For brides looking to achieve a natural glow on their wedding day, we’d like to offer these TIPS FOR A PICTURE PERFECT look for your outdoor wedding:

1)  Be sure to wear sunscreen BEFORE your wedding day. Overly tanned or sunburned skin is less translucent and less flattering in photographs.

2)  Sunscreen reflects light, so it makes skin appear one or two shades lighter than normal. On the day of the wedding, even though you’ll be outdoors, SKIP the sunscreen you’ve been applying so diligently.

3)  To hide strap lines that might be visible on your shoulders, arms or back, use a tattoo cover-up the day of, or a little self-tanner the night before the wedding. BUT BE CAREFUL with the self tanner! You’re trying to hide the strap lines you have, not add more streaks! {We recommend Kate Somerville’s Body360 Self-Tanning Towelettes}

4)  When it comes to makeup, LESS is more. Go for warmer colors and use a light hand with the application. For striking eyes, start with well-groomed brows and add a few fake lashes for drama. If you want more DRAMA for that night time celebration under the big top tent, go beyond the fake lashes and give the eyes a smokey sexy look.

5)  Hold off on drinking that bubbly until after photographs have been taken. ALCOHOL tends to make noses red and skin pink.

6)  Don’t fight the CHARACTER of your hair. For instance, don’t have curly hair straightened for your outdoor wedding. Or straight hair curled that day as wind, humidity and salt air will work against your efforts. Keeping your hair natural looking will lower your stress in the long run and, more importantly, give your photographs a timeless quality.

7)  More hair spray is not necessarily better. Too much of it can weigh down your hair giving it a DULL finish. Sometimes, if your hair is too oily, the hair spray can make it look whitish or cloudy. If necessary, use a dry shampoo like Kevin Murphy Fresh Hair Dry Cleaning Spray which is fast, easy and even adds body to slightly dirty or oily hair.

8) Choose your BEAUTY TEAM wisely based on skill, attitude and time management. Choose someone who will listen to you, someone who you will feel totally at ease with. You want a stylist who will help you RELAX, not add drama or stress in the hours leading up to your wedding.

9) When it comes to keeping your skin and hair looking fabulous, one can’t underestimate the power of WATER. Drink lots of water in the months leading up to your wedding, it nourishes the body and cleanses it of toxins that cause breakouts. Try to avoid caffeine and alcohol, both of which dehydrate your skin.

10) For the most FLATTERING lighting during outdoor photography, try to schedule photos in the late afternoon as the sun begins to set. Often referred to by photographers as “the magic hour,” this is the kind of outdoor lighting that makes almost anyone look their best. Outdoor photos at midday are the worst, because the sun is directly overhead, casting unflattering shadows on your face.