You’ve spent hours looking through bridal magazines for the perfect dress. You’ve stopped to smell the roses, tulips, and every other imaginable bloom for your bouquets. You’ve sampled so many reception options you wonder if your wedding gown will even fit. And now, after pouring through countless portfolios, you’ve chosen the perfect photographer to capture the day forever.
When you look back at your wedding portraits, stress is the last thing you want to see on your face.
Planning a wedding can be a stressful task and the wedding day is no time to panic. If you want “happily-ever-after” to be your wedding-day mantra, then take time now to choose professionals dedicated to making you feel pampered perfect.
“I had no idea how much work it was going to be to plan a wedding,” comments Kelli Kendrick, who wed Blake DeFoor last spring at Patten Chapel. “I was working full-time and trying to plan a wedding all at the same time. By the time the wedding week arrived, I really needed to relax a bit.” Kelli treated herself to a massage and facial a few days before the wedding. On her wedding day, she had her stylist from Hair A Go-Go style her hair and apply her make-up. “I was definitely on a budget, but I didn’t scrimp when it came to the finishing touches,” she adds.
Kelli advises brides to accept all the help they can get. “Your wedding day is very, very hectic, so it’s important to have people there who are willing and prepared to help you.” Looking back on her wedding day, Kelli advises brides to keep everything in perspective. “Don’t let little things upset you. Chances are good that you are the only one who notices!”
Brides aren’t the only ones who enjoy the royal treatment before the wedding. Grooms often take advantage of a pre-wedding relaxation with a massage and even a manicure or facial. “Everyone wants to look and feel their best on their wedding day and grooms are no exception,” comments Harriet Stafford, operations manager at Hair Benders Internationale’ (HBI). “One of our popular choices is a manicure/pedicure for the bride and groom together. It’s a great opportunity for the bride and groom to have a little pre-wedding downtime.”
Often the entire bridal party gets to enjoy a spa day as part of the pre-wedding festivities. Billed as a “spa-rty,” these events are a great way to thank the bridal party for participating in the wedding. Most area spas say costs can average between $150 to $250 per person, depending on the number and type of services selected. If the wedding budget is tight, bridesmaids will often enjoy the opportunity to treat themselves.
Everything from the traditional manicure and facial to the more exotic chocolate-sugar scrubs and hot stone massage can make the day special. Most spas offer complimentary champagne or allow the bride to bring champagne for the event. Most spa parties take about three to four hours, depending on services and the number of individuals. Many spas are limited by space and staff, so spa services should be booked six to eight weeks in advance to ensure the group can be accommodated in a timely fashion.
For weddings with many out-of-town guests, The Chattanoogan is an excellent option for both accommodations and a spa day. “We recently completed an $80,000 renovation to our spa,” says Debbie Lawrence, manager of The Chattanoogan Spa. “Along with first-class pampering in our resort spa facility, our spa guests can also enjoy the use of the fitness center, sauna, whirlpool, and steam room. Our on-site restaurant makes it easy to add refreshments or lunch to the spa day package as well.”
Across town in the newly completed Two North Shore complex, Larimar MedSpa offers a comprehensive range of medical spa treatments including lasers, medical-grade chemical peels and more. “Brides-to-be will often see us months before the wedding to correct or improve a skin imperfection,” says Kim Jennings, one of the owners of Larimar MedSpa. In addition to medical services, this luxurious spa caters to bridal parties, offering a full lineup of facials, massages, and body treatments. Working with a local caterer, the spa will arrange for refreshments or lunch for the group, if desired.
Also in the Two North Shore complex is North Shore Yoga, a newly opened studio that offers a unique alternative to the spa day concept. “Physically fit and active women agree that a good workout is often the best stress-reliever of all, so our studio has become the first in town to offer Bridal Relaxation Parties,” says Sara Mingus, co-owner of North Shore Yoga. She adds that the yoga relaxation party not only helps the bride and groom work through the pre-wedding day stress, it’s also a great co-ed opportunity that allows the couple to bring both the bridesmaids and groomsmen together in a playful, relaxed way.
At Natural Body Spa and Shoppe, located downtown and in Riverview, treatments are tailored to each party. Whether it be full body massages, mini facials, pedicures or manicures, wedding parties are certain to relax and enjoy Natural Body’s services.
Euro Med Spa also offers special services for wedding parties. In addition to massages, pedicures and manicures, the Spa recommends microdermabrasion treatments for hands, feet, upper back or chest. The “Bridal Glow” service will give the bridal party that perfect glow with 3-D rejuvenation treatments, which are normally performed 8-12 weeks in advance of the wedding. Debra Gilmore, manager of Euro Med Spa notes, “Bridal parties can also enjoy food and non-alcoholic drinks together while being treated to a footbath and massage. We try to ensure that the wedding party looks their best and, at the same time, make it a fun and memorable experience.”
So, to celebrate your special day and ensure that you and your wedding party are feeling great and ready to play, get pampered and make it a party.