wilde Salon. “It looks amazing on natural nails and photographs beautifully, especially with the Extreme Shine Top Coat. It’s also durable, helping protect the nails from picking or biting; particularly useful during the sometimes stressful lead-up to the wedding day.” So, when should you get it done? “Ideally, we would recommend starting at least six weeks before the wedding, with appointments at two-week intervals,” says Hanna. For your final appointment, Hanna recommends booking in two to five days before the wedding to ensure your nails look fresh.
Shiny, glossy, glass-like hair is seriously trending at the moment, and although there are products to help achieve this look at home, you can actually book in for a hair gloss treatment pre-wedding, too. As explained to me by award-winning colourist and founder of Stil Salon, Christel Barron-Hough, a gloss treatment is a hair colour with no pigment, so it won’t interfere with the hair colour you got done a few months prior. “It’s becoming popular for brides, as many clients don’t want to change their hair too much before their wedding day, so it’s a great option if you’re looking to create a healthy, shiny-looking result,” she tells me. It’s best to have this service carried out a week before the wedding.
Brows can seriously enhance your facial features, and my favourite brow treatment since I tried it is brow lamination, which smooths and sets your brow hairs into your desired shape. “Brow lamination is a popular treatment requested by brides-to-be,” says Jaimineey Patel, head of VIP at Blink Brow Bar. “[It] allows brow hairs to be more flexible; unruly hairs can be tamed, and you can achieve a fuller, polished finish.” Patel recommends doing a trial around three months before the wedding, and for your final treatment, she advises booking three days before. “This allows any redness or sensitivity to settle, and the brows will be looking their best,” she says.
Who doesn’t want to look bronzed and glowy on their wedding day? Spray tans are nothing new, but formulas and tanning tech have come a long way, so you no longer have to worry about looking slightly orange (or patchy!) when walking down the aisle. However, with this treatment, timing is everything. “Two days is optimum,” says wedding manicurist and tan artist Megan Caie. “The first 48 hours are crucial to get the best colour and let the tan settle into a natural glow.” If you’re getting married abroad, Caie says she likes to tan brides on the day of travel in Tint Tan’s eight-hour formula. “ You don’t want to sit on a plane in sticky, smelly tan, but that’s where Tint Tan has elevated—it’s odourless and not tacky. All a bride has to do is wear loose, comfy clothing for the flight and rinse on the other side.” Caie’s top tip is to schedule three or four trial appointments beforehand, so your tan artist can assess how the tan settles on the skin, observe the colour and see how long it lasts.
The day before your wedding might feel a little stressful, so it’s the perfect time to book in for a lymphatic drainage massage to help you feel and look your best. After speaking to the experts at the Flavia Morellato Clinic, I learned that this massage is particularly popular with brides, as it can help reduce water retention and swelling, improve circulation and enhance the overall appearance of the skin. They recommend booking a day or two before to achieve the best visible results. However, some brides-to-be choose to have a series of treatments in the weeks leading up to the day. I tried my first lymphatic drainage massage a few months ago, and can confirm that this treatment is totally worth the hype. I felt lighter, more relaxed and even more energised, so I’ll definitely be booking in again before walking down the aisle.
6 Months
6 Weeks
2 Weeks
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Exosomes are a buzzy in-clinic treatment that can help boost your skin health and give you a gorgeous glow, taking your facials to the next level. “Think of them as little messengers released from the cell,” says Dr Ahmed El Muntasar, GP, aesthetics doctor and owner of The Aesthetics Doctor. “In aesthetics, we use them to deliver things like vitamins, minerals, amino acids and growth factors, all of which help to support collagen production, skin regeneration and overall skin health.” They are typically applied after treatments such as microneedling or lasers.
In terms of when to have this treatment, the earlier, the better. “I’ve had brides start a year in advance, some at six months, some at three months and some even at six weeks,” he tells me “The more time you have, the better the results we can achieve.” Personally, I plan on starting 10 months in advance to give my skin as much time as possible to get its glow on.
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Book laser hair removal with Laser Clinics UK here
Book an exosomes treatment with The Aesthetics Doctor here
Book a bespoke facial with Sarah Chapman here
Book a consultation with Hart Medical here
Book a facial treatment with Skin Matters here
Written by Grace Lindsay
12 Months
Book a hair colour appointment with Hershesons here
Book baby Botox with The Aesthetics Doctor here
Book The Gel Bottle BIAB at Luna & Wilde Salon here
Book teeth whitening at the Nejati Clinic here
Book a hair gloss treatment at STIL Salon here
Book brow lamination at Blink Brow Bar here
Book a spray tan with Tint Tan here
Book a lymphatic drainage massage at the Flavia Morellato Clinic here
I got engaged last May, so I’m currently in full wedding-planning mode. Even though we’re keeping things low-key (40 people at a town hall and our favourite pub afterwards), there’s still so much to think about, from food to flowers and even what napkins I want on the table. However, as a beauty editor, the main thing my friends ask me about is what bridal beauty treatments I’m having done in the run-up to the big day, from facials to spray tans, manicures and more. Before I get into it, I want to start by saying that I hate how much pressure there is on women to change everything about themselves before their wedding. I want to look like me when I walk down the aisle, but that’s not to say I don’t want to feel like the best version of me possible, which is why I’ve been researching subtle treatments and tweakments that enhance rather than change.
With so many moving parts in the run-up to a wedding, I thought it would be handy to create a treatment timeline so that any fellow brides-to-be know exactly when to pencil in their bridal beauty treatments. Keep scrolling for the full lowdown.
