If you’re getting married overseas, there are a few extra considerations when it comes to looking good. It’s time to start planning your ‘princess for the day’ look!

Your wedding attire
there are two main considerations when planning your outfit for a wedding abroad. You need to find something that you will be comfortable wearing, especially if you’re getting married in the sunshine, and you also need to choose something that you can transport relatively easily.

If the temperature on your wedding day is likely to be very cool, a ‘floaty’ beach dress probably isn’t the perfect choice. Look for something that will suit the environment - more of a traditional ball gown-style wedding gown, for example. Equally, consider accessories such as shoes. Pretty beach sandals aren’t the thing for walking around the castle grounds. Instead consider a high heel shoe.

What you wear for your wedding is entirely up to you and there are no real dress rules if you are marrying in the grounds of your hotel. However, if you have arranged for a religious service in a chapel or church you will most likely be expected to respect local custom and cover your head and shoulders. Also in some Eastern countries, such as Thailand there is a specific dress code. Your wedding coordinator or the relevant embassy will advise you.

Transporting and caring for your outfits
when you choose your perfect dress, speak to the designer or store about how best to transport it. It may pack well with plenty of tissue paper, or could be better kept in a dress bag.

Check with your airline for advice on transporting your wedding outfits. Some recommend that they should be boxed or packed into separate suitcases. They will then be placed into the hold. Others suggest that you use suit carriers and, space permitting, they will be hung in the cabin of the aircraft. Outfits can always be carried as hand luggage but this will restrict you to keeping the rest of your hand luggage to a minimum.

As soon as you arrive at your hotel, unpack your wedding outfits and hang them up. A warm and humid tropical climate should allow creases to fall out naturally. However, your hotel or your wedding coordinator can normally arrange for your outfits to be steamed if necessary. Alternatively, hang clothes in a steam-filled bathroom which will help the creases drop out.

Hair and beauty
Hair and beauty treatments can be arranged when you arrive at your hotel, or you might even decide to book things before you arrive. If your hotel does not have these facilities, ask whether there is somewhere you can visit nearby. For total peace of mind, practice styling your own hair and make-up before setting off.

You’re likely to want to have a healthy tan on your wedding day, but basking in the sun before the wedding isn’t a good idea. As well as damaging your skin, you run the risk of looking more like a lobster than a sun-kissed bride. Pace your sunbathing on the run-up to your wedding or help nature along with a good quality fake tan. If you’re doing your own fake tan, be sure to practise well in advance.

Want that healthy, tanned look without that elusive Spanish holiday? Use cosmetics! For cosmetics is the easiest way to enhance your image. Image is what the cosmetic industry sells through its products. And although it’s up to you to believe it or not, I’m sure you won’t complain. Definitely not when you can get “that look” without being much the poorer for it.

There are cosmetics for almost every need.

There are cosmetics for almost every need. Foundations, lipsticks, hair dyes, hair straighteners, hair sprays, skin conditioners, contact lenses, sunscreens, tanning products, glosses, shadows and what have you….. The list is seemingly endless. Branded cosmetics abound! Choose between MAC cosmetics or Mary Kay cosmetics if you will. And if you can’t afford it – well, there’s always discount cosmetics which give you famous brands at a fraction of their price! So despair not! Get rid of that patch of graying hair, mask that niggling pimple, and banish the ugliness of your nose albeit temporarily with some prudently used cosmetics. Do take care, of course, to check out the contents. Certain cosmetic additives are harmful for the skin. Don’t use so called “cosmeceuticals” unless their content, medicinal benefits and safety is verified. Having done that, go right ahead and indulge. And, if a lipstick is all that’s between you and that Marilyn Monroe look, go, get it!

So many beauty products, which to buy? Each of us is different so our suggestions may not work for all but they are a good place to start. We’ve had 20 staff members test each product and then compiled their opinions to give you our 25 best beauty buys.

1. Sue Devitt Pencil Liner is nice and creamy with a velvety texture and is available in 10 shades
2. Mac Eye Shadow has a wide selection of colors. If the color is available from mother nature than Mac has it. Rich texture and blends easily
3. Revlon Eye Shadow is expensive and has a huge selection of shades. The colors are up todate and apply easily
4. Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara is dependable and affordable. Comes with a nice fine brush that grabs every eyelash and the formula is nice and rich and doesn’t flake
5. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Filler has a great color selection and applies easily with a brush
6. Stila Convertible Color Blush creates natural looking rosy cheeks. Creamy formula blends well producing a very natural look.
7. Revlon Skinlights Bronzer is inexpensive. It’s rich and smooth texture is easy to apply and it is enriched with vitamins A, C, and E. Available in 6 shades and has a SPF15.
8. Tarte Cheek Stain is an oil free push up blush available in 5 natural tones.
9. Max Factor Erace Concealer is inexpensive with a sheer texture so it can be used around the eyes, but covers well enough to hide those more prominent imperfections.
10. Mac Pressed Powder is ultra translucent and you can be sure no shine will creep through.
11. Mac Lipstick is available in over 200 shades. They won’t bleed and have a good lasting power.
12. Mario Badescu Lip wax is soothing and not waxy. It is enriched with Vitamins C & E and has a SPF15.
13. Lancome Juicy Tubes Lip Gloss can be worn by itself or layered over your lipstick, resulting in luscious glistening lips
14. Cetaphil Facial Cleanser is highly recommended by dermatologists. No perfumes or irritants, powerful mild cleansing.
15. Kinara Lactic Acid facial Exfloiator is a light hydrating serum that easily absorbs into the skin. Non abrasive exfoliant that cleans deep
16. Olay Regnerist Anti Wrinkle Cream is enhanced with pentapeptides and amino acids that encourage production of collagen for firmer skin.
17. Lancome Heavy Duty Moisturizer is a nonsticky cream that contains glycerin, wild yam extract, sea algae, and soy restore moisture.
18. Dove Facial Cleanser is mild and easily rinses away makeup and oil leaving skin feeling fresh and clean
19. Aveeno Facial Moisturizer is an excellent emoillience but it is scented. Oil-free lotion enriched with skin softening soy extract
20. Murad Acne Kit consists of 4 steps – cleanser with triclosan and salicylic acid to fight bacteria, pore cleaning gel with glycolic and salicylic acids, exfoliating lotion with retinol, and spot treatment with sulphur
21. Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Pimple Healer Spot Treatement is a fast acting blemish fighting gel. Contains Salicylic acid, and glycolic acid as well as herbal incredients such as cinnamon bark and ginger root
22. Lancome Eye Makeup Remover will even remove waterproof mascara. Very gentle so perfect for sensitive skin
23. L’Oreal Home Microdermabrasion is a two part system. Smooth skin with aluminum oxide crystals and moisturize with vitamin E cream
24. Neutrogena T/Gel Dandruff Shampoo is soothing and calms the scalp eliminating flakes and relieving itchy scalp
25. Pantene Pro V Overall Conditioner is inexpensive and hairstylists say its great. Frizz fighting rich nourishing formula rich in vitamins is easily absorbed by the hair

These products are great choices to keep you looking great!