Updo. Side do. Which do is your do when it comes to your wedding?

That was the question on the mind of hundreds of brides at the recent Urban Unveiled wedding show in Seattle. I met up with Evan, a stylist at the swanky 7 Salon in Seattle for the wedding hairstyle tricks of the trade every bride and groom should know for their big day.

Secrets to Finding the Best Wedding Stylists

3. Consult Early and Often

As wedding planning goes, every bride should meet with three different vendors for each service. That means three DJ interviews. Three cake-tastings. And you guessed it – three style consultations. Even Evan from 7 Salon says that it’s important to shop around. If you don’t have a stylist yet, have fun with it. Meet with a few respectable stylists, ask for a consultation, and don’t be afraid to ask questions or take notes.

Be detailed. Be picky. Get what you want. That’s the code of the bridezilla. Look to lock in your stylist around six months before your wedding date.

2. Bring the Dress for Success

The best piece of advice Evan bestowed was his insistence to see the dress. Not a picture of the dress. The real thing. In the salon. The wedding gown dictates your style, and your hair is your best accessory. There’s no better way to match it with your dress than to see it up close and personal.

1. Pre-Style with Intent

When you find a stylist, stick with them. Build a relationship with your stylist to cut your hair with the intention of styling it a certain way. This will cut down on styling snafus on your wedding day, while giving you a chance to transition into that chignon you’ve always wanted.

image from: http://www.knotforlife.com/style/hairstyle/low-chignon-flowers.shtml

Grooming for the Groom – Your Man’s Big Cut for the Big Day

The groom’s haircut might not seem as important as the bride’s Brazilian blowout, but like it or not, your future Mr. is going to be your right-hand man in the most important pictures of your life. As the resident Groomzilla, I know looking good for my wedding is step número uno in living out the “happy wife, happy life” mantra.

How to Find a Wedding Hairstylist – Guy Style

3. Take a Preemptive Strike on Fashion

The average Joe doesn’t have to find a premier stylist six months in advance, but he does need to pick a hairstyle. Is it long or short? Messy in the front or the classic Draper slick back? If your guy gets a $12 buzz from the local Wonderful Snips, make a Google search for “men hairstyles 2010″ and invest in some non-gel product (I’m a big fan of TOUGH Fortifying Styling Paste by John Allen for short and straight hair). Your goal should be to get him on the fashion fast track no later than three months before the wedding.

2. Avoid Color (Unless He’s Already Coloring)

A wedding isn’t the premier venue for a man to show off his experiments with Just for Men. If he’s gray, keep him gray. If his roots are showing, have a professional fill them in. If he has frosted tips, reconsider the fact that he might be too young to get married. The main rule of thumb is to keep a classic, polished look that he might actually pull off on a normal day (when he’s really, really attractive).

1. Get Cut with Scissors, Not Clippers

Our expert at 7 Salon says scissors are the only way to go. It creates a vintage, layered look that adds just enough subtle detail to POP in your photos. In the guy world of going to the salon, the less the stylist uses the clippers, the more the haircut is going to cost. For most all scissors/sans clippers haircut, your man is looking to drop about $50 bucks on a top-tier haircut (which is a lot for someone who has to get cut every four weeks). The groom-to-be should get his haircut no later than one week before the wedding to avoid the fresh-cut look.

Need more wedding hairstyle tips? Check out the Knot for a great photo gallery of classic to modern wedding hairstyles that will make any bride blush.

Wedding day beauty is not a thing you reserve just for the wedding day. We bridezillas like looking our best every day of the year, which is why our little zilla hearts skipped a beat at the mention of Tatcha aburatorigami japanese blotting papers. These babies, made of 100% abaca leaf and infused with flecks of gold leaf, claim to give users everywhere a “petal fresh complexion” and all but turn any greasy gal into a glowing geisha with a few simple dabs.

Too good to be true? We took it upon ourselves to find out.

Bridezilla Uncovers the Dirt…and Grease…and Oil…

There are a few Bridezilla rules that go unsaid.
1. Never try new beauty products on your own face first.
2. Never reveal how oily your skin is in public.
Therefore, it only makes sense that the Tatcha blotting papers were first sampled by our Bridezilla minion, the deviously dashing Doug.
Initial impressions as I watched Doug dabbing away: Tatcha blotting papers certainly work. After one swipe in that finicky T-zone, Doug pulled away a saturated paper, yelped in amazement, and went to town. 45 seconds and Doug claimed to be oil-free.
I have highlighted the end result, grease-sodden paper for your viewing pleasure.

In the privacy of my Bridezilla lair, I tried a blotting paper of my own. And, after being vaguely horrified that that much oil was sitting pretty on my face, I was satisfied with the soft dryness of my formally grease-ridden skin. There was a noticeable difference, even though one blotting paper is far from a permanent fix. I can see how, especially during an event that lasts a few hours (I’m thinking everything from post-office dinner dates to the wedding ceremony that goes straight into a dance-all-night reception) these can come in handy.
The real-gold flecks, which are a heavily advertised selling point for Tatcha, might not be entirely effective. Each sheet has only a few visible speckles of gold, and I am pretty sure the real absorption properties lie in the abaca leaf. However, the bridezilla in me love love loved the added sparkle, if only because it was pretty and distracted me from my apparently very dirty skin.
Delicate and easily transportable, Tatcha is the grown-up, classy, and slightly more expensive older sister of the blotting papers from the likes of Bioré and Clean&Clear, plus has the added benefits of being 100% biodegradable and free of animal testing. At $12 for a set of 30 sheets, Bridezilla says a-.
Minus points for sheer grease gross-out value.

The destination bridezilla not only desires the perfect wedding, she wants it in paradise. She’s a bridezilla to the extreme — only ocean front will do. And who else but a bridezilla would make her family travel thousands of miles just to see her get hitched?
We celebrate these worldly bridezillas, who are unafraid to trade in their Manolos for flip-flops and get married where they want, the way they want. Destination bridezillas, this blog is for you!

9 Things Every Destination Bridezilla Should Pack

9.) Antacid/Pepto. If you’re headed to far away lands, the cuisine (not to mention wedding-day jitters) might upset your delicate American stomach. No classy bridezilla wants to be seen red-faced over the commode on the Big Day (unless you’re bridezilla Valerie). Pack travel-size pepto in your purse (nowhere near your wedding clothes) and an antacid.
8.) Sunscreen and moisturizer. Lobster should be the entre, not the bride. Unless you’re getting hitched at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, you’ll need to slather up. When you do tan, strive for sun-kissed, not splotchy or leathery. Remember, the tropical sun is more fierce than a bridezilla who just found out her venue ran out of champagne. We recommend NARS Skincare to keep that bridal glow even when you’re in the sun.
7.) Moisture-wicking Headband. Humidity can turn your chic coif into a frizzy ‘fro. Bring a sweat-proof headband, like this one from fit2bmom and keep your hair off your face while doing your makeup or lounging at the beach.
6.) Sexy Bikini. While basking in the sun, bask in your new brideness. This sexy bikini, as seen on “The Hills”, titles your rump with rhinestones, so everyone knows you’re Just Married. Even though you’re not Heidi, you might still get the red-carpet treatment from your resort.
5.) Wedding gown. Do not check your wedding gown with your bags! Lost luggage means your couture gown could find its way back to Milan. Bring that million-dollar baby on the plane. Most airlines have a place to hang garments, so carry it with you and make sure it’s secured safely in the hotel before you go gallivanting.
4.) Groom’s tux and shoes. Unless you’re headed to a wedding world, like Las Vegas, make sure your groom gets his tux and shoes beforehand. Do not let him wait until the last minute. Some places, the Caribbean especially, are abundant with wet suits and Hawaiin shirts, but severely lacking when it comes to tux rentals. You don’t want your groom-to-be to marry you while donned in a touristy tee.
3.) Itinerary. Spontaneous types (ahem) despise itineraries. But you’re planning a destination wedding, don’t get on the plane without an idea of what you’ll be doing on what days. An itinerary prevents your monster mother-in-law from dragging you off to see the museum of flightless birds, when you could be sipping umbrella drinks with your besties.
2.) Documents. Everyone witnessed Heidi and Spencer’s first wedding publicity stunt, which occurred under the guise of “Our first marriage wasn’t legal in Mexico because we didn’t have the proper documents.” (sigh) Check license restrictions and corral all your marriage documents ahead of time: license, passports, birth certificates, divorce papers, etc.

1.) Jewel-Encrusted, Swine-Flu Proof Mask.
Even though it’s been overshadowed by Michael Jackson’s death and Mark Stanford’s affair, the swine flu is still alive and well. If you planned your destination wedding long before the swine flu reared its ugly snout, bring a jewel-encrusted mask (yes, bridezilla does everything in style, including avoiding deadly illnesses.) Also, bring handsanitizer. Don’t think the swine flu is any match for bridezilla? Check out this article about a swine flu that crashed a Chicago wedding.

Spring has sprung! Are you ready to unveil your springtime toes? There’s nothing worse than itchy heels that resemble an astro-crag. De-winterize your lizard-like hands and feet before your barefoot beach wedding. Grab your besties, kick groomzilla out of the bathroom, and get started.
But first, as promised, the contest deets. We consulted natural skincare experts GildenTree.com for a beauty ritual that really works. Once you complete our crash course on skincare, comment with your own bridezilla beauty secret and you can win a nourishing handcream and cuticle salve from GildenTree! We’ll choose one winner randomly from everyone who comments on this post. Contest ends this Tuesday, April 28, so comment with your beauty tips now.

Bridezilla’s Crash Course in Natural Foot Care

When it comes to skincare, go au natural. By using good quality, natural products, you can get soft skin without chemical exposure. To start, you’ll need a soaker, a scrubber or exfoliator, and a moisture sealer.

The Essentials

• Epsom salts or sea salts to soak your tootsies in. Bridezilla Hint: You can find foot-friendly epsom salts at GildenTree.
• Olive oil or even better, Jojoba oil.
• A terracotta footscrubber. Use it with liquid soap, shower gel, or a scrub.
• Nourishing foot cream: A rich, concentrated cream that helps sooth and heal.

Skincare Splurges

If you have a few extra dollars to spend, splurge on these beauty essentials.

• Exfoliating foot scrub
• 95% shea butter balm. Use it on your heels and balls of feet. It also smooths nasty nails and cuticles.

Preform this ritual every day for at least five days before you slip into those sandals. You’ll be amazed at the difference in your feet. This beauty ritual costs a lot less than those expensive spa pedicures and works just as well.

1. Soak feet for 15 minutes in a footbath or basin filled with warm water, 2 Tbsp salts and 1 Tbsp olive oil.
2. Use a wet washcloth with a few drops of liquid soap or shower gel to gently cleanse all over feet. If you have Exfoliating Foot Scrub, add 1 tsp to the cloth.

3. Add a few drops of liquid soap to the footscrubber and gently scrub the bottoms of feet. A tsp of exfoliating foot scrub also works very well with the foot scrubber.
4. Place foot back in footbath and repeat for other foot.
5. Remove first foot, dry gently and massage in about 1 tsp of nourishing foot Cream. If you have shea butter, massage a tiny, pea-sized amount into very dry places like heels and nails. If you have hand, nail and cuticle salve, it can be used the same way.

Voila! Now get some kickin’ wedges and you’re ready to hit the beach.

Valentine’s Day shopping for a bridezilla? Put down the pink carnations and shabby gas-station teddy bear! When she’s not frequenting boutiques, bridezilla can be found waist-deep in mud masks and massages. This V-Day, spoil your bridezilla with a gift that warms the iciest zilla heart: a spa gift certificate!
SalonWish is offering a free tea-infused chocolate treasure trove on purchases over $125. So if you were planning to surprise bridezilla with a spa gift certificate for Valentine’s Day (ahem), you’ll get a beautiful box of designer chocolates.
The treasure trove comes filled with tea-infused chocolates in four enchanting flavors: ginger green tea, orange black tea, jasmine green tea, and massala chai black tea. Use the code ValentineChoc to take advantage of this delicious offer.
Don’t worry about finding a spa for your picky ‘zilla: The Salon Wish gift card is accepted at over 4,000 spas and salons nationwide. Bridezilla hint: Pass this along to your clueless groomzilla for a nudge in the right direction. Don’t forget to call dibs on the chocolates!

All bridezilla wants for Christmas? Well, we have our two-front teeth (knock on wood). But nothing thaws our icy ‘zilla hearts faster than a stocking stuffed full of goodies. Stockings bring back the magic of Christmas morning. We suggest you put Oprah’s list of favorite (expensive) things straight into the yule log fire. These bridezilla tested and approved items make fabulous stocking stuffers for every lady on your list – guaranteed.

Soak Wash: Dainties Hung on the Shower Rod with Care

Soak wash is gentle shampoo for delicate fabrics. When we first saw soak, we peered at the bright bottle with the same skepticism we typically reserve for events like … Heidi and Spencer’s marriage. Laundry is so not our thing. Not even the promise of bubbles could cure our disdain for color coding, matching socks, and the ultimate evil: hand – washing.

Or so we thought. With soak, a gentle and rinse-free wash, you can hand wash dainties and fine fibers in a matter of minutes. No rinse-repeat, rinse-repeat, give-up-flustered-because-there-are-still-bubbles cycle. Our delicate bras got a bath in soak and came out smelling like “the scent of celebration.” Celebration indeed: Soak didn’t convert us to a laundry lover for life (an impossible feat), but it got everything squeaky clean in under 20 minutes. Bridezilla bonus tip: Every lady could use a bottle of this stuff. Especially after shopping the upcoming Victoria’s Secret Annual Sale. Her underthings will last longer and she can try it out on her softest sweaters and quilts.

Bridezilla Raises the Bar: Super Soaps, Sponges, and Exfoliators

When wintertime arrives in full flurry, most of us could use a little exfoliation. Dry, crackly skin and chapped lips take the hot kiss out of New Year’s Eve. With the Sisal soap bag from Eden Home and the Milled Shea Butter Soap, her skin can be soft as the New Years baby’s butt (sorry, couldn’t resist). When bath time is over, drop the soap in and pull the cords for easy soap storage.The exfoliator doubles as a soap holder, so she’ll never have to fish that sliver of soap out of the drain again.

We’re crazy about Sea Wool sponges. The evil economy slashed our spa budget in half. No manis, no pedis, and definitely no seaweed wraps of any kind. Really, we’re fine (sniffle). This sea wool sponge reminds us of the spa every morning. It’s hypo-allergenic and soft as silk against our skin. Bridezilla bonus tip: When it comes to stocking surprises, think outside those scented soaps and lotions from Bath and Body. Like anyone needs more of those. Trust us, she’d rather lather in luxury with a sea wool sponge.

Read on for more stocking stuffers after the break!

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bridezilla Star

Is she a glorified member of the glitterati? In other words, does she have nine pairs of silvery strappy sandals, flashy filigrees on every finger, and at least one sequined gold belt? Light up her life with lustrous ornaments. Brilliant! If she’s a bridezilla and this is her first Christmas with groomzilla, check out this personalized photo Christmas ornament from WeddingStand. Can it get any cuter? Actually yes. This heart-shaped ornament suits bridezillas who can’t cram a tree into their studio apartment.

Twinkle, twinkle, bridezilla starlet. Nothing gleams quite like an ornament from Swarovski.com. Grandmas love Swarovski ornaments. Sisters love them. Even your monster mother-in-law will love them. And any bridezilla will positively beam with the Swarovski crystal collection made for the bride.

They sting, they tingle, and they make us look even more fabulous than we already are (assuredly difficult) – lip plumpers, what would we do without you? Our taste for luxury everything has led us many a time to beauty meccas like Sephora and suburban outpost Ulta, and it seems each time we come out with yet another tasty lip treat designed to make us look like Angelina Jolie after a makeout session. We’ve even been stung a few times by allergic reactions (Urban Decay, why must you turn on us?!), but after an exhaustive search through the racks, we’ve finally nailed down the best of the best, and we even have a bonus bribe for bargain-hunting readers looking to score a deal at Sephora. Come with us, Bridezillas, and let’s get glossy!

True confessions time: that lip print up there in the Bridezilla logo belongs to none other than yours truly, Miss Z, and it was achieved through healthy application of the stickily delicious Venom Gloss in Berry Chill. It’s not quite first kiss at the altar-worthy (god forbid your veil get caught in it), but DuWop has plenty of other options for kissable Bridezillas. Our current favorite is the saucily-monikered 2nd Sin Lip Venom, seen above in the purse-friendly Mini Venom Trio 2 which just earned real estate in our Balenciaga bag. For clear plumping gloss it simply can’t be beat – and what ‘zilla couldn’t benefit from a little extra venom?

On an otherwise blah Thursday, Bridezilla was amused to receive a beauty product parcel from the most excellent makeup maven Urban Apothecary. Contents included such Bridezilla beauty favors as:

Mineral Makeup Sheer Tints in Light and Natural Glow
True Brilliance Lipstain in Honeymoon Sweet
Here Comes the Bride Palette
Needless to say, we shut down the Bridezilla HeadQuarters instantly for testing. Read on to learn why this beauty line is a favorite of celebs like Kelly Ripa and Katie Holmes….

Of all the things we tried, our favorite was the uber-adorable Here Comes the Bride Palette (second from the left). This combo compact of clever names included three silk eyeshadows in Champagne Toast, Frosting on Taupe, and Honeymoon Sweet, as well as two lip glosses Rosy Future and Toss the Bouquet. The eye shadows glided on nicely but were still bright enough that you could tell they would be long-lasting on W-Day, and the lip glosses had that lovely subtle quality that’s just a step above lip balm so it’s colorful but not all gleaming and sticky. As far as all-in-one makeup goes, these colors were definitely neutral enough to carry you through the Big Day and beyond.
The Mineral Makeup Sheer Tints were not as weightless as the usual mineral makeups, leaning more towards the liquid foundation than the tinted moisturizer. For wedding day coverage, the slightly heavier concealer would probably be appreciated to give you that photo-finished skin. Since it’s definitely more of a varnish than a veil, we think this one might work better for special occasions and evening wear (translation:every other moment of Bridezilla’s illustrious life, really).

The lipstain provided huge amounts of color and satisfying shine, as displayed here on our pouty palette, the lips of Miss Z herself. Vampy and cool, this lipstain is perfect for bachelorette party primping.
Ok, we know this is not a picture of makeup, but we at Bridezilla are firm believers in the importance of outer beauty to go with our outer beauty, and the adorable presentation accompanying this makeup parcel was just too fabulous not to feature. Packing peanuts strewn with silk petals and a rhinestone on the business card? It doesn’t get more Bridezilla than that!

Because Bridezilla is a firm believer in breaking down bulk bridal gift sets into individual bridesmaid gifts, we were delighted to receive the Nubar nail polish Winter Lacquer Trousseau Collection in the post. Nestled in festive pink packing peanuts, the Bridezilla staff was initially afraid the name referred to a particularly invasive new form of of birth control. So imagine our pleasure when we unveiled this handy little briefcase of beauteous nail polish (beautiful and business-like, so Bridezilla). However, because Bridezilla’s polish tastes run more to blood-curdling red and espresso shades, we immediately identified this set of six nail polish colors and one top coat as a perfect bridesmaid gift, or gifts. Read on for a full review.

Bridezilla’s pet peeve is glossy pink nail polishes (or lip glosses, for that matter) that look super- colorful in the case but then go on sheer. We are happy to report this is not the case with Nubar nails. Look here for a nail-by-nail comparison of the various colors enclosed. From right: Pinkie-Je’taime, Ring Finger-Pink Bustier, Middle Finger-Pink Sachet, Index Finger-Blushing Bride, and Thumb-Pink Cami.
Pink Cami was the sheerest of the pack, but would still be good for a bridesmaid who prefers subtle sparkle. Give this set as bridesmaid gifts in its entirety, or break it down into individual gifts in the name of personalization: Blushing Bride for the Barbie bridesmaid, a top coat for the practical gal in the bunch. For your MOH, why not give her Je’taime, our favorite polish from the bunch, displayed below?

Great for bridal showers or bridesmaid getaways, this nail polish kit is nice because it is both a beauty accessory and a potential bonding activity all in one. Bridezilla approves!

Here at Bridezilla, we believe the highest form of beauty is being unapologetically yourself. That’s why we have dedicated our blog to fighting cookie cutter bridal syndrome (in a non granola eating, dirge singing way) to embrace weddings that clearly speak of the bride’s individual passion and identity. And nowhere is that identity more clear than in the wedding dress you choose. Read below to see some of best examples of be-yourself bridal beauty of all time.
1) Dita Von Teese. Dita Von Teese looks regal and beautiful in her dark violet Vivienne Westwood gown. The color shows off her famous milky white skin and the dark color is a nod to the gothic sex kitten persona (and teeny tiny waist) that made her a star. Best of all, she manages to make punk look elegant, like only she (and Vivienne Westwood) ever could.Bravo Dita!

2. Bianca Jagger. Bianca Jagger looks radiant in one of the most commemorated and talked-about wedding ensembles off all times. In her snappy Yves Saint Laurant bridal trouser suit and big floppy hat she looks as bridal and beaming as any bride could hope to, in an ensemble most brides would never even dare to try on! But while white David Bridal’s gowns come and go, Bianca earned a permanent place in fashion history for her spunky feminine beauty and unique bridal style. This is a great example of be-yourself bridal beauty!
3) Gwen Stefani. Who could forget this iconic rock n roll bride in her gorgeous John Galliano gown? Pristine bridal white blending with the most vibrant, sexy shock of hot pink in the train? We’ll take ten! This is a dress that’s been talked about and talked about, but we just couldn’t help but put Gwen on our list of uniquely beautiful celebrity brides as well. The bright feminine colors and mix of playful and classic exactly personify Gwen’s casually glamorous style, making her one of Bridezilla’s all-time queens of be-yourself beauty.
4) Victoria Beckham. We love how on her wedding day, Victoria feels free to embrace the jarring, futuristic outlines and pixie hair she is still known for today (just look at this picture of her at Katie’s Holmes wedding).
On the biggest day of her life, Posh stayed true to her personality and personal style, embracing a unique, jagged dress neckline and forgoing styrofoam white for a creamier champagne that better suits her coffee colored complexion. Best of all she still looks Posh as ever. Congrats Vic, for always knowing how to make daring fashion work for you. You are a true testament of be-yourself bridal beauty.
5) Caroline Bissette. Last but not least, let it never be said that Bridezilla does not believe a white dress can be unique and beautiful. If anyone is an example of someone who does belong in a luminous white sheath wedding dress with airy throw, that someone is Caroline Bissette. Not only is she glowing and ethereal on her big day wearing this chic Narciso Rodriguez frock, we can tell from the way she is laughing and smiling that she is just as comfortable in her wedding gown as Bridezilla is sitting here eating beluga on rhye in her sequined kimono. And that’s saying something!