To tan or not to tan?

lizziemoopsc · April 2010

Hello! My wedding is May 21 and I plan on spending time outside before the wedding, soaking up the sun, getting a nice glow, but I'm pale. My-FI-and-I-joke-that-I-glow-in-the-dark pale :-P

He has brought up tanning as something he would like me/us to do before the wedding, but I don't know how I feel about it. I'm just not that tan of a person, and we've certainly never tanned before. I don't feel like it would be "us" but it is also our wedding.

Similar situation? Advice? Help, please!!

TIA!

tracy_k · April 2010

I say no. It's unhealthy, it's not something you do anyway, and you're just likely to get burned and be uncomfortable and pink for your wedding.

girl2bewed · April 2010

Tanning is still controversial with the damage to your body/skin due to the UV rays. I think as long as its not something you are doing more then a few times it is fine, although people against tanning might disagree with that statement.

There is a salon near me that has a bed that cuts the UV ray by 95% and I used it a few years ago for my friends wedding, I plan on using it again for my wedding, it only takes about 3 sessions to get a little color, I'm not going overboard.

The alternative ways to tanning beds or laying in the sun would be spray tans or lotions that you can buy at the stores, but I'm not a big fan of either, it seems even against all the notices saying they wont turn you orange they always seem to.

girl2bewed · April 2010

The other thing I wanted to mention was that if you don't feel comfortable doing it, or really dont want to and are only thinking about it becuase your fiance is wanting you to get tan. I wouldn't do it, if you dont feel that its you, why would you want to.

tracy_k · April 2010

I guess my biggest question is why your FI cares about it right now, just because of the wedding, if neither of you tan regularly anyway and you are not a tan person.

You do not need to be at all tan to look good in pictures. I have LOTS of very pale friends (I am extremely pale myself) and none of us have had ugly wedding pictures.

nhelene · April 2010

If you want to do the spray tan route, I'd recommend getting one within the next couple of weeks to see how you like the results. They last from 5-10 days.

I'm pale and I didn't turn orange.

lizziemoopsc · April 2010

I don't think he's insistent that I tan, just something he thinks would look better than me having see through skin :-P

It definitely caught me by surprise that it was something he was interested in.

I should clarify that I can get tannish during the summer. I won't get dark brown, but I do get some color. I think he'd prefer that as opposed to my winter white skin and would like to have that in May... basically speed up my normal "tanning process?"

Does that make more sense?

lizstill13 · April 2010

I think it needs to be a personal decision, not something that someone else, even your FI, asks you to do. If you want to be tan, or just get a glow, then go for it. If you feel uncomfortable about the whole idea, then don't.

I am tanning a whooping total of 5 sessions before my wedding in 19 days, but just because I think I look like the color of my dress and I don't like it. FI never asked me to go, but he does support my decision and he went up to the salon with me when I signed up.

Just be careful to get all the information so you know what you are doing. Like the bed I am using only emits 2% uvb rays, which greatly decreases the chances of burning.

spinner84 · April 2010

Who cares if you are pale? Pale is hot, haven't you seen twilight? (just kidding).

Seriously though, imagine saying to someone that they were too black and had to use lightening cream to look good for their pictures. I know people do use these creams but it makes me so incredibly sad to think anyone needs to increase their risk of potentially deadly cancer because their skin tone isn't good enough.

kelseymw · April 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-beauty_tan-tan?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:358Discussion:2ee5293a-5426-4f62-8f0f-2d9243d9996bPost:ed57880e-e663-4cf9-b0ee-0369c00ebd94">Re: To tan or not to tan?</a>:
[QUOTE]I would never, ever recommend tanning either via the sun or a tanning bed to anyone. Spray tanning has come a long way and gone are the days of turning orange. Same with self tanners. If you want a little color, there are much safer routes to go, IMO.
Posted by stephiehall[/QUOTE]

All of this. Tanning just a couple times in a bed drastically increase your chance for skin cancer. Specifically, research suggests that tanners under 35 can increase their chances by 75%. I like to be tan, but not at the risk of my health.

lizziemoopsc · April 2010

Thanks for all your help! I think i'll try a spray tan now just to see what it looks like and then base my decision off of that.

Who knows, I may just prefer to be pale! :-P

spinner84 · April 2010

Yes, test it now and make sure to get some pics of it before you decide to do it on the wedding. In my experience, spray tans/fake tans look better on people who aren't super pale to begin with. (ie not me - I look yellow/orange and yes, I have used the most expensive ones, AND it somehow makes all of my hair follicles look darker. Such a bad look!)

amwilli5 · April 2010

I myself am for tanning, but i know how long for my body so I don't burn etc. If you've never gone tanning before then I would highly recommend starting pretty much now and only go in a couple minutes at a time. Bt you have to do what you fell best and if you easily burn then tanning may not work. You could try sunless tanners from your local drug store but do NOT try it a week before, test them now to make sure you don't turn orange. Best of Luck

ChelseaBFH · April 2010

I'm super pale too, and 100% understand the dilemma! Why not try to spend some extra time outside over the next few weeks with the hope of getting a little bit of sun, and make your final decision as the wedding gets closer?

I'd be VERY wary of spray tans -- I've done them before and they look good, but if you're wearing a white dress it could rub off, which would be much worse than being pale!

Pirata13 · April 2010

I agree with PPs on the spray tan. Friends (who are pale) have done this and it worked well. Way safer, and easier to get just a hint of color. I get tan when I'm out in the sun and I still use SPF 30 ALL. THE. TIME. And I use suncreen as my face moisturizer every day, all year.

eas2730 · April 2010

Hi. About a month ago I got an airbrush spray tan. It was great! Probably will do it again. I've also recently been using Neutrogena spray mist tan and it's great--just gives me a bit of color, no orange, no streaking.

kornikopia · April 2010

I say it's your call. If you really feel uncomfortable with it then no. However doing it this once (while it is unhealthy) is probably not going to hurt. Totally your call. Sorry if that doesn't help much.

*tinkertoy* · April 2010

Melanoma?

ag2037 · April 2010

i say no to the tanning bed! if you want to look tan, there are tons of safer options - spray tans, and there are a lot of really good self tanning products out there. try them out ahead of time so you know what works for you.

LisaTyler1984 · April 2010

As the owner of Kleinfelds (on Say Yes To The Dress) said "no bride should ever me tan on her wedding day" and this is a lot coming from a bride who grew up on LI (the land of orange ooompa loompa girls). I think a bride should be pale and classic looking on her day. And if your are dark skinned, then that is beautiful too- but basically I think natural is always better.

kls114 · April 2010

Ditto with the spray tan! Try a test tan and see how you like it!

GL!

kls114 · April 2010

Ditto with the spray tan! Try a test tan and see how you like it!

GL!

Piru · April 2010

Personally I will probably tan a little before my wedding. I feel better about how I look with a tan even though I've gone pale the last few years due to potential for sun damange (FTR I have never been a heavy baker but as a kid I spent a lot of time outside and loathed sunscreen). I don't think tanning say once a week for a month or two will kill me, at least not any faster than fast food or whatever.

I would like for the FI to tan a little as well but not for looks, it's to get a base tan so that he doesn't burn to a crisp on our honeymoon (and that motivates my reasoning as well). I won't push the issue though, and I really do like my dudes skinny and pale lol.

To tan or not to tan?

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