On a normal day I am pretty pale. I’m a redhead and I have very fair skin. I’ve always sort of hated being pale. Over the years I have definitely been suckered into the tanning craze. Unlike some redheads, I do indeed get tan. But, before I get tan, I get extremely red. For many redheads the red fades back into white, but if I stick to it I do indeed get brown.
The year of the tan, my junior year of college
I’m ashamed to admit that for about three years in college I ignored all the warnings and went tanning every now and again. I went to college on Long Island—a school made up of mostly New Yorkers and New Jersey kids. Tan is IN in that neck of my woods. Jersey Shore is no lie.
And yes, I have seen shades of orange that go beyond anything Snookie and Pauly D. have been. My friends and I would always buy a three month package right before spring breaks and sorority formals. No one dared to be pale in the copious amount of pictures we would take. No one thought anything of it. At the time it was pretty cheap and everyone looks “healthier” with a tan. For a few years I wouldn’t get into a dress without one.
Tanning membership + a week in Acapulco
Looking back now I realize I was an idiot. We all know that there is nothing worse than fake and bake. But, like smoking and eating Twinkies, sometimes people just ignore the blatant danger because we inherently think “oh, XYZ won’t happen to me, and if it does I’ll worry about it then.” I just can’t bring myself to lie under a tanning bed anymore knowing what I know about the risks involved. I also can’t bring myself to spray tan. Although I can’t knock it, because I’ve never tried a professional one, I am pretty scared of looking like Lindsay Lohan on a bad day. Because I am naturally pale self-tanning products tend to look a little too orange on me. I also don’t want to have to even *think* about rubbing off on my white wedding gown or seeing weird streaks/fading in pictures.So I have decided I am going PALE-O COMMAND-O. Winter skin pale. Anyone who lives in a cold climate knows that scary sickly level of white us non-tanners get to by the time March rolls around. I’ve looked at a few pictures lately and thought, “hot damn, I look dead!”
Not tan & I was wearing bronzer, oy
I like to tell myself that the light, makeup, and overall glow of being a bride will not make me regret my decision. I’m hoping for a few rays of light to absorb into my face/neck before the big day. On the bright side a long wedding dress=my pasty white legs are covered. So, thank petunias for that. My legs look like they were ripped off a zombie bride corpse right now. Plus, they are covered in greening bruises from moving and being an overall animal…
Are you going the au-natural pale route on your wedding day or will you be tanning/spray-tanning?
I have light brown hair, but very pale skin (can see my veins/arteries; fiancee thought he was pale as a Hispanic until he met me and now he feels tan/olive for the first time in his life, haha!). I’ll definitely be going natural, since I freckle/burn more than tan. One thing that has helped is an ivory-colored dress–it brings out the pink in my skin so I don’t look like a ghost.
I’m blonde AND pale….and I’m staying that way. You’ll be glad you haven’t been tanning later in life. And you’ll look like yourself on your wedding day.
When I had my makeup trial, the girl was flabbergasted that I wasn’t going to tan, and just stay pale. Sigh. Work with whatcha got!!
I’m normally pretty pale…with my wedding in September though, I’m hoping I’ll still have a little it of summer tan still going on. Though I need to be really careful about what bathing suit I wear all summer so I don’t have weird tan lines!
If you ever DO decide to try a spray tan, go to a salon that uses Norvell products. Also do it at least two days prior to the wedding so you can have ample time to shower and get the extra bronzer off. They are the ONLY spray tanning product I’ve seen that doesn’t turn anyone into a walking carrot. A very good friend of mine has very similar features to yours and she looked like a nicely bronzed goddess for our friends wedding over the summer, no streaking no Lilo!
I’m fair and covered with freckles but can get pretty tan if I do it just right. In college, I made religious visits to the tanning salon. Its just what you do! Now I’m like you, though, and refuse to tan and am too afraid of a spray tan fail to even entertain that thought.
I’ve decided rock the paleness on my wedding day, also, freckles and all!
@39bride: My dress being ivory definitely helped as well. I knew I could never pull off full blown WHITE.
@futuremrsmaista: Exactly how I feel…work with what you got. And, I was also really concerned with not looking “me” on my wedding day. I don’t want to look back and go who in the heck is this bronze lady?
@MaggieL: Definitely get some strapless suits! September is a perfect month to have a little leftover summer glow.
@lmk710: Thanks for the tip! I’m thinking of doing a spray tan before our honeymoon so I don’t scare the locals.
@Dandelion D: Freckled-faces unite! My freckles are pretty faded right now, but I’m sure they’ll show up in a few shots.
i think you’re gorgeous and don’t need a tan really but just remember that the camera will wash you out even more.. I think you can still look natural by maybe using a self tanner made for pale skin (have a friend help you get out every streak) or try the spray tan Imk710 mentioned. You will still look like yourself without the camera washing you out like crazy. on your wedding day, use a light bronzer, blush and a rose colored lipstick/gloss and you should be good to go! (ps, i worked for chanel cosmetics and most of the women i worked with were pale skinned and this technique worked for them)
I went and had an organic spray tan last month as a trial for the wedding. I’m glad I had it done early instead of thinking I would just get it done for the wedding. I didn’t like it. For one, I was so embarrassed walking around New York city with clearly a spray tan in the middle of Februrary. It wasn’t orange so that was a plus, but I felt like I looked so fake. My FI said, “What happened to my pale fiancé?” So I’m going to be nice and naturally pale for the wedding.
I think if your happy then go with it. I would not be so afraid of the spray tan, I am so white I am blue and I love the spray tan. It has never made me orange, I am not rocking a beach tan, but I do have a bronzy glow. If you do it a couple of days before and shower you should not have staining issue. The bronzer is just for fast color, what changes your skin is a sugar that reacts with the amino acid in your skin.
You’ll look great au natural! I’ve been planning to go naturally pale as well (I have pale Asian skin), but I have a few events and other weddings before my own, so I’m going to test out a faux tanner and see if I like the results! If I do go slightly “tan,” I want it to be very faint and just add a little warmth. Plus, I’m going to Miami at the end of March for my bachelorette party so I can’t completely avoid the sun (although I do have a bandeau top so no funky tan lines)!
I totally failed at getting my tan on before the wedding, but I think some makeup, the excitement, and a glass of wine helped keep my skin glowing all day. You’ll look gorgeous no matter what 
Wouldn’t you know this issue is the biggest struggle in my mind too! I absolutely HATE the smell of tanners, and am scared it won’t work anyway. Like you, I’m naturally pale but have been forbidden to fake bake by my doctor. I’m glad to see others embracing their paleness! I have a champagne dress so maybe that will help. And I think you look beautiful in your “non-tan” pic….better than your tan pic I think!
I’m crazy pale, all the time. Last summer I somehow managed to get a bit tan instead of my usual sunburn/white but it didn’t last, so I expect to be super pale for the wedding, too!
I’m a little embarassed to say this because I know better, (as an RN) and see the actual down and dirty of cancer at work, on a daily basis…. buuuuut I was totally planning on tanning for my wedding. Some of my bridesmaids told me a really need to tan, but you guys have inspired me to even consider not tanning. Thanks guys!
I’m feeling SUPER pale and pasty right now. Even though its 70 degrees here in New York, the winter has left me feeling like a ghost. Admittedly, I went to the tanning salon on Sunday. I haven’t gone tanning in YEARS, it cost me $1 (me: woah, prices have gone down!) and they convinced me to sign up for unlimited tanning, which cost $10 for SIX months!! So, while I don’t plan on browning myself, I’m spanish and can get pretty dark, I do plan on having some color on my day. Unfortunately, when I’m pale, my dark circles are REALLY emphasized. Just for the record, do I know its bad for my skin, YES. But I’m the person who has been SPF’ing EVERYDAY since her teens. I’m in my 30′s now and my skin is in GREAT condition, no wrinkles, no sun spots. After my big day, I’ll be back to my pale, old self.
I’m pretty sure I’m whiter than my dress in half my pictures- but that’s me! That’s what I always look like and I don’t tan. I figured it would be weird to suddenly have a tan when I never do.
I think owning your paleness is badass. I’m sure you’ll look amazing!
I’m an auburn haired/pale chick (half Irish… but half southern-Italian!) who has the same sort of insecurities. I’ve never been able to tan, though the majority of my family are dark haired, olive skinned folks (including my two sisters). I’ve gotten teased for years on being so pale, and was made very aware of how I looked in pure white the moment I started trying it on. However, once I picked an ivory gown, I never thought once about my skin–besides, I’m sure your fiance loves you for who you are (my fiance is EXTREMELY attracted to my pale skin!).
@Lola518: Aw, thank you. I will definitely keep these tips mind. I have a make-up artist hired. So, hoping she can do the trick to keep me looking glowing.
@Miss Castle: Good thing you tested it out earlier so you know. I considered doing that, but then I was too cheap lol.
@Mrs. Hermit Crab: Thank you! So, are you! Gotta love being the pale redhead in a crowd of olive skinned brunettes in NYC. 
@sparklequeen: Interesting! I never knew that about the sugar/amino acids!
@Red Poppy: Thank you! Have fun in Miami! Definitely take advantage of those rays of sunlight. 
@Mrs. Pony: Thank you P. I tend to get flustered/pinkish when I’m warm/drinking/doing anything more than sitting on my couch and breathing SO hoping that will help me as well.
@saramettes: Thanks! I really think I look like a corpse in that non-tan pic! Lol. Glad to know people see it in a different way.
@Miss Dragon: Yay for pale brides. We should start a support group, haha.
@Jamieg: Everyone always tells me I need a tan. But, I figure if Mr. P doesn’t even care, then who really cares? You definitely don’t NEED the tanning bed, but it’s up to you.
@ddavila2001: WOW, that is cheap! Luckily you get dark/your skin is less sensitive. I always come out of tanning beds looking like a tomato, which definitely can’t be good lol.
Mrs. Porcupine, NYC/Lancaster, PA Age and Occupation: 26, Sales Coordinator/Publishing Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Assistant Manager/Sales Engagement Date: August 8, 2010 Wedding Date: March 2012 Venue: Riverdale Manor About Me: I'm a born and bred New Yorker with a love/hate relationship for the city I have always called home. Although I may seem quiet from afar, I have a loud personality once you get to know me. I am a book nerd at heart, but love a night out in the city with good friends. I have a serious addiction to all things cheese, chocolate, cardigans, Mexican food, and reality TV. The future hubs and I met in college, settled in New York, and decided to go with a rustic/peacock infused wedding in Lancaster, PA, right near his hometown. Come the big day, we will be together 5 years, and we're looking forward to making it official!
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