Wedding Photography - Grin And Bear It

So you've attended the hen do (most of it a blur), you've managed to buy a halfway-decent present from the hugely long wedding list - and do so on time, a feat of organisation - and you've found the slightly twee country church where the ceremony is taking place. You've squeezed into your 'good' dress, despite it clearly shrinking since you last wore it two years ago to the races. Your heels are on, and killing you already. The service is over blessedly quickly, and you've already told the bride she looks radiant. If only you could have a drink, and perhaps find a quiet corner to sit down for half an hour. But before you can relax, there is one more ordeal to get through - the wedding photo-call.

Those readers who are model-thin, with the kind of flawless cheekbones which always look good on film, stop reading now. Any other ordinary mortals concerned about their double chin, or big bones, read on.

Chances are, this wedding is taking place in the summer, so first things first: summer make-up. To avoid looking red, shiny, and sweaty, carry a compact in your handbag, so that you can discreetly apply powder as and when necessary. Avoid heavy eye-makeup and aging matte lipstick. Go for youthful, natural hues and a lighter lipgloss to avoid that over made up look. Modern make-up has better staying power than it did twenty years ago, and usually has a sheerer formulation, so if you haven't had a make-up update for a while, now is the time to treat yourself.

As for clothing: we all do it, but wedding photographs are not the place to hang on to an image of yourself which is a few years out of date. Instead of dressing for our look and figure as it is, we all reach for the outfit which we see as an old favourite. Inevitably we end up squeezing ourselves into it, sure that if we just wear several pairs of control pants it'll 'look fine'. Too often we sacrifice style because we don't want to admit to ourselves that we have put on weight, or that what looked spot on in 1987 doesn't look quite right in 2012 (even if we haven't put on a pound in the intervening years). So take advantage of the huge increase in personal shoppers in the past decade, and book an appointment with a professional. This doesn't have to be a huge expense - many department stores don't charge, so long as you spend a minimum amount - and takes the worry out of hunting for an outfit. Putting yourself in the hands of someone who really knows what they're doing not only minimises your own stress, it will also introduce you to styles and colours you never knew you could wear, giving you a style update which will see you through not just weddings but informal events too, if that's what you want.

Finally, remember the basic rules which models use to good effect: stand up straight (bad posture adds pounds), tilt your head up slightly to avoid double chins, and turn slightly side-on to the camera, to slim your silhouette. And, above all, smile!

Wickwoods Country Club, Hotel and Spa is located amongst glorious landscaped gardens in the heart of west Sussex.
Offering an unrivalled lifestyle membership, Wickwoods has undergone a million pounds worth of investment over the last couple of years.
With comprehensive facilities covering everything from a heated pool, sauna, steam room, gym and even floodlit tennis courts, Wickwoods is popular location for spa breaks as well as a year round conference and special events venue and a top choice for brides to be looking for luxurious Sussex wedding venues.