Modern brides have access to countless articles about makeup and hair tips, but after awhile, they all begin to sound the same. (Schedule a mani-pedi the morning of your event … you don’t say!) In order to stand out from the crowd and appear more elegant and glamorous than ever on your big day, you should consider some of the more unconventional tips and suggestions. Check out five of them here!

Choose a Hairspray Alternative to Avoid Helmet Head

Your hair will be one of the most noticeable aspects of your wedding day look, and it should convey your personal style to your wedding guests, as well as anyone who looks at your photo album in the coming decades. While many women choose to use hairspray in order to prevent fly-aways and frizz, this can result in an extremely rigid and helmet-like appearance—you know, the kind we joke about when we see it on a news reporter. Instead, use an alternative like a texturizing cream that can keep your hair in place without leaving it feeling stiff or sticky. Not only will you feel prettier and more natural that day, but your grandkids won’t be snickering at your wedding hair 50 years from now, either!larger_image

Straighten Your Teeth

When it comes to wedding day glamour tips, straightening your teeth is a great suggestion, but it is an investment of your time and money. How can you figure out if it’s worth it? Well, for starters, you’ll be smiling a lot in your wedding photos, so consider whether you would enjoy all those special moments more if your teeth were straighter. Today, cutting-edge, discreet teeth straightening methods are available at a top orthodontic practice. For example, if you are getting married in one of the (super-chic and glam!) hotels with views of the Hudson River and NYC skyline, you may want to check out a great orthodontist’s office in New Jersey close to your work or home.

Today, an experienced doctor can help you to achieve the smile of your dreams without letting the world know that you’re wearing braces. And if you haven’t completed your treatment by your wedding day, no one will be the wiser, as these braces are worn behind the teeth and completely invisible. This is an investment in your big day and your life—you’ll enjoy improved oral health and self-esteem on your 5th, 10th and 25th anniversaries, too! Check out all of the great smiles on Pinterest, and ask yourself if you would feel more confident gliding down the aisle if you finally had the gorgeous grin that you’ve always wanted.

Learn Tricks to Keep Your Makeup from Melting

When considering wedding beauty tips, the weather at your event will be an extremely important factor, especially when it comes to your makeup application. Without giving special attention to the preparation and application of your skin, your makeup probably won’t stay in place if you get hot—and keep in mind that you might break into a nervous sweat even on a beautiful, crisp fall day, which can cause your makeup to run, smudge, and smear. To prevent these issues, experiment with foundation and eye shadow primers well in advance of your big day, and find products that really keep your makeup in place. If you’re not sure where to begin, ask a salesperson in a cosmetics store if free samples or smaller, trial-sized versions are available.

Fight Bloat

If you’re feeling bloated in the days leading up to your wedding, you’ll want a simple way to find relief. One of the best ways to do so with items in your own pantry is to mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and five ounces of water. Drink this concoction, and within only a half an hour, the enzymes in the vinegar will help to slow the production of gastric juices. This can help to support proper digestion and can help you to feel thinner and trimmer on your big day. In the months before, pay close attention to which foods make you feel puffy—like potato chips and other snacks that are high in sodium—and avoid them in the week leading up to your wedding.

Get Soft Hands

While you may be focused primarily on your hair and makeup for your wedding day, it is also important that you don’t neglect your hands. Since washing your hands dehydrates your skin, limit your washing to when only necessary, and park a bottle of hand lotion next to your sink so that you can moisturize every time you wash. In addition to moisturizing regularly, it is also important to care for the cuticles, and one way to do so is to apply medicated Chap Stick to act as a conditioner. You can also try moisturizing with a thick body butter before bed and sleeping with cotton gloves on.

As you can see, there are a variety of unconventional tips to help you have a glamorous and beautiful wedding. Feeling like you need a little help to get there? Don’t be afraid to touch base with the pros, like a makeup artist and hair stylist. After all, this is a pretty important affair, and it makes sense to splurge on your ‘do and face! And when you’re ready to invest in a beautiful smile that you’ll keep long after the guests have gone home and you’ve returned from your honeymoon in paradise, a great practice like The Schulhof Center for Orthodontics can help you to find the discreet braces that are right for you to make your wedding day dreams come true. So go ahead—take some time to work on you before your big party. You deserve it!