Your wedding day will live ad infinitum through all the pictures that are taken of the event. And guess what? That single out of place hair, splotchy mascara job, and unfortunately hitched up pant leg will stay with you too. Each time you look at your wedding photos your eyes will be forcibly drawn to that inadvertent and lasting faux pas rather than the beautiful smile on your lips and the sparkle of excitement in your spouse’s eyes. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Trips down memory lane taken with the assistance of your wedding photo album do not have to be relegated to an active game of regretful longing. Here are a few ideas to help you make sure that most of your wedding photos look perfect.

1. Put your Maid of Honor in charge: Your Maid of Honor has a lot of duties on your wedding day, but the most important should be making sure that you look good. Ask her to check your hair, your dress, your husband’s wedding suit or tux, your make-up—everything—before the photographer says, “Cheese!”
2. Don’t try anything too new: If you are doing your own makeup, don’t experiment with anything you haven’t used before. Use all the same cosmetics that you usually use, only a little bit heavier so your features look more pronounced in pictures.
3. Use waterproof mascara: Your wedding + tears of joy= waterproof mascara.
4. Let a pro “do” your face: Having a professional makeup artist apply your makeup on your wedding day is often a great way to ensure that quality, non-smudging cosmetics are used and applied properly.
5. Use blotting paper: If you have greasy skin you might be tempted to carry some powder foundation with you and reapply frequently. Unfortunately, this can leave you with makeup on your clothes and in your hair, dark lines around the perimeter of your face, and unblended (and very noticeable) makeup blotches. Instead, buy some absorbent blotting papers to soak up the grease, reduce your shine in photos, and avoid foundation issues.
6. Body tape is your friend: There is nothing worse than ill-fitting garments in your wedding photos. If you have shoulders that won’t stay up, buttons that gape open and a dress that shifts badly when you move, use body tape to keep it in place. Remember the J Lo Versace with one strategically placed accessory holding it together? Invisible body tape was the real star that night.
7. Have a tiny mirror: Keep a small lipstick mirror in the palm of your hand so you can quickly check your vital areas before any photographs are snapped.
8. Don’t rub your eyes: Do not put your hands anywhere near your face or hair after they are done. Be aware of any nervous or unconscious gestures you have—like raking your fingers through your hair or rubbing your eyes—and stop yourself before you perform them.
9. Hire a professional photographer: Professional photographers are paid to make you look good in photos. Not only that, but they are often skilled in the illustrious art of Photoshop, which can get rid of pimples and stray hairs, can even out skin tones, make you look thinner and can even make the Sex and the City girls look 20 years younger. It really is a powerful magic.

And there you have it, nine simple tips to make sure that your wedding pictures look fantabulous for decades to come so you can head off to your honeymoon in peace!