December 24 will always be a very special day for me. Not only because it signals the eve of Santa’s arrival, but because December 24, 2013, is also the day that I got married. (And yes, the fact that Christmas Eve now serves as an extra anniversary reminder for my hubby is definitely an added bonus!)
With my husband hailing from Northern Ireland (totally just married him for his accent) and my family based all over the world, we knew that if we wanted to have a ‘traditional’ wedding, we’d have to give our guests at least a year’s notice, and that the wedding would be pretty big. Like, 350 people big. But while it would have been amazing to celebrate with all of our family and friends, when it came down to it, we realised that neither of us wanted a massive wedding, so we chose instead to get married in Thailand with only our immediate family present.
The upside of this was that our wedding ceremony was extremely intimate and there was very little stress in the lead-up (I was literally lying pool-side an hour prior.) The downside was missing those pamper moments you get to share with your girlfriends as you get ready for your big day.
Luckily though, I have an incredible group of friends who secretly sent a pamper kit with my mum to ensure that I not only looked and felt fabulous in the lead up to my wedding, but that I also felt like they were there sharing the experience with me as I got ready.
Here are just a few of the beauty essentials that were sent to me and enabled me to indulge in some pampering ‘me moments’ before my wedding day:
Cleansing brush – a few days before the wedding I sent hubby-to-be off with his parents and indulged myself with a long bath and a DIY facial. The gentle cleansing brush in in my pamper kit turned out to be a lifesaver in helping me effectively deep cleanse my pores, eliminate impurities and keep my skin soft and radiant – without any irritation. Try: Manicare Facial Cleansing Brush and Manicare Soothing Eye Gels (for an extra pampering treat!)
Manicure kit – the day before The Big Day my mum, my sister-in-law and I took ourselves away from the rest of the wedding party to sit in a shady spot by the pool and get stuck in to some good ol’ fashioned mini-mani girl time. Thanks to my thoughtful friends, the handy nail-shaping tool set and classic French manicure polish kit that they sent made achieving beautifully groomed nails a breeze! Try: Manicare 5 Piece Manicure Set, and Manicare Flawless French Manicure Kit
Body brush – this was a fantastic and super easy way to keep my skin exfoliated, healthy and naturally glowing. I used it in the shower every morning in the lead-up to the wedding and it left my body feeling refreshed and invigorated. And I’m pretty sure my hubby was happy with how soft and smooth it left my skin, too! Try: Manicare Body Loofah Bath Brush
Beauty tools – an eyelash curler, lip brush and tweezers set were also included in my beauty essentials kit. While I’d had my brows shaped before I left Sydney, the tweezers definitely came in handy in getting rid of the couple of stray hairs that had popped up, and the lash curler ensured my lashes looked long and luscious on the day of my wedding. The lip brush however gets special mention as it was brilliant for the post-ceremony photo sesh, allowing me to touch up my lipstick quickly and with precision without having to dash off to the nearest bathroom. Try: Manicare Ultimate Point Tweezers, Manicare Eyelash Curler, and Manicare Mini Retractable Lip Brush
WIN! Share your wedding experience photos with us (whether you were the bride, a bridesmaid or a guest) for your chance to win one of two Manicare pamper packs, valued at $100 each! Simply upload your pic/s to Facebook or instagram and hashtag #manicarememoments, your username and tag @beautyheaven and you could be a lucky winner!
What made your wedding day most memorable? How did you prep for your wedding?
Love looking at these photos again! : ) Wow how time flies!!!