Altared Beauty: A Spa, Salon and Plastic Surgery Countdown Calendar for Members of the Wedding

things to do (and not to do) - and when to do - before “I do.”

For all participants, including guests, today’s weddings are “the big show” and everyone’s opportunity for a personal red carpet moment.

The enhancement of skin, hair and body takes time, and needs to fit into a pre-wedding timeline in a thoughtful way. Build your beauty action plan using common sense and these tips for a wedding day that presents you at your most confident, beautiful best.

Spa Phoenix and board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Matthew Galumbeck are your partners in wedding prep for the whole bridal party. From Botox for the mother of the bride, to groom's grooming and the Bride's own skincare needs, we offer exceptional range and quality of services, and the experience and skill to make a wedding day your proudest red carpet moment.

”You wouldn’t get a powerful glycolic acid peel the day before your wedding,” advises Matthew Galumbeck, MD, board certified cosmetic plastic surgeon whose beauty resume includes owner/Medical Director of a fusion spa and creator of Skin Amnesty® skin care system. Here are other dos and don’ts from Dr. Galumbeck.

3-6 months before the wedding:
• With licensed esthetician, begin a facial treatment series to improve problem skin.
• Considering breast implants or a breast lift (if you’re playing the strapless gown card)? They look most natural and feel their best 2-3 months after surgery.

1-2 months before the wedding:
• Body shaping by laser liposuction can be done as near as one month to the wedding, immediately re-shaping problem areas that aren’t honeymoon or gown ready. Surprised? With less invasive laser-assisted procedures, healing is quicker. If you've researched liposuction, most sources say that a compression garment must be worn for 4-6 weeks after the fat removal procedure is done. With laser liposuction, the procedure is less traumatic, and the compression garment is worn for only four days.

• Restylane and Botox? Stress – the kind induced by wedding planning and reception bar tab worries – takes its toll on wedding members’ faces. These injectables immediately give a more relaxed and youthful appearance. Restylane also takes over the job once done by collagen – plumping lips and improving their profile.

• With a reparative skin care system like Skin Amnesty® (with anti-inflammatories and anti-oxidants), best results come with 6-8 weeks of use.

• Blepharoplasty will fix the Father of the Bride’s sleepy, drooping eyelids. Since most men aren’t comfortable hiding the little bit of post-procedure discoloration with makeup, allow 3-4 weeks healing for a no-tell improvement.

1-2 weeks before the wedding:
• Women of the wedding party - meet with your hair stylist and make-up artist now. They’ll create your look and record the “recipe” for day of wedding application. The last minute is no time to experiment with style or hair color, or to fret over foundation matching.

• Get the groom to a spa/salon. The non-negotiable items on his checklist for ceremony and honeymoon: manicure, pedicure, and hair cut. Elective procedures (you know who you are) include unibrow shaping and back waxing.

2-6 days before the wedding:
• No body waxing or facial waxing unless you allow two days for potential redness and irritation to heal.

• No facial peels this close to the wedding.

Day of the wedding:
• Hair and makeup are done according to the recipes The Bride has created weeks earlier with her stylists and makeup artist’s assistance at the salon. She looks beautiful, with glowing skin, romantic hair and an improved shape. The red carpet is waiting.

Bridal Hair and Makeup Design

Hair and makeup design are key to brides' wedding preparations. Our beauty experts work with a bride to create the “recipe” for her wedding day look. The Bridal Makeup Design package includes a dress rehearsal appointment 2-3 weeks before the day. At the dress rehearsal the design is created and its specific recipe noted. The day of, the makeup design is applied.

That's just a hint of our comprehensive beauty services for the bridal party. From Botox for the mother of the bride, to groom's grooming and the Bride's own skincare needs, we offer exceptional range and quality of services, and the experience and skill to make a wedding day your proudest red carpet moment.