I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
When I first became engaged, I was blissfully unaware of the amount of photo shoots that would be happening over the next few months of my life. First came the engagement party, then the engagement photos, then taking photos while trying on dresses, then bridal portraits, then the rehearsal and welcome dinner, then the actual wedding day, and finally our “day after” honeymoon shoot at Disneyland. Holy smokes. By the end of our wedding weekend, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
It’s a good problem to have.
When I’m dishing out wedding advice, I am never going to be one to tell you that you need to look a certain way for your wedding. You don’t need to lose weight, you don’t need to dye your hair, and you certainly don’t any kind of plastic surgery or other such nonsense! But I do want you to feel confident about one thing – your beautiful smile! You’re going to be staring at your wedding photos for years to come, and above anything, you’re going to want to remember how happy you looked and how much fun you were having. So don’t be afraid to SMILE and show off those chompers! Here are 6 tips for getting that picture perfect smile on your wedding day.
1. Brush twice a day and see your dentist twice a year – Hopefully you are already doing this! But if you aren’t, let your wedding be your main motivation. A brush session should last two minutes – one minute on the top row and one minute on the bottom row. If you need help, set a timer on your phone.
2. Beware of foods that stain your teeth – Coffee, tea, soda, and red wine are all very acidic, which can make your tooth enamel softer and more susceptible to staining. Berries and foods with bright artificial coloring are also known to stain teeth over time. Does that mean you have to avoid all these items? Not necessarily, but consume them in moderation and brush your teeth ASAP after consuming them, even if that means keeping a toothbrush and toothpaste at work.
3. Choose a blue-toned lip shade – If you have a signature lip color, then go ahead and rock it with confidence! But if you’re not set on a color, experiment with some light shades with blue undertones. Light pinks and berry reds will make teeth look whiter and brighter. Stay away from anything with orange tones which tends to make even the whitest teeth look a little dingy.
4. Practice your smile in the mirror – I know it sounds silly and you’ll feel quite goofy while doing it, but it will help if you are aware of your best angles. Of course, the prettiest angle is when you’re genuinely laughing your head off, so don’t stress about this one too much!
5. Do an at-home teeth whitening treatment – I admit I’m a little self conscious about my smile and my teeth, so every now and then I do an at-home teeth whitening treatment. I’ve been doing this for years, long before I was even thinking about wedding photos! I’m not a major appearance-driven person, but I just feel more confident knowing that I’m doing the best I can to keep my teeth white. Plus, my parents spent a ton of money on braces for me when I was a teen, so I’m just protecting their investment! And it’s so easy and affordable now – what used to cost hundreds of dollars at a dentist’s office can now be done in the comfort of your own home while you’re watching TV or sharing cat memes on Facebook. With Crest 3D Flexfit Whitestrips you wear the strips on your teeth for one hour a day, for 14 days, and you’ll get a brighter smile that’s equivalent to a $500 professional laser treatment! The Crest 3D Flexfit Whitestrips kit retails for $64.99 and is well worth the cost. I loved my results – check out my before and after pictures below! Crest 3D Flexfit Whitestrips uses the same enamel-safe, teeth-whitening ingredients that dentists use so it’s perfectly safe. The Flexfit technology allows the strips to stretch a bit, which is great for anyone whose teeth are a little uneven – and let’s face it, most people don’t have perfectly aligned teeth!
6. Take care of your lips, too! – Use a sugar scrub to exfoliate your lips a couple weeks before your wedding (right around the time you’re starting your Crest 3D Flexfit Whitestrips treatment.) Here is a good DIY sugar scrub recipe you can make at home! If your lips don’t negatively react to the treatment, do it again every night or every other night, including the night before your wedding. Also, don’t forget to use a lipstick or lip balm with SPF every time you go outside. Not just when you’re prepping for your wedding, but for the rest of your life!
Follow these tips and on your wedding day you’ll be saying, “HELLO PAPARAZZI! I AM READY FOR YOU!” Or at the very least, you won’t be thinking twice about all the smiling you’re doing. (Seriously guys … so much smiling.)
Top collage: Root Photography
