Day 158: Revisiting My "Bridal Beauty: Countdown To Gorgeous" Challenge

It's been almost a full month since I've bothered to do any bridal beautifying.  Frankly, it's been great!  I didn't plan to take such a break from beauty, but life got busy and my priorities were elsewhere. (WOW, it feels SO GOOD to say that!)  I even started a "No Makeup Mondays" tradition; yesterday was my 3rd N.M.M. and it keeps getting easier!  But way back in June, I challenged myself to complete all 37 tasks of The Knot's "Bridal Beauty: Countdown To Gorgeous" list without mirrors (see Day 68 for the emotions and logic behind this decision).  My last completed task on the B.B.C.T.G. list was a haphazard attempt at self-tanner application, on Day 131.  I smelled funny for a few days but my arms didn't look much different.  Considering all the effort involved in streak-free self-tanner application, I quickly reverted to pale and haven't looked back. 

So tonight I looked over the remaining tasks of my B.B.C.T.G. challenge, and found 3 stragglers in the "1-2 Months Before" category.  With 5 weeks to go, I realized that it's time to get creative.  Here are the 3 tasks, and my thoughts on (hopefully) getting them done:

Meet with your makeup artist for a trial run.  If you're not hiring a pro, get a makeover at a department store counter and purchase anything you need now (so you have time to practice).

Love. This. Film.

THOUGHTS: Okay, first there's no makeup artist in my current budget, and department store makeovers give me the creeps.  Does anyone else remember that heart-wrenching scene from The Other Sister, when Juliet Lewis's character get's a Macy's makeover on one side of her face, and is told that the un-makeuped side is "bad"?  I've been angry at those makeup sales-people (sorry, "artists") ever since!  RESOLVED: I'm going to do some youtube research on wedding-day makeup application tips, and - once educated - I'll shop from my own (extensive!) makeup collection to add a little pizazz to my look that day.  A lot of people have been questioning my plan to do my own makeup... well, as I mentioned a while back on Day 108: my mom thinks I can do it, and that counts for a lot in my book! Besides, my plan at the moment is to just wear my usual everyday makeup, plus eyeliner and maybe (gasp!) false eyelashes.  Oh, and some sort of lip stain.  I'll apply all of the usual suspects myself, and my bridesmaids can help with the extras. 

Bring your veil to your hairstylist for a trial run of potential big day 'dos.  (If you're not happy, now's the time to speak up.)

THOUGHTS: Veil?  What veil?  Oh, shit.  I still have to get one.  Operation FIND A VEIL will commence this week.  Does anybody out there have suggestions on where/how to find a one (or 2!) for under $100?  Etsy?  UsedWeddingDresses.com?  FrugalMidwesternBrides.com? (that last one isn't real, but I would totally shop there!) I'm feeling chapel length for the ceremony, but would like to switch it up to a modern birdcage for the after-party.  Oh, and I did make an appointment with my hairstylist to have a "trial run" 6 days before the wedding.  I know it doesn't give me much time to change my mind, but.... hey, that's the point!  Besides, a good friend of mine is getting married that day (Hooray for Jenica and Hayes!!), so I'll be able to try out my "do" on the dance floor!
Strategery, my friends. Strategery!

Want a sparkling big-day smile?  Cut down on tea and coffee now and try a whitening toothpaste.  You may also want to consider a professional bleaching by a dentist, or using an over-the-counter whitening system.

My morning motto.  Image here.

THOUGHTS: "Cut down on tea and coffee now"?!?  Are these people crazy? Heck. No.  I'll skip the coffee on my wedding day (jitters are bad for publicly stated/stuttered I DOs!), but on most days a few caffeinated beverages keep me sane and functional.  I know this isn't the best long-term approach, but - with research, teaching, blogging, and wedding-planning - I'm burning the candle at both ends.  I love all of these projects too much to cut anything out.  So.... coffee/tea/CokeZero it is. I'll give this task more attention once I'm done teaching classes next week.  In the meantime, I am using a whitening toothpaste (do they even sell non-whitening toothpaste anymore!??!), and I have a dentist appointment next week.  I won't be shelling out for professional whitening, but a professional cleaning can't hurt, right?  (Speaking of professionals... maybe our talented wedding photographers, Lisa and Geoff, could just photoshop my pearly-whites into pearlier-whites.  Now that's what I call delegating!)

How would/did YOU balance time while wedding planning?  What made you feel more beautiful and confident? What made you just feel more stressed??  


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