We have definitely started the countdown now… four more days until my sister and her fiancé say ‘I do’! We all have been looking forward to this important day and we are so excited!!

I always do my best to look the part, even more so on a memorable day like this. Read on as I share with you some tips on how to look your best for a special occasion!

And let’s be honest… that’s less easy at 45 than at 25!! So the week before the wedding, I will focus on a couple of things that hopefully will make me look the part 🙂

1.Hair

I won’t do anything special with my hair, so I don’t need go to the hairdresser’s on the day of the wedding itself. I can handle my hair very well and I trust that on the big day I will be able to brush it as well as on any other day.

Last Friday I had a haircut and tomorrow I will colour my hair myself, as I always do.

Tips:

• If you want to go to the haidresser’s for a big event, make sure to make  your appointment well in advance, especially if you want to go on the day of the event itself!
• Don’t try anything new just for the occasion… no new colour, no new haircut,… it might turn out differently then expected!
• If you want to do something special with your hair, like a special braid or a complicated updo, make sure to test it out beforehand!

2.Nails

I have fixed an appointment with my nailartist, Claudia, on Friday, the day before the wedding. As I have been going to the same nailartist for two years now, I know what she can do.

A couple of weeks ago I did some homework and made screenshots of styles I like. I discussed them with Claudia and we have come up with a beautiful style which will match my outfit and which lies in Claudia’s possibilities. It will look soooo beautiful, I’m sure!!

Tips:

• Make an appointment well in advance.
• If you are not used to going to a nailartist, you might want to start going a couple of months before the big event. That way you know what to expect and you get to know the nailartist a bit.
• Browse Pinterest, Instagram, the internet for inspiration.
• Discuss with your nailartist what lies within her possibilities!

3.Face

Every week I do a facial and this week will be no different. The day before the wedding I will pamper my skin big time 🙂

Tips:

• If you want to go to a beautician, make an appointment well in advance!
• Use products you’re used to, not to have any allergic reactions. Or use products for the sensitive skin just to be on the safe side!
• Scrubbing makes your skin look reddish… so don’t have your facial on the day of the event itself.
• If you want to pluck your eyebrows, don’t do it on the day of the event as your skin might be red, swollen or irritated…

4.Tan

I haven’t been going to a tanning station for two years now. I use self-tanning products and for this occasion, that will be no different!

Here you can read a post about the Sublime Bronze from L’Oréal Paris. In this review I give plenty of tips on how to apply a self-tanning lotion!

Tips:

• Bear in mind that going to a tanning station is really bad for your skin… you might want to seek solace in healthy alternatives like a spray cabin or self-tanning lotion.
• Do a full body scrub before you use self-tanning products or before going to the tanning station/spray cabin. That way you get rid of all dead skin cells and your skin will be smooth.
• If you use a self-tanning lotion, mix some plain body lotion with it. That way you’ll minimize the chance of patches!
• If you’ll be wearing tights, don’t bother about tanning your legs!
• If you decide to go to a tanning station, make sure to start a couple of weeks in advance so you can gradually build up your tan.
• Make sure not to get burned… so your last visit to the tanning station should be two days before a big event!

5.Eat and drink healthy

As your eating and drinking habits can influence how your skin looks, I give you some tips to bear in mind the week (or couple of weeks) before a big event:

Tips:

• Limit the amount of alcohol.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Try to avoid greasy food not to have an outbreak of spots!
• If you suffer from water retention:
  • drink lots of water
  • drink herbal tea
  • drink a glass of water with the juice of 1/2 lemon (twice a day)
  • exercise
  • eat things that are rich in potassium which helps to eliminate fluid retention (here you can find a link with a list!)

6.Rest

On weekdays I usually go to bed by 10.30pm at the latest as I need plenty of sleep.

The week before the wedding I will definitely go to bed early as I want to be well-rested. I took the day off the day before the wedding and I just now that I will have a little siesta that afternoon!

7. Outfits

Of course we all have a brandnew outfit for this occasion… my husband, my 3 kids and myself. Last weekend, I made sure to go through everybody’s outfit.

Tips:

• Does everybody has everything?
• What things need to be ironed?
• Does everything still fit?
• Are all buttons well attached?
• Do the shoes need breaking in?
• …

8. Necessities

As we will be attending this wedding with the entire family, I want to make sure everybody will have what they will need on the big day. I just know most of them will rely on me to pack these things!

To make sure not to forget anything, I have made a list of all our necessities. And as I will only carry a mini-bag, we will pack all these things in a trolley… easy-peasy!

What to take:

• medication (as my husband has a very strict medical regime this is always on top of our list!)
• perfume/deodorant
• make-up
• extra shoes
• extra stockings
• camera/flash/tripod (as I will be in charge of taking photographs that day!)
• make sure all batteries are charged (cellphones, camera) and pack all chargers just in case…
• tissues
• money/ID
• extra shirt for my husband and son
• scarves and coats for the ride home
• extra pair of contact lenses + solution
• wet wipes
• band-aids
• umbrellas
• travel sewing kit
• disinfectant (as we will be shaking many hands that day, my husband will need to disinfect his hands several times to avoid infection)
• …

I know that I will be enjoying the day even more so if I’m well prepared… If you have anymore tips, please let me know in the comments!

Love, Kathleen