HOW DARK SHOULD YOUR BRIDAL SPRAY TAN BE?

Spoiler: there is no “bridal shade.”

Some brides want the kind of glow that makes everyone ask if they just got back from vacation. Usually these brides are used to spray tanning and love their deep bronzed glow. Others want the most subtle hint of radiance - not necessarily a ‘tan’ but just a glow to their skin.

Neither is more “bridal.” And both we can absolutely achieve at Schulz Beauty.

YOUR WEDDING TAN SHOULD STILL LOOK LIKE YOU

Whether you want a deeper glow or a subtle “I just want to look alive in my white dress” kind of colour, your tan should still look like you and how you naturally tan or how your skin looks after a little time in the sun.

If you’re naturally fair and rarely tan, a subtle wash of warmth might be all you need. If you live for a deep bronze and feel most like yourself with more colour, going darker may be exactly right.

The goal is to find the depth that makes you look at yourself and think, “Yes. That’s it. This is me, but better.”

THINK ABOUT THE WHOLE LOOK

Your dress. Your makeup. Your photographer. They all affect how your colour fits into the final look.

Going for luminous makeup, bronzed skin and more of a vacation-glow aesthetic? A little more depth may feel completely natural.

Planning something classic and understated with soft makeup and a timeless gown? You may feel more like yourself with a subtle wash of warmth.

There’s no right answer. Your spray tan should match the energy of your dress, your makeup style, your wedding venue and how you want to feel when you look back at your photos years from now.

We’re not picking a colour from a “bridal shade” chart. We’re looking at the whole picture.

YOUR TAN IS BASICALLY A HEAD START ON YOUR MAKEUP

As makeup artists, we LOVE doing bridal makeup on beautifully tanned skin.

When your face already has that natural warmth and evenness, we don’t have to fake the glow with layers of bronzer and complexion products. Your skin already looks healthy, even and alive before we’ve even picked up a makeup brush.

It’s basically a real-life filter - and we get to start from there.

That doesn’t mean your face needs to be super dark. The goal is a natural amount of colour that keeps your face, neck, chest and body looking cohesive and gives your makeup artist a beautiful canvas to work with.

Your makeup can then do what it’s supposed to do: enhance your skin rather than create the colour from scratch.

And this is exactly why we love pairing your spray tan trial with your hair and makeup trial. You get to see the entire bridal look come together before the wedding.

READ: DO YOU REALLY NEED A BRIDAL SPRAY TAN TRIAL? → HERE

YES, YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER MATTERS TOO

Here’s one brides don’t always think about: your photographer’s editing style can change how your colour reads in your final photos.

Dark and moody editing tends to deepen shadows and contrast, which can make your tan appear deeper on camera.

Light and airy photography brightens everything, which can make very subtle colour appear even softer due to the higher exposure.

Warm, golden editing can affect skin differently again.

None of those styles is better or worse. But they’re worth considering when we’re deciding how much colour you want.

Take a look at your photographer’s portfolio. Are their images bright and creamy? Warm and golden? Dark and cinematic? Very true-to-colour?

You’re making a major investment in documenting your wedding, and those photos will be around a lot longer than your spray tan.

We want your glow to look balanced through your photographer’s lens - not just standing in front of the studio mirror, we can consult with you to see the best color payoff based on your photographers style.

AND YES, EVEN YOUR PARTNER CAN COME INTO IT

Here’s another one you probably haven’t considered.

You’re going to spend a significant portion of your wedding day standing beside the same person in approximately 700 photos.

You absolutely do not need to match skin tones. But if your partner is naturally very fair and you suddenly go significantly darker than you normally would, the contrast can become more noticeable in photos.

And while we’re here: spray tans are not just for brides.

We see so many guys who actually LOVE being included in the beauty prep leading up to the wedding. Teeth whitening + a spray tan has become one of our favourite pre-wedding combinations for couples to come in and do together. Learn more here.

And the guys who are convinced a spray tan is going to look orange or obvious? They're usually the ones most surprised by how natural it looks.

Then something funny tends to happen: they come back.

Before vacations. Before events. Before the next time they know they're going to be photographed.

Turns out once guys discover they can look like they just got back from a few days in the sun without actually sitting in the sun, they're pretty into it.

The secret's out, guys.

SO… HOW DARK SHOULD YOU ACTUALLY GO?

Our rule is pretty simple:

Enough colour that you feel amazing. Not so much that you stop looking like yourself.

Bring us your inspiration photos. Show us your dress. Tell us how you normally like your tan. Show us your photographer’s Instagram if you want to.

And most importantly, tell us how you want to feel.

Barely-there warmth? We’ve got you.

Natural vacation glow? Done.

Deep bronze because that’s when you feel your best? Also yes.

READY TO FIND YOUR WEDDING-DAY SHADE?

If you’ve never had a Schulz spray tan before, start with a trial. We’ll customize your colour, see how it develops on your skin and make any adjustments before the big day.

STILL PLANNING YOUR GLOW?

When to book. How to prep. Whether you need a trial. What your bridal party needs to know.

We’ve put everything in one place so your spray tan can be one less wedding decision to overthink.

EXPLORE THE SCHULZ BRIDE GUIDE → HERE.