See, like I mentioned before, I totally forgot to factor in bridal beauty when I first mapped out our budget. I mean, I knew that bridal beauty is a huge industry. Most wedding magazines include a section on looking your best for your wedding, including skincare regiments that should start a year before the big day, advice on various teeth-whitening options, suggestions about weekly manicures and monthly hair touch-ups, and, of course, pages and pages on getting a gown-ready body.
I never wanted to do any of that. Obviously you hope to look your best on a day when you and your fiancé are the center of attention, but Jon has been in love with me since November 2008 - that's almost five years without any extraordinary measures. I figured I'd just make sure to take off my makeup before bed, floss every day, and be good about eating and exercise. That's all there could be to looking like the best me when I walk down the aisle, right?
Wrong. So wrong. Here's what I've already invested in for my bridal beauty and what I've got coming up over the next few weeks:
FACE (SKIN)
Last fall, when I stopped taking a medication that I'd been on for years, my skin didn't react well. Although I went back on that medication just after Christmas, I went to a dermatologist in February because the break-outs were still pretty bad and she prescribed me a topical cream called Acanya to apply daily. I also had a facial in March just for a jolt to the system. My skin is now almost entirely clear, but I've also made a real effort to wash my face properly twice a day, exfoliate once a week or so, and to moisturize - I use my favorite Simple brand, which arrived in US stores last summer. (None of this, by the way, was/is included in my wedding budget.)
FACE (MAKE-UP)
I always planned to do my own makeup for the wedding; it seemed like an easy thing to save money on. However, I knew that I needed a lesson beforehand. I don't want to look different than usual, but I do recognize that looking good for 8 hours (and photos!) takes skill that I simply don't have. I thought I could just schedule a normal 30 minute make-over appointment at Blue Mercury and buy the requisite three products at the end, but it seems that's not the way it works. Instead, I scheduled an hour-long $90 bridal lesson for two days after I come back from my weekend on the beach. I understand why they suggested this, but I definitely hadn't included that figure in my original budget! I'm going to ask that we use as many products as possible that I already have so I don't have to buy new things - wish me luck.
HAIR
I haven't done anything special with my hair. I have a trim scheduled for Saturday, but otherwise all is as usual - I tried a mini Keratin treatment last summer (thank you, Groupon!) and really loved how it calmed my frizz, but I haven't done it again this summer. Part of the reason the budget line for this went up, though, is because I simply forgot to factor in a hairstylist for our wedding. I had a trial on Suffolk when I was in England a few weeks ago, and she'll be coming to the venue on my wedding day to help Sarah, Ellie, Jon's mom, and me!
BODY
A lot of brides use their weddings as a spark to light the fire under healthier lifestyles - Evani is a totally inspirational example of this - but I knew that something drastic wouldn't work for me. I needed to he healthy anyway; my grandfather is a cardiologist with diabetes, so he often lovingly reminds me about the dangers associated with being overweight. I wanted to switch into a sustainable healthier lifestyle that included smart eating and a commitment to running I'd be able to maintain long-term. So I didn't have to add any gym memberships or cleanse subscriptions to my budget - this was something I wanted to be part of my life regardless of the wedding!
NAILS
I rarely get manicures. I will walk to the ends of the earth and back for a pedicure (which, after all the walking, I'll need), but I don't really like color on my fingernails. I did get a mani with Essie Ballet Slippers before our engagement shoot in September because I knew there would be close-ups of my hands, but I haven't gotten one since. My plan for the wedding is to get a pedicure and a shape-up of my fingernails in the States (where it's cheaper than in the UK) a week before the big day and then to apply Dior's Nail Glow myself the morning of. The nail polish is going into the budget, but that's it.
TEETH
Honestly, I would have loved to splurge on professional whitening before our wedding, but that just wasn't an option. Instead, I was extra careful about brushing and flossing, scheduled a normal dentist appointment (which included a cleaning) for last week, and have been trying to minimize how much coffee and red wine I'm drinking this summer. We had a Go Smile at-home whitening kit sitting around in my parents' bathroom, so I'll do that next week. Total for the budget: zero.
OTHER
I guess the only unnecessary luxury - though that phrase is definitely subjective - I'm allowing myself for bridal beauty is fake eyelashes. See, I cry. I'm a weeper. Sad things, happy things... it doesn't matter. I sob. When Jon's family and I put on Monster's, Inc. on Christmas Day night a couple of years ago, they watched me instead of the movie at the end when Sully reunited with Boo because my hysterics were more entertaining. So I really want to avoid mascara on my wedding day - even waterproof mascara might fail before my joyful tears. When I was in London a few weeks ago, I tried out the Flirty lashes at Blink, which lasted a week, and I'll get the Classic on the Thursday before my wedding. As this was a last minute realization, it got added to the budget relatively recently. (Also, in case anyone's curious, I tested Marc Jacobs Daisy when I was in England in April and Jon liked it, so I'll be wearing that when we get married.)
Am I missing anything, dear readers? We do have a little wiggle room in the budget because of that gorgeous cushion I included, so let me know if there's anything I should add...
OTHER
I guess the only unnecessary luxury - though that phrase is definitely subjective - I'm allowing myself for bridal beauty is fake eyelashes. See, I cry. I'm a weeper. Sad things, happy things... it doesn't matter. I sob. When Jon's family and I put on Monster's, Inc. on Christmas Day night a couple of years ago, they watched me instead of the movie at the end when Sully reunited with Boo because my hysterics were more entertaining. So I really want to avoid mascara on my wedding day - even waterproof mascara might fail before my joyful tears. When I was in London a few weeks ago, I tried out the Flirty lashes at Blink, which lasted a week, and I'll get the Classic on the Thursday before my wedding. As this was a last minute realization, it got added to the budget relatively recently. (Also, in case anyone's curious, I tested Marc Jacobs Daisy when I was in England in April and Jon liked it, so I'll be wearing that when we get married.)
Am I missing anything, dear readers? We do have a little wiggle room in the budget because of that gorgeous cushion I included, so let me know if there's anything I should add...
linking up with little bit of class, little bit of sass
