When it comes to planning your wedding, picking a date + dress can be the least of your worries. After all, looking radiant + picture-perfect on your special day takes some work + planning—ok, months of work + planning. To help you avoid any last-minute beauty emergencies, we’ve put together the ultimate wedding beauty timeline for every bride. From when to get waxed to when to schedule your hair appointments, our guide will ensure you look every bit the blushing, glowing, beautiful bride when the big day arrives.

8 MONTHS
Test a New Hair Color: Thinking about a dramatic change for your wedding? Now is the time to try it out—if you hate it, there’s still plenty of time for you to grow it out or change the color without frying your locks.

Revive Your Skincare Regimen: If you’ve been slacking on your skin routine, now is the time to start incorporating a more strict system. Cleanse, tone, target + moisturize every morning + night—and don’t forget to exfoliate two or three times a week! Your skincare regimen sets the foundation for make-up application, + a smooth, fresh skin texture is key to flawless make-up.

Start Laser Hair Removal: It can take two to six treatments to remove all the hair, depending on the site. Since you have to wait 4-6 weeks between sessions, make sure to start early.

Fitness + Nutrition Plan: Avoid crash dieting before your wedding by starting a nutrition + fitness plan now. You’ll look healthy + glowing on the big day, instead of exhausted from last minute + excessive workouts.

4 MONTHS
Hair + Make-Up Trials: Now’s the time to start experimenting with different hair + make-up styles. Find the perfect for you artists + then, book them right after you’ve made up your mind—you don’t want to run the risk of conflicting schedules or last-minute changes. This also applies to your nails too! Many high-end nail salons have bridal packages.

2 MONTHS
Tanning Options: If you want a bronzy glow on your wedding day, decide exactly how you’d like to achieve it. If you’re going to get a spray tan, book one now, rather than a few days before your wedding, as a test run. If you’d rather use a gradual tanning moisturizer, like Cristina Claiborne Skin’s Moisture Riche Sunless Glow ($76.00), start incorporating it into your daily skin routine now.

Whatever method you chose, we highly suggest skipping the tanning bed or sunning outdoors: Both can lead to earlier photo-aging + increase the risk of skin cancer.

Beauty Accessories: Select any beauty accessories, like hair accessories or customized lipstick colors, now. Make sure you order any accessories - especially those that require long production or shipping times, to avoid last minute stress.

Nail Color: Two months out is the perfect amount of time to pick out your bridal nail color—make sure it has the right undertones next to your dress + decorations. With nails, less can be more.

Teeth Whitening: Most professional teeth whitening sessions take more than one appointment. Book your first appointment now, + use an at-home whitening kit after your last session to maintain your pearly whites.

Botox + Fillers: Injectables can take up to two weeks to kick in, + usually lasts a few months to several months. If you’re considering it for your nuptials, do it now to make sure you can correct any potential issues.

2 WEEKS
Hair Gloss, Trim + Subtle Color: Get a color-enhancing gloss + shine treatment at your salon for shiny locks on your wedding day, + while you’re there, have your stylist trim any split ends. If you’d like a subtle color change, like balayage highlights, now is the time to get them done. Just make sure you’re at your trusted salon with experienced stylists.

Exfoliate: If you haven’t already, start exfoliating your body + face at least two to three times a week. Try a gentle scrub, like Cristina Claiborne Skin’s PRO Resurfacing Polish ($64.00), that sloughs off dead skin cells without stripping your skin of moisture. If you have sensitive skin, it's best to skip the physical exfoliators + if you're prone to eczema, you might also want to avoid any products with added fragrance.

Brows: Get your brows waxed, threaded, or shaped at the two-week mark—tweeze any stray hairs at least one day before your wedding to avoid bumps and redness.

1 WEEK
Gentle Facial: A week before your wedding, go in for a soothing, hydrating facial. Avoid any major exfoliation or unusual treatments, as you don't want your skin to have an adverse reaction. And if you have sensitive skin or have never had a facial before, you might want to skip this one—it'll be difficult to predict how your skin will react to new products.

Root Coverage: If your hair is dyed in such a way that you're going to need your roots touched up, it's best to delay dying your hair to a week before so your roots don't grow out before your big day. It's important to have enough time to correct it in case something goes wrong, though, so don't wait longer than a week. And, always use your trusted stylists!

Wax: Get waxed at least five days before the big day so your skin has time to heal + any redness or peeling is long gone.

3 DAYS
At-home Skin Treatment: Do a mild at-home peel to boost brightness a few days before. Keep in mind, a professional chemical peel is too harsh to do only a few days before your wedding. So if professional is your plan, make sure to schedule it at least 2 weeks earlier. Remember, gentle is key.

If you have oily skin, try a purifying clay mask like our Vitamin E Cellular Renewal Masque ($88.00).

By this point, you should also know if you have any ingredient allergies—whatever new treatment you intend to use, make sure to try it first a few months before. You don't want any skin surprises.

2 DAYS
Manicure/Pedicure: Make sure you're using a gel polish to avoid any chips + cracks on your big day. Most likely, you've determined your nail tech + color long before the actual manicure, so just relax + let yourself enjoy the process. This is a great opportunity for Bridal Party fun too!

Spray Tan: Get your spray tan, if you’re getting one, two days before your wedding—the extra time will allow the tan to fade in + look more natural. If you’ve never tried spray tanning, schedule your first treatment a couple of weeks earlier to make sure your bronzed hue is perfect for your skin to avoid any Oompa-Loompa shade mishaps.

1 DAY
Beauty Sleep: The best thing you can do at this point is to get some shut-eye—you’ve done your work, now take some time to relax, or at least, try to.

Hydrate: Drink lots of water the day before to ensure you + your skin are hydrated + looking + feeling your best.

You’ve made it to the Big Day. Now, all you have to do is smile + settle in to love.