Brides' month-by-month beauty countdown

There is a select group of adjectives that people often attach to the word bride: blushing, beautiful, radiant. But in the months leading up to a wedding, many brides-to-be relate to terms of a different sort: tired, stressed, and haggard.

Amid the bustle of planning, it's hard to imagine that fabled "glow" arriving in time for your walk down the aisle. Don't worry. Whether you have several months or a couple of weeks, there are things you can do now to ensure you'll look your best, and some you can leave until the eleventh hour. Follow our tips, and continue to do the one thing that makes you naturally gorgeous: smile.

6 months before

Hire a hairstylist
Audition stylists until you find one you love; ask friends and fellow brides for recommendations. Once you select someone, he or she can help you come up with a wedding-day hairstyle. Now's the time to try something new, like highlights, and book your appointment for your wedding day.

Schedule a makeup artist
Some hairstylists also do makeup and offer packages. If yours does not, ask if she knows someone, talk to other brides, or inquire at your favorite cosmetics counter or salon. Prices for makeup are similar to those for hairstyling: $75 to $300, and in-salon application costs less than on-location. Request references and ask to see photos of recent work.

Clear your skin
Blemishes you've Tolerated — acne, scars, sun damage — can be diminished through treatments like retinol cream, lasers, and skin lighteners, if you begin a regimen now. To improve your complexion, consider monthly facials and treatments like fruit-acid peels, which refresh skin's outer layer. Microdermabrasion, a form of exfoliation that uses tiny crystals, is better for sensitive skin. Prices for both range from $100 to $200 per session.

3 months before

Target areas
If your gown bares your shoulders, arms, or decolletage, do two sets of 10 to 12 push-ups every other day to define these areas, says Christi Masi, a personal trainer and the author of "The Healthy Bride Guide" (Sasquatch, 2006).

Shape your brows
Visit a specialist, especially if you want to reshape your brows, says Shobha Tummala, founder of Shobha spa in New York City. Overplucked brows will need time to grow in. Try threading (hairs are wrapped with thread and pulled), or find an aesthetician who pairs waxing with tweezing to shape brows better. Go for follow-ups every three weeks.

1 month before

Brighten your smile
First, get a teeth cleaning, even if you're not due for one. Drugstore whiteners, like strips and gels, take about three weeks to work. A one-hour whitening by a dentist starts at about $650, but it fades stains significantly, says New York dentist Mal Braverman. Results can last six months to a year.

Hold a beauty rehearsal
See your hairstylist and makeup artist for trial runs, with your veil and accessories, says New York salon owner Eva Scrivo. Take photos so you can recreate the look on your wedding day. Get golden: Sunless options include airbrushing (color is applied by an esthetician, $50 to $100) or spray tanning, where tanner is misted on via jets ($25 to $35). If it's your first time, try it out a month before the wedding.

2 weeks before

Cut and color
Cut your hair two weeks in advance so it won't look too blunt, says Boston-based hairstylist and makeup artist Anne Marie Laurendale. Have color touched up now as well to give it time to settle in.

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