The joy of the day infuses most brides with an unforgettable radiance. But skin care and makeup do require some attention, as early as three months ahead of time, in order to assure a flawless complexion and an equally flawless time getting ready on the big day, says Susan Sterling, international makeup artist for Chanel.

In terms of skin care, if a bride doesn't have any skin problems, three months ahead is enough time to give her face some extra attention, says Sterling, who has worked with many brides in her 20-plus year career as a makeup artist. For an intensive skin treatment such as a facial, it's important not to wait until the last minute, she says, because most skin needs time to recover. If a bride doesn't have a regular skin regimen (cleansing, toning and moisturizing), three months is enough time to begin one. It can be as simple as heading to several department store beauty counters or visiting a beauty salon to talk to a pro before purchasing new products to use for the next three months.

"It's best to see how the skin reacts, see what kind of skin care you need and use the new products," Sterling says.

Brides with significant skin care problems may want to consult a dermatologist before investing in any new skin products. For those brides who want a tanned look on their skin, Sterling advises hitting the tanning salon a month before, depending on their skin tone. "You don't want to overdo it," she says.

When it comes to makeup, Sterling again recommends that brides plan ahead.

Get a makeup consultation at a local salon or department store beauty counter and purchase new makeup a month ahead of time. Brides who plan to do their own makeup, as many do, should be sure they practice applying it several times, especially if it's a new look. Brides who choose to have a makeup artist or someone else do their makeup should schedule at least one practice session in the month ahead of time. That way, there are no surprises on the big day.

"You don't want to think about your makeup on your wedding day," she says.

Many brides worry their makeup will look washedout in photographs and videos, and may overcompensate by applying extra makeup. To avoid that, Sterling says, "Look at photographs of yourself when your makeup doesn't look too garish. ... A camera reads things more harshly than they are."

This means avoid using too much gloss on the lips or frosted eye shadow on the eyes. The classic techniques of light and shadow are important to remember, too. Apply and blend makeup so that there are no harsh lines. Another way to soften lines is to use a translucent powder or blush with photoreflective pigments, which create the illusion of softening lines, Sterling says. For faces that need extra contour to heighten cheekbones, for example, consult a beauty expert to make sure you apply highlights and shadow in the right places.

Brides also need to consider how their makeup will hold up over a long day. "Staying power has to do with the weather and skin type," Sterling says. This particularly is an issue with couples getting married in warm climates or outdoors in humid conditions.

Sterling recommends using a mask base, such as Chanel's Mask Lift Express, after cleansing, toning and moisturizing to help hold makeup on. "A few little drops of it acts as a smooth base layer," she says.

Another helpful product is an illuminating gel, such as Chanel's Sheer Illuminator, which evens out skin tones in the face, neck, arms and decollete, Sterling says.

Finally, every bride should assemble a makeup kit to entrust to a bridesmaid or family member to take along for the day, Sterling says. It should contain a compact of blush or pressed powder with a mirror (especially for warm-weather weddings), a lipstick, a lip pencil, lip gloss, waterproof mascara and whatever fragrance the bride is wearing that day. One way to extend a fragrance's power, Sterling says, is to use the same fragrance in shower gel, body lotion and perfume or cologne.

When it comes to wedding day beauty, the important thing for any bride to consider is to aim for a look that is comfortable for her. "There is a huge array of styles," Sterling says. "Every woman has a vision of what she'd like to look like on the day she's married."