When planning the total look for your wedding day, don’t forget the toes.  The toes are just as important in your wedding make-up as your fingernails or hair.  Even if you’re not planning on wearing open-toed shoes at the wedding, your husband will see them on your honeymoon.  And beautiful feet can very alluring!

If you do want to ’show a little toe’ during the ceremony, you may want to consider toe nail designs.  Although it does take some talent to be able to hand-paint these intricate designs, I’ve found that the toes are definitely easier to do myself than the fingernails.  So, if cash is a problem, give the ‘DIY’ approach to your feet.  You can match your toenails with your fingernails, or you can give them a totally different look.

Wedding themescan easily work into your designs as well as your wedding colors.  Snowflakes, poinsettias or wreaths fit well with Christmas & winter theme weddings.  If you have metallic colors in your wedding palette, try gold or silver glitter to really give your feet some sparkle.  You can even glue on some tiny rhinestones to add an elegant touch.

There is no denying that manicures and pedicures have become a billion dollar industry.  No mall, shopping center, or outdoor strip mall is complete without at least one nail salon.  Even if you’re not into fancy nail art, you should consider making an appointment at one of these salons in preparation for your wedding day.

The services offered can range from the basics to an all out nail design to fit your wedding theme.  My daughters got me into the ‘nail art’ thing after they were married, but they all wish they had known about it beforehand. 

Nail art is a simple way of expressing yourself, plus it has the added benefit of enhancing any theme your choose.  The hand-drawn designs can include butterflies or flowers for your spring & garden theme wedding, seashells or fish for your beach theme wedding, wild geometric patterns for a more contemporary theme, or even white with black bows trimmed in gold or silver glitter for your elegant evening wedding. 

If you’re thinking of trying a whole new look for your wedding, here’s a word of advice.  Don’t just get an idea of what you want in your head and then wait until the morning if your wedding to try it out.  Tears on your wedding day will be common, but they should never be because you hate the way your hair turned out.

Be on the lookout for different hairstyles that fit your face shape and hair length.  Ask you friends for their opinions, especially the ones that seem to have good fashion sense.  Once you’ve narrowed it down, go into a salon and try them out.  You’ll want to make sure any new hairstyle you choose will be able to look nice with your veil or tiara, so be sure to bring that along.  It may take several times to the salon before you finally find that perfect look, but it will be well worth it.

If you’re planning on having a manicure or acrylic nails applied for the big day, try different shapes and designs to see which one will go best with your gown.  Remember your hands will probably be a focal point in at least a couple of your wedding pictures.

After you’ve made your final decision, make your wedding day appointments.  Specify the stylist and manicurist by name when making the appointments and be sure to call several days ahead just to confirm.

Every bride wants to look her very best on her wedding day.  After all, it is the most special day of her life and there will be hundreds of pictures taken that will last a lifetime.  Chances are you’ve spent days, maybe even weeks and months searching for the perfect wedding dress and veil.  Don’t wait until the last minute to decide what hairstyle you’ll have and how your makeup will look.

As with every detail of your wedding, it’s best to have your makeup and hairstyle planned out well in advance.  If you’ll be fixing your face and hair yourself, you can practice with different looks at your leisure.  However, if you’re like most brides, and decide to get your ‘look’ professionally done, the sooner you start looking for your stylist, the better. 

Talk to friends and coworkers who have used this kind of service.  Visit the salons and talk to the stylists.  Don’t be afraid to ask for references and then call them to see what they liked or disliked about the stylist.

Some salons will offer a package where you can ‘practice’ on the first visit before deciding on a definite style and look.  Be sure to bring your veil with you so your stylist knows what they will be working with.  If your bridesmaids will be using the same salon, make it a girls’ night out and have fun with it. 

You may even want to check to see if your salon offers a complete wedding day package, which usually includes a total spa treatment the morning of your wedding, along with a manicure, pedicure, and a light snack, in addition to the makeup and hair styling.