How to Look Your Best

6 months before

Cut your hair

Resist the urge to make a drastic transformation. Instead, book trims every six weeks between now and the wedding to keep strands in tip-top shape, so you'll look like yourself, only better.

Fight fuzz

You'll probably need at least four laser hair removal treatments to get smooth skin, so start zapping now. Schedule treatments at six-week intervals with the last appointment two weeks before the wedding, to give irritation time to subside.

Consult a colorist

If you'd like to amp up your hue, this is the time to start experimenting, since it may take several tries to get the look you want. Single-process color hides stray grays, while highlights can brighten your skin tone. Book single-process appointments every four to six weeks, highlights every eight to 12 weeks. See your colorist two weeks before the big day—a dyed do appears most natural when it doesn't look straight-out-of-the-bottle fresh.

4 months before

Lengthen your lashes

Want to forgo falsies? Begin brushing Latisse ($120 for a 30-day supply; latisse.com for physicians) on your lash line to give its active ingredient eight to 12 weeks to start producing fuller fringe.

3 months before

Clear up your complexion

Ask your doctor if an in-office exfoliating treatment might be right for you. A peel, which chemically dissolves the outermost layer of your skin, is often used to treat acne scars; microdermabrasion, which gently buffs away dead cells, helps fade brown spots caused by the sun. Both procedures, though, can help anyone look fresh-faced. Schedule two to three treatments—each a month apart—for best results.

2 months before

Fix fine lines

An injection of a hyaluronic-acid filler like Juvéderm or Restylane plumps wrinkles around your mouth and nose. See your doctor for the treatment two months before your wedding, so bruising and swelling have time to dissipate.

Iron out wrinkles

A Botox injection will relax your facial muscles and smooth lines on your forehead and around your eyes. But, because your muscles take up to three weeks to soften after the shot, aim to see your dermatologist six weeks before you get married.

Test-drive a spray tan

It's a good idea to make appointments at a few salons, since aestheticians use a variety of formulas and techniques—which will yield different results. Schedule your trial runs before a bridal shower where photos will be taken, so you can be sure you're comfortable with your shade. Once you've settled on an expert, schedule your pre-wedding self-tanning session two to three days before, since the color will look best after you've showered twice.

2 month before

Brighten your smile

Get a professional bleaching now, as it may leave your teeth sensitive for a few days afterward. If you'd rather not spring for an in-office treatment, at-home kits can remove surface stains and lighten up to two shades.

1 week before

Get silky smooth

Wax areas you didn't laser so you stay stubble-free for weeks.

Add polish

We know you'll be busy with the rehearsal dinner, but make time for a mani-pedi with a paraffin treatment the day before you say "I do," so your hands and feet look supple. Don't leave this until the day of—darker colors take time to dry and you could risk smudging the lacquer.

Sources: Erin Anderson, hairstylist; Eric Bernstein, M.D., dermatologist; Marie Robinson, colorist; Ava Shamban, M.D., dermatologist; Anna Stankiewcz, airbrush tanning specialist; Brian Kantor, D.D.S., cosmetic dentist; Ji Baek, manicurist