For many brides, their wedding day is the most important day in their lives. Not only is it the start of a new life with someone they love, but for many women, it’s also the only time they ever get glammed up. Sure, there will be other occasions where they can dress up and wear makeup, but they don’t get many opportunities to wear hundreds or thousands of dollars’ worth.

Many women will admit their wedding day was the only time in their lives when they felt like a princess, a movie star, or a sexy celebrity. They looked and felt exquisite, and they loved it. This is why the wedding industry offers so many options for bridal beauty and elegance.

Often, the bridal party will focus on the wife-to-be’s dress, hair, skin, and accessories. She might have her skin exfoliated, take a full spa day treatment, get a hair make-over, or work on her spray tan. She might even go on a weight-loss regimen, or undergo some plastic surgery to look just right for the big day.

There’s one thing some brides do that rarely gets featured on bridal shows. It’s not as exciting or glamorous, but it’s just the thing to put the finishing touches on a beautiful bride. It’s her smile. Brides who have avoided dentists their entire lives will often book themselves in for cosmetic dentistry in time for the big day.

It matters because the bride will spend most of the day smiling, and maybe even grinning. She will frequently flash her teeth for the camera, but at other times, she will smile simply because she’s so happy, even when there isn’t a photographer in sight.

She also wants her smile to be perfect for those candid shots on family camera phones. In such moments, she may be too distracted or unaware to pose and show off her best side, but she can take solace in the fact that whatever else may be out of place, at least her teeth look good. This is especially key because of the aforementioned makeup.

See, on her wedding day, the bride will generally wear a lot more make up than she does on regular days. Her make up is likely to be professionally done so that it will accentuate her features. Her lips will get a lot of attention, both from her groom and her camera crew. Flawless lipstick can draw attention bad teeth, so those teeth need to look really good.

With all that close-up photography, your lips and dental formula will be on display. While the right dress, hairdo, or silhouette might do a good job of camouflaging any figure flaws you may have, there’s no way to disguise bad teeth.

That’s why bridal smile make-overs are so popular. They should be booked well in advance because some types of dental work take several weeks or even months. If for example, the bride wants braces, she will need to wear them for a year or more. Invisalign braces work faster and can’t be seen from a distance, so they’re on option.

They show a distinct difference within weeks, but even they need 6 to 12 months for best results. Of course, not all brides want months worth of treatment. Some of the faster, more common approaches for bridal make-overs include tooth whitening and stain removal.

These can be done in a day or two, though the bride should give herself a few weeks of downtime, just in case. It’s never a good idea to have any major procedure the day before your wedding. You need time to recover and adjust to your new teeth.

Another option is to have a professional cleaning to get rid of accumulated plaque that doesn’t fade with brushing. It brightens your smile and leaves your mouth feeling fresh and spotless. It can improve your breath as well, which your groom will thank you for.

A few months before your wedding, get a dental check-up. Your dentist can tell you if you have any major issues like cavities or misalignment and advise you on what can be done. Once you’re sure your teeth are in good health, then you and your dentist can explore your cosmetic needs and wants, from implants to restoration.

Veneers are a great way to fix all your dental flaws, and they will last long past the wedding day since they don’t stain. But they’re on the more pricey side, so you’d have to check your budget. Ultradent whitening can give good results as well. But after your whitening, you might want to avoid tea, coffee, and red wine to prevent re-staining until after the wedding.