To tan or not to tan?

c&d4eva

That is the question right now... It's come to my attention, via a stunning FB picture from our license adventure the other day, that I am lookling a bit pale.  I'm not a big tanner, I can count on 2 hands the number of times I've done the fake and bake (for a friends wedding a few years ago where tanning was the ONLY thing to do) but I'm really not into the whole spray tan thing.  It scares me and I have no experience with it.  So since I"m trying to make my decision, I was wondering if any of you are planning on fake baking or spray tanning it for your wedding?  Or if you aren't planning on any of it at all ?

jewels2730

I fake baked it, although I didn't go enough to have much of a tan.  In HS, I would tan for 2 months leading up to prom to be a nice shade of dark brown.  However, now I have a little more brains about skin cancer.I love spray tans, but I've always just done the hollywood tans booth which I would highly suggest you stay away from.  It leaves you very streaky.  If you have time, do a trial run with a person who sprays you by hand and then if you like it, do it again right before the wedding.  This was my plan (the trial run) and then I ran out of time.

Mrs.Simpson2010

I'll most likely be airbrushed before the wedding. I won't do tanning beds, cancer and all, but if you find the right place, airbrush can be a really great option. I'm going to probably try a few places before so I can see which one I like best, if I love the first though, I'll stick with that. I know there are a lot of great places in the city if you are down here frequently. The most important thing for me is to be not too pale (as white washes everyone out) but not to be orange or too tan- that just looks bizarre. Find the right place, and have them do a very light application!

delicatefew

I am getting airbrushed, a really light shade, and doing it 3 nights before our wedding so it has time to fade and just give me a little bit of color (Tuesday night for a Friday wedding).  By that point any streaks tha tmight have happened wouldn't be noticeable but I'll still have a little color.  I was going to do a professional self-tanning application but the lady I went to didn't work the night I needed it done.  You could look into that route also, it's a little more natural looking than spray tanning in my opinion.

kpenne01

I just started tanning this week.  I'll probably go once a week for the next 7 weeks, but we'll see how it goesI probably won't be able to get a tan in every week, so that's okay.I just don't want to look too pale and I don't want to burn on the honey moon.

kelmo124

I got spray tanned at Sun Myst, and I highly recommended it. I am so glad I did it. My pictures came out great. Just be sure to get the proper color make-up with your new tan. Be sure to get the person and not the machine spray tan. The extra $5 is worth it! http://www.sunmysttanningstudios.com/

kelmo124

MrsSimpson2010 are you getting married at Moshulu?

drink227

I personally like tanning before big events just since it gives you a slight tan and it can help clear up skin. I know once in a while my back breaks out and tanning really clears my skin up.

[Deleted User]

I am not as I'm white and it will not look like me.

candkmc1021

EMBRACE THE PALE!

ButtonsPepper

I plan to start going in January, once a week until the wedding. My biggest fear is burning really bad on the HM. I always burn the first time I'm at the beach. I'm usually tan, the months of Jan, Feb, March, and April I get pale, so I will look normal if I have some color. I just don't want to burn on vacation. If I was normally pale anyway, I wouldn't do the tan.

miguelhilary2010

I suggest getting some color, but since you're getting married in the winter don't get completely tan.  I've done spray tans (machine and airbrush), fake bake, and sunless tanning lotions.  My one airbrush experience left me more streaky than anything I ever tried before.  I had to get FI to help put self-tanner on my back and shoulders to even it out.As far as sunless tan, I get pretty good results from the lotion bottles bought at a drugstore.  Banana Boat used to have a great self-tanner, but I think they discontinued it.  Victorias Secret is supposed to have a good one too but I have yet to try it.My wedding will be in August so I plan to get a real tan, either from the sun or tanning bed.

Tracy325

i tanned before our wedding as i wanted to have some color and didn't want to fry on our honeymoon.  I agree with the other gals though, don't tan too much as your wedding is in the winter months, but going once or twice a week til the big day will give you some nice color

jessicah628

The positive benefits of a base tan are an urban myth. It drives me absolutely INSANE how many people try to justify their tanning with this reasoning.[url]http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tanning/AN00589[/url]And I don't want to hear "oh, but it works for me." I'm pretty sure that the Mayo Clinic is smarter than you.Embrace the pale. You are going to look MUCH better in your professional pictures than in a snapshot at the courthouse because your photographer will know how to flatter you.

Mrs.Simpson2010

Thanks JessH for mentioning that!  I was holding back, but come on people, do you really think having a "base tan" from a tanning salon keeps you from getting skin damage caused by a burn on vacation?  It doesn't!  I will totally admit, I cannot embrace the pale, but I sure as hell won't be in a tanning salon exposing myself to cancer.  Find a good self tanner and apply it very lightly.  Easy.  Self tanners get a bad wrap even though they give you the glow without any damage.  They are actually really easy to appy once you get the hang of it.