When Irena Karanetz married in Miami this spring, she looked naturally radiant. It was (in her words) a “truly magical and special day,” but her fresh-faced glow wasn’t purely from joy: it had been carefully cultivated by a series of cosmetic treatments in the months leading up to the event.
The bride wore Botox in her upper face, Bellafill in her nasolabial folds, and Juvéderm Volbella in her subtly plump lips. Her rejuvenated skin came courtesy of Lumecca IPL and Morpheus8 radiofrequency microneedling, paired with Rejuran.
The groom, looking refreshed and fit, had also prepped for the event with liposuction of the abdomen, followed by injectables Dysport and Bellafill.
Pre-wedding aesthetic treatments were top-of-mind for this couple because Dr. Irena Karanetz is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Brooklyn. But she and her new husband are far from alone in getting some work done to look “wedding ready.”
In an age where every guest has a camera and every marriage becomes a social media moment, it’s now common for wedding beauty plans (and budgets) to include at least one—and often several—appointments with a dermatologist, injector, aesthetician, cosmetic dentist, or plastic surgeon.
So what are beauty-conscious couples and their wedding parties having done?
To find out, RealSelf asked 20 top doctors across the U.S. which cosmetic treatment trends are dominating this wedding season—and the celebrities, influencers, and TikTok trends driving them.These experts also clued us into the most popular quick fixes for the weeks just before the big day, how spending habits are shifting amid economic uncertainty, and the “red flag” treatments to avoid close to the event. (Find more about treatment timing in our Ultimate Wedding Timeline for Cosmetic Procedures.)
Top treatment trends this wedding season
Natural-looking enhancement is the goal
A recurring theme from our experts is that all members of the wedding party want to look like the best version of themselves. At these high-stakes occasions with guests they may not have seen in years, no one wants people to wonder what happened to their face. Couples and their parents are opting for treatments that make them look more youthful, but not obviously “done.”
“There’s also a significant demand for sculpted, lifted features without looking overdone, a look popularized by influencers and celebrities like Hailey Bieber and Bella Hadid,” says Dr. Deborah Longwill, a board-certified dermatologist in Miami. Many of her bridal party patients request “subtle yet effective aesthetic tweaks” like “micro-dosing Botox and baby lip flips.”
In Dallas, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. John Burns has seen bridal aesthetic trends shifting “away from the Hollywood glam scene, becoming more local and social media driven.” As “people gravitate toward those who are more like them,” his patients are bringing in “photos of their favorite social media influencers with ‘goal’ photos” that are more realistic than magazine spreads of the past.
Radiant skin tops wish lists
As seen in so many recent celebrity weddings, healthy, glowing, smooth skin has become the priority for brides, grooms, and bridesmaids. “As seen at the weddings of Olivia Culpo & Christian McCaffrey, Millie Bobby Brown & Jake Bongiovi, Annie Clark & Luke Karaim, and Alex Cooper & Matt Kaplan, radiant, flawless skin remains the ultimate beauty essential,” according to board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Barry Weintraub in New York City.
Brides and bridesmaids are also influenced by the luminous “glass skin” K-beauty trend, the TikTok-fueled clean girl aesthetic, and effortless beauty of celebrities like Hailey Bieber and Sofia Richie Grainge.
“The soft, clean glam aesthetic, made famous by Hailey Bieber, has become a go-to bridal trend,” says Dr. Suzette Miranda, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Seattle. “Brides are prioritizing fresh, hydrated skin with a radiant, ‘glass-like’ glow. To achieve this, treatments like BBL facials are in high demand.”
Dr. Longwill says her practice sees entire wedding parties, including parents of the bride and groom, “come in for HydraFacials, DiamondGlow, PRP microneedling, and light peels to brighten and rejuvenate their skin. SkinVive has also become particularly popular for achieving a deeply hydrated, glass-like glow.”
Brides still book the most treatments
In the past year, 69% of the RealSelf reviews that mention getting a pre-wedding procedure were written by brides. Of those, 70% had a surgical procedure, primarily facial plastic surgery like rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, and chin liposuction.
“More brides are turning to cosmetic enhancements to achieve the picture-perfect look they envision for their wedding day, often viewing it as a way to celebrate a new chapter in their lives with a fresh physical transformation,” says Dr. Urmen Desai, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills.
In addition to being inspired by celebrities, brides are reportedly bringing in goal photos of a wide range of social media influencers (and micro-influencers).
Grooms are leveling up, too
Seven doctors specifically called out rising demand for aesthetic treatments for grooms, citing hair restoration, liposuction, “Brotox” (for wrinkle smoothing and sweat reduction), laser skin resurfacing, and chin and jawline contouring with fillers as top choices. Some grooms are even booking eyelid surgery, facelifts, neck lifts, and chin lipo.
Board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Campbell in Delafield, WI, says celebrities like Chris Evans and David Beckham have “made skin care and structured jawlines a big deal.”
“Grooms are working on their skincare too, with lasers and injectables,” according to Dr. Dilip Madnani, board-certified facial plastic surgeon in New York City. He also sees grooms “wanting a thicker look to their hair having PRP with exosome treatments.”
“For grooms, we have seen a significant increase in hair transplantation procedures, particularly follicular unit extraction (FUE),” says board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Wise in North New Jersey. “This requires some planning because optimal results from hair restoration procedures typically take 6 to 12 months to manifest.”
In Chicago, Dr. Gregory Turowski is also seeing more grooms seeking out hair transplant surgery. He underscores that the ideal timing is “a year before, to have full effect.”
Parents are booking facial plastic surgery
Mothers and fathers of the bride and groom are springing for procedures like facelifts and eyelid surgery, wanting to look more youthful when they reunite with family and friends.
Among RealSelf reviews from the past year that mention prepping for a wedding, 17% are written by mothers of the bride or groom; most had a facial plastic surgery procedure. Surgeons say parents are planning their procedures up to a year in advance of the occasion, allowing ample time for healing. “We see mothers and fathers of the brides and grooms seeking to get ‘wedding-ready’ by embarking on comprehensive surgical procedures such as facelifts, blepharoplasties, and fat transfers,” Dr. Wise reports.
Wedding prep spending remains a priority
All of the doctors who weighed in said they have not seen a decline in bookings for pre-wedding cosmetic treatments, even in the face of recent economic uncertainty.
“This is such an important day that people are more willing to spend money than they might otherwise,” says Dr. Pamela Henderson, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Scottsdale, AZ.
Dr. Turowski points out that it’s “most likely a once-in-a-lifetime event” and “pictures are forever.”
Seattle-based board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Shahram Salemy is also seeing steady demand. “Even in the current economic climate, we’ve found that people are still prioritizing these procedures, seeing them as an investment in their confidence and happiness on one of the most important days of their lives,” he says. “For many, aesthetic procedures like rhinoplasty or breast augmentation have been something they’ve considered for years, and planning a wedding often provides that extra motivation to finally take the plunge.”
However, several providers say wedding parties are being more strategic in how they spend.
“I’ve noticed a shift toward high-value, multi-benefit treatments,” says Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Orange County, CA. “Patients are looking for long-lasting, natural enhancements.” For example, “many brides prioritize combination treatments like laser skin rejuvenation plus injectable hydration rather than multiple rounds of filler. Similarly, fat transfer is replacing breast implants for a more natural look, while also contouring the body. Parents of the couple are investing in facial rejuvenation procedures with lasting results, such as deep-plane facelifts, rather than temporary fixes with Botox and fillers.”
In Danville, CA, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Sonia Badreshia-Bansal sees “a growing trend toward cost-effective, non-invasive treatments” before the event. When patients do opt for plastic surgery, it’s either “planned well ahead of time or postponed until after the wedding, as couples balance desired outcomes with budgetary considerations.”
Dr. Heirs reports that while her patients are “budgeting treatments in with the other wedding expenses,” they’re often “using financing to help pay aesthetic expenses.”
The most in-demand pre-wedding cosmetic procedures
1. Neuromodulators
Almost all of our experts cited the popularity of neurotoxins like Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, Letybo, or Daxxify, with most saying they’re the #1 most-requested pre-wedding treatment in their practice.
Botox helps brides avoid makeup caking in creases and gives grooms a “polished” look, says Dr. Miranda.
The benefits extend beyond relaxing fine lines and wrinkles. “For young grooms (between 25 and 45), the most in-demand aesthetic procedure by far is neurotoxin for their foreheads and their elevens, but also for their armpits for hyperhidrosis (sweat control),” says Dr. Sheila Barbarino, a board-certified oculoplastic surgeon in Austin, TX.
2. Injectable fillers
Over 63% of the providers we surveyed cited dermal fillers like Juvéderm, Restylane, Radiesse, and the RHA Collection as some of the most in-demand treatments. Hyaluronic acid-based fillers are the most popular choice, adding subtle volume to “lips, cheeks, temples or under-eye area for a refreshed and youthful look,” says Dr. Karanetz.
Dr. Ho Taghva often gets requests from brides for “liquid rhinoplasty to enhance bridge aesthetics,” as well as fillers for cheek and jawline contouring. This combination “provides instant, natural-looking facial balance.” This trend of “facial balancing” with injectables has been amplified on TikTok, notes Dr. Badreshia-Bansal.
Dr. Christine Hamori, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Boston, sees brides looking for cheek and lip fillers for subtle volume and shape, while grooms are more interested in a stronger chin and jawline. She prefers the RHA Collection for cheeks and lips, and Radiesse for crisp jawlines.
“Lip fillers remain highly popular, especially since lips are a key focal point in wedding photography,” says Dr. Miranda. “This trend has been influenced by Kylie Jenner, who popularized fuller lips but has now embraced a more subtle full look, inspiring brides to follow suit.”
Multiple providers told us that the trend with pre-wedding fillers is subtle refinement. Dr. Barbarino reports she’s even “dissolving quite a bit of filler” for brides (and other patients) because they’ve been spooked by an over-filled look on someone they follow on social media or on the red carpet.
3. Nonsurgical skin rejuvenation treatments
Over half of the doctors who weighed in say skin rejuvenation treatments—often performed in combination—are among the most-requested pre-wedding appointments.
Dr. Barbrino says her pre-event patients are gravitating toward regenerative skin treatments like microneedling with polydeoxyribonucleotides (aka PDRN), the “salmon sperm facial” made famous by Kim and Khloé Kardashian. “Celebrities and social media influencers are having these treatments done, and they look so good.”
To achieve radiant, firm skin with a smooth texture, brides, bridesmaids, and a growing contingent of grooms are asking for:
- Light to medium chemical peels
- Laser resurfacing treatments like Moxi or Clear + Brilliant
- Multistep facials like HydraFacial or DiamondGlow
- Morpheus8, Vivace, Secret RF, and other radiofrequency microneedling treatments
- PRP microneedling (aka a Vampire facial)
- BBL Hero and other IPL photofacials
- SkinVive, a hyaluronic-acid gel that’s injected superficially to boost hydration
4. Facial plastic surgery
While some cautioned that drastic changes are rarely a good idea too close to a wedding, 25% of the doctors we surveyed say facial plastic surgery procedures are popular with couples and their parents.
Facelifts to smooth folds, eliminate jowls, and refresh the face are often paired with fat grafting, to fill in hollows and contour areas like the upper cheek.
“I see a lot of mothers of brides and grooms wanting to look their best for this special day,” and they’re “seeking facelifts in preparation,” says board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Raymond Lee in Newport Beach, CA.
Dr. Campbell sees a similar trend, with celebrities like Lindsay Lohan driving demand. While her stunning transformation “may have been due to some pretty significant nonsurgical treatments,” he believes (like many surgeons) that “she most likely had a deep plane facelift and some fat grafting. When performed by experienced hands, this can create an amazing rejuvenation that looks completely natural.”
In New Jersey, Dr. Wise also points to “a tremendous influence from celebrities who have undergone tasteful plastic surgery.” He sees “a significant uptick in eyelid and facelift procedures” for brides and mothers of the bride, with celebs like “Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Christina Aguilera” driving the trend.
With or without a facelift, chin and neck liposuction is also a popular choice to reduce a double chin and streamline the contour between the neck and jawline. Seattle-based, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jennifer Reichel helps a lot of brides who want to enhance their profile with neck liposuction. She often pairs it with a nonsurgical skin tightening treatment like Facetite, Ultherapy, or Morpheus8.
A growing number of brides in their 30s and 40s are also opting for eyelid surgery (aka blepharoplasty) to create a more youthful, defined lid contour—a trend we also covered in our Spring Real Talk Report. It’s possible to look “restaurant ready” within a few weeks of an eye lift, but best to schedule this procedure three months (or more) in advance to allow time for swelling to fully resolve.
5. Liposuction for body contouring
Another 25% of the doctors who weighed in say they’re seeing brides and grooms seeking out liposuction to sculpt their arms, abdomen, and flanks.
In San Antonio, TX, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Connie Hiers says liposuction to remove areas of excess fat is the most-requested pre-wedding procedure—by both brides and grooms. Liposuction is a one-and-done procedure with predictable results, and the fat that’s removed can be transferred to anywhere you want more volume.
Several providers say members of the wedding party are having nonsurgical fat reduction treatments, starting at least two months pre-event. “Body contouring treatments like CoolSculpting and EmSculpt are trending as subtle ways to sculpt and tone the body,” says Dr. Badreshia-Bansal.
Those who want more significant weight loss are also starting GLP-1s like semaglutide at least 3 months in advance.
6. Breast augmentation
Fuller breasts are also a priority for a lot of brides, according to the plastic surgeons who weighed in.
“Many women are choosing breast augmentation to achieve a fuller, more symmetrical bust that complements their wedding dress, particularly as bridal fashion often highlights the chest and shoulder area,” says Dr. Desai. “The confidence boost that comes with enhanced physical appearance can be empowering, helping brides feel more comfortable and self-assured as they walk down the aisle.” New surgical techniques that allow quick recovery have “made it easier for brides to undergo surgery with minimal disruption to their wedding plans.”
One note of caution from Dr. Burns: buy your dress after you’ve recovered from breast surgery or liposuction. “Any dramatic change in your body might render your wedding dress unwearable.”
“Red flag” treatments to avoid close to your event
All of our experts emphasize that in the lead-up to your event, it’s not worth the risk to get an aggressive procedure that might have significant downtime or side effects. “Planning well in advance gives you peace of mind and ensures that you’ll look and feel your absolute best when all eyes are on you,” says Dr. Salemy. Don’t try anything too new at the last minute—and find a provider you fully trust.
Even minimally invasive procedures like injectables may require touch-ups to give you the best result. Get your Botox and fillers 1 to 2 months prior to be on the safe side, and “do not try out a new injector too close to the event. It takes time for us to properly learn your face,” says Dr. Madnani.
Laura Stelk, an APRN at Dr. Burns’s practice who specializes in injectables, says it’s risky to get lip fillers too close to the big day. “Even with an experienced injector, lips can swell or bruise, so it’s best to schedule this at least six weeks in advance.”
In the month before a wedding, steer clear of:
- Plastic surgery (any kind). Rhinoplasty, tummy tucks, breast augmentation, facelifts, and even liposuction all come with some degree of swelling, bruising, scars, and the possibility of results not being fully settled in time for the event. Have any surgical procedures at least 3 months in advance (ideally 6 months or more for rhinoplasty).
- Aggressive chemical peels. Don’t chance red, peeling, irritated skin too close to your event. Book them several months out, and then focus on maintaining your results.
- Ablative or fractional laser treatments. Lasers that remove some or all of the top layer of skin can make skin look swollen and inflamed for weeks. In this window, opt for a gentle laser—and have a test spot done (in an inconspicuous area) before they zap your full face.
- Radiofrequency microneedling. It can take a few weeks for the skin to fully heal, and some RealSelf reviewers have also reported lingering grid marks or other textural changes—especially those who were treated by a poorly trained provider. Don’t chance it.
Most-requested quick fixes
So what can you safely do, if you need a quick glow-up within a month of your event?
Prioritize treatments with near-immediate results, minimal recovery time, and a low chance of complications. Here’s what our experts recommend.
- Botox or other neurotoxins. Results appear within a week or two, but Dr. Salemy says it’s “best done 1-2 months before the event to allow the results to fully settle.” Go to an experienced, well-trained injector who knows your face.
- Dermal fillers. Results are immediate, but because “fillers may cause bruising and persistent swelling,” Dr. Lee recommends having them “at least 1 month in advance of the wedding day.” For optimal results, do a trial run several months ahead of time.
- HydraFacial. A series of monthly treatments is ideal, but Dr. Badreshia-Bansal says that even one session can give skin an instant glow that’s very apparent in photos. Dr. Miranda agrees: “Hydrating facials are ideal in the week leading up to the wedding for a luminous, photo-ready complexion.” They also refine skin texture for “flawless makeup application,” says Dr. Weintraub.
- IPL treatments like BBL (Broadband Light), nonablative lasers like Clear + Brilliant, and light chemical peels. These gentle, effective treatments brighten and even skin tone.
- Microneedling with PRP or PDRN (Rejuran). This celeb-favorite regenerative treatment improves skin texture, minimizes pores, and boosts glow.
- SkinVive. “This is the only hyaluronic-acid-based injectable that is not intended to volumize,” says Dr. Weintraub. Instead, it gives “the skin a supple, dewy glow.”
- Professional teeth whitening. Far more powerful than at-home kits, in-office treatments can make teeth up to six shades whiter in a single session.
- Dermaplaning “removes dead skin and peach fuzz for a flawless, glasslike glow,” says Dr. Miranda, and creates “the perfect canvas for makeup,” according to Laura Stelk.
An experienced provider—ideally a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon—can advise you on your best options. Some, like Dr. Weintraub, even offer bespoke combination treatments like “White Carpet Facials,” designed to make brides shine.
The 2025 Wedding Glow-Up Real Talk Report pairs insights from RealSelf reviews, search data, and 20 board-certified, RealSelf Verified doctors. Find procedure guides, patient-reported costs, and Worth It Ratings on RealSelf or send questions to contactus@realself.com.
