There’s nothing better than looking and feeling beautiful on your wedding day, but with so much to plan getting gorgeous can become a stressful business. Follow our 6 month wedding beauty plan to look stunning effortlessly.

Planning a wedding can put you under serious pressure, but if you start in advance (or even if you only have a couple of weeks to go!) there are plenty of smart, time-savvy steps you can take to look absolutely gorgeous. Wedding website Weddingpath has interviewed thousands of brides-to-be about their pre-wedding beauty regimes to compile an easy to follow, fool-proof beauty, diet and exercise breakdown.

Wedding Beauty Checklist: 6 Months To Go

With six months to go before the wedding, you’ve got plenty of time to make any desired changes to your diet, physique and fitness. By following a healthy eating plan you have the chance to lose any extra weight whilst getting better skin, glossier hair and nails that don’t split.

Start doing some fat-burning aerobic exercise. By strengthening your muscles you will build some scrummy curves and increase your metabolism. Exercises could include dancing, running, skipping, stepping and ball games and remember to stretch and tone your muscles. For expert fitness and beauty tips, or to ask our resident gym instructor a question, visit our Ask a Fitness Expert section.

Starting your beauty regime 6 months in advance gives you plenty of time to see what works for you and build it into an everyday routine. Now is the time to make an appointment with a make-up artist or to learn how to do it yourself. If you’re thinking of using a fake tan, try it out now, remembering to exfoliate first. If you smoke, give up now. Smoking dulls your skin, gives you wrinkles and reduces your ability to exercise. Set aside time for a home facial once a week with an occasional professional treat. Try to make this part of an unhurried evening ritual, which you end with a warm bath and an early night. Other nights of the week, do a shorter routine.

Wedding Beauty Checklist: 3 Months To Go

Now’s the time to start targeting the areas of your body your wedding dress will show off. Toning the right muscles can change your shape and improve the appearance of your skin.

You’ve been eating healthily for three months, but have you considered what you’re drinking? Alcohol is full of empty calories, with an average glass of wine containing more calories than you’ll find in a light meal, whilst soft drinks are mostly full of sugar. Tea and coffee don’t help the condition of the skin due to the caffeine and so called “fruit drinks” usually contain only a tiny percentage of fruit juice along with various sugars and sweeteners. Your best bet is water and herbal teas, so don’t let alcohol sabotage your diet and beauty regime until you lift your glass of champers at the reception.

Don’t forget your hands. Start wearing rubber gloves for household chores and start weekly manicures to ensure smooth and dainty hands on the day. Don’t forget to spoil your feet as part of your beauty regime and if you’re having your teeth whitened, do it now. If your dress reveals your back, consider having a professional treatment to deal with open pores or blemishes and book your final hair appointments.

Wedding Beauty Checklist: 1 Month To Go

By now you should be happier with your weight, with clearer skin and lustrous hair. Even if preparations and celebrations have scuppered your good intentions, there’s still time for a 1 week detox, enjoying smoothies and skin-saving, mood enhancing juices. Try and cut out caffeine, if you haven’t already done so, for the last month to have glowing skin. You should soon start to feel your skin becoming silkier. You can enhance your detox programme by body brushing, facial detoxes and facemasks. Try making your own for a fun night in with the girls!

Have a hair and makeup practice session. Check that you’ve tried everything you’re going to do in the final week to work out what to do and avoid risking an unexpected skin reaction. Be careful in the sun; don’t risk sunburn or tan strap marks that clash with your neckline.

Wedding Beauty Checklist: 1 Week To Go

Make sure you have time to relax and complete your beauty preparations. Try and find time to be tranquil, practice a few yoga positions and stretches, enjoy an early night or two and go out for some fun with your fiancé and friends. This is the day week you and your bridesmaids’ hair and make up rehearsals and last minute cuts, highlights and colour. From here on just wash and condition your hair. Don’t be tempted to do deep conditioning or any chemical treatments this close to the wedding, as they could cause it to look lank and lifeless. Rehearse the ceremony with all the main participants present.

Wedding Beauty Checklist: 6 Days To Go

If you’ve been having monthly facials, have the last one today to give your skin time to settle down. Now is the time to do final beauty checks, leaving yourself time to make corrections and adjustments with professional help lined up if necessary. Make any final dress and hair adjustments.

Wedding Beauty Checklist: 4 Days To Go

Make up an emergency make up repair kit and give it to your chief bridesmaid to carry for you. This should contain everything you might need on the day, including blotting papers, powder, baby wipes and small containers of your main make up such as foundation and lipstick.

Wedding Beauty Checklist: 3 Days To Go

Delegate tasks for the wedding day. Now is the time to offload as much as possible onto reliable friends and family who are willing to help. Don’t eat any salty food from now on, as it can make your eyes puffy. Wax your legs and bikini line. If you’re having this done professionally, get your eyebrows waxed into shape as well. Give yourself a full pedicure, including massage and finish by painting your toenails. Slather your hands with nourishing cream or almond oil and go to bed wearing cotton gloves.

Wedding Beauty Checklist: 2 Days To Go

Don’t wear any make up from now until the wedding and let your skin breathe. Put eyepads or a bottle of rosewater in the fridge ready for the wedding morning to rescue puffy eyes. Give yourself plenty of time today for a slow, luxurious manicure. Try to keep this serenity and the ability to focus on the present, throughout the coming days.

Wedding Beauty Checklist: 1 Day To Go

Wash your hair today instead of tomorrow to help it hold its style. Exfoliate your lips by gently brushing with your toothbrush. Rehydrate with lip moisturiser. Tidy your eyebrows and have another make up free day. If your dress reveals your shoulders and they are often marked by your bra straps, don’t wear a bra today. Drink plenty of water throughout the day ready for the celebrations tomorrow. If any last minute hitches or queries have cropped up, check that they are all sorted and you both know exactly what to do the next day. Have an early and peaceful night.

Wedding Beauty Checklist: Your Wedding Day

Have your clothes, including your underwear ready to put on so you don’t have to rummage for anything when you’re all made up. Stay in your dressing gown or a button up shirt that won’t have to come off over your head. Once your hair has been completed, your make up should be done next. If it’s being done professionally you’ll appreciate the make up artist coming to you. Next put on your lingerie.

Get someone to undo all the fastenings on the dress and put it on the floor where you can step carefully into it in bare feet. Practise moving about in your dress, sitting down, puffing the skirt out. Gather the skirt carefully in one hand as you walk up and down the stairs, keeping it clear of your feet without crushing the fabric. If you’re wearing a veil, put it on now. If you’re travelling to the wedding venue by car or other transport, allow for your head-dress and lift up your skirt away from your feet as you step into the vehicle. Pull your skirt up at the back while you’re in the vehicle and lean forward to avoid wrinkling it. Step out carefully.

Relax, take a deep breath, walk into your future and have a wonderful time!