WEDDING BLOG: Should I Get A Spray Tan, Part II

I'm not really a fake tans kinda gal. I was always put off by the TOWIE look and was never that interested in Tango-ing myself up.

Until, that is, I tried a really good one. And now I can't really go on holiday without one. So when it came to thinking about my wedding skin colour I went from 'of course not' to 'well obvs' in the space of a few months.

But even then it's not so cut and dry. There are lots of things to worry about when it comes to wedding tans, that don't come into play when you're planning a long weekend in Ibiza.

Will it rub off on my wedding dress? Will I be too orange? Will my groom look too pale? Will it go patchy? Is it too fake for my wedding day?

I've seen brides sweating orange onto their dresses, struggling with faint tan lines where their bra straps have pressed into the tan and rueing the day the decided to get one.

But I've also seen pictures of me attending a wedding last April and looking INCREDIBLY pale. And not in an interesting way.

So I decided to speak to my favourite spray tanner, James Harknett at the W Hotel, and get his thoughts on tanning for the biggest of big days.

He revealed that he tans a lot of brides for their big day and recommended I come in for a trial. He usually uses A Touch Of Sun touché de Soleil by Sienna X for brides, which I've had before and is genuinely the best tan I've ever tried. It doesn't smell, goes on beautifully, develops into a lovely shade and wears off naturally without patches.

At my trial we talk about the style of dress and how deep a colour I'd like to go, and he reassures me that if you go for a quality tan, you have nothing to worry about.

"To be honest I really wouldn't recommend tanning at home for your wedding. Some tans are great but you just never know and it's not worth the risk.

"The products I use are really flexible. They won't rub off on your dress and I think they look really natural - so you don't have to worry about not looking like yourself.

"The tans I do are bespoke, which also helps, and I take into account your colouring and the dress to make sure it looks great."

What colour to go?

"It totally depends on the bride," says James. "Some have spray tans all the time and are used to seeing themselves with a deeper tan so they can go darker for the day, but others just want the tiniest hint of colour to keep it natural but give themselves that glow.

"Take a picture of yourself each day after the practise tan and see which you like best. Most people like the colour on day two the best but it's very individual."

When it comes to looking after the tan, it's the same rules that apply as usual - moisturise, moisturise, moisturise!

"To ensure the tan glistens perfectly on the day I advise clients to moisturise the tan generously every day," he says. "Kiehls Creme De Corps body lotion is still the most incredible body cream that lends an extra depth to the tan. It also keeps the tan nourished and enables an even fade out."

He also recommends having a make-up test while you have the tan on  - so you can make sure the make up you choose looks natural with the deeper colour of your skin.

When it came to mine, the practise tan went well and looked so nice that everyone said I looked 'glowing' but no one asked if I'd had a spray tan - exactly what you want. So I decided to take the plunge and book myself in for the wedding day.

I actually liked it best on day three, which might be me being overly cautious but I just need a touch to give me that confidence I know a really good spray tan gives.

And on the day I was really pleased with the result. It didn't look fake, glowed in all the right places and didn't budge.

A had a zillion compliments (of course, it was my wedding day) and a couple of people asked if I'd been away recently (score!).

I didn't look orange or fake in the photos and despite the fact my husband is naturally rather pale himself, we didn't look mismatched - perhaps because I was wearing the white dress, which can wash you out.

So all in all, I would definitely recommend it. Just make sure you have a practice first and look after your skin before and after. Oh, and if you can get an appointment with James, you won't look back!

[Wedding Blog: Truth - The Bride Does EVERYTHING]
[Wedding Blog: How To Do Natural Wedding Make Up Yourself]