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Uh I wouldn't recommend going the same week as your wedding! Well at least for me The first time I go you can hardly tell the difference, i go the week after and I turn a little red, on the third week i turn super red but then it turns into a nice golden brown....it depends on your skin though.
You said you're getting married in a week...there's no way you'll get enough color in a tanning bed in ONE week. 2-3 times a week and you could end up burned big time. Even if you lay out...oh man. It's not really intense enough to do that in many places.
I'd suggest a spray tan but that's kinda scary since you've never gone.
If you DO go tanning...don't go for more than 5 minutes at a time. It really takes (for me anyways) more like 2 weeks before i feel like i have any color.
I agree that this depends on your skin type-especially if you're really pale, you may end up turning a nice pink at first and we all know no one wants to be a pink bride! If you know you can tan relatively easy, hit up the tanning bed every other day starting right this second :)
Most tanning salons have higher level beds that have "bronzing" bulbs in them, instead of "reddening" bulbs. I am fair-skinned and those always work the best for me, as far as tanning and not burning. They also have lotions that help bring out instant colour. Take it slow the first day or two. If you start feeling "tingly" before the time is up, just get out early. Otherwise, I would just go every day, upping your time a little bit each session.
I work in the medical field, too. Denial is our favorite hobby.
SPRAY TAN. Not in those Mystic tanning booths, but have a professional airbrush tan you prior to the wedding. My favorite is Tan Envy (www.tanenvy.com). Check to see if there is a local consultant in your area. I have also heard great things about Nordstroms.
Thanks everyone! Why didn't I notice this earlier?!?! Well, I do tan pretty easily, I think i'll go today just for a few minutes like everyone said, then maybe Monday?
@fionaleigh- what lotion? Will that make me splotchy too?
SPRAY TAN! The airbrush kind. They're amazing, it takes like 30 minutes max and you look more natural than a tanning bed... and you don't have to worry about any negative side effects.
@crissycakes: They usually recommend you use tanning lotion before you use the beds. The tan takes better to moisturized skin. Plus a lot of the lotions have accelerants and bronzers in them to help you look tan faster.
I use this one. It smells okay.
Ditto the Spray Tan- use a professional who has plenty of experience. Have them use the clear- and there's no smell.
@crissycakes, i have never had the indoor tanning lotions make me splotchy, like the sunless tanning lotions do (like from walmart or mary kay). the tanning bed lotions moisturize your skin to help soak in the rays (moisturized skin tans so much better than dry skin) and have added nutrients that your skin needs for optimal results...many of them also contain bronzers, which help with the "browning" look, but don't turn me orange. i don't know what brands your salon carries, but just ask them what lotion will give you the quickest results, without burning. if you tan easily, you will have no trouble having a healthy glow within the next week :)
i have never had a spray tan done (even though one of my friends owns her own spray-tan company!), because i just get so orange and splotchy from self-tanners. and i always see people with uneven splotchiness around their wrists, fingers, ankles, etc after they have had a spray tan done. but maybe it's just a skin-tone thing, because so many people swear by them.
Although I have never gotten the spray tan I hear it works awesome! I a girl at my work got married an month ago and got a spray tan and she has a great glow! Def try that! Tanning might not get you the results you are looking for!
i dont think going a couple times in a tanning bed is going to do much for you, and you dont want to risk burning. If you're that pale, it would take a while to build up a noticeable base, probably 3-4 sessions, which you can't get done in a week... i'd probably get a professional spray tan.
Yea, its too late to start tanning now and honestly 2-3 times isnt going to do anything for you. Sorry!
I suggest getting an airbrush tan and that means someone is physically spraying you down. When in May is your wedding? I wouldn't do it the week of just because it may not come out right and you need time to scrub it off. If you have time, I would go for a trial run and if you like it, get it done a day or 2 before your wedding and then be very careful when showering so it looks good.
Have you tried the Jergens? I really like that and it gives you a nice glow without looking fake, just some color.
Spray tans and I don't get along well since I have dry skin and suck at exfoliating.
I am also ghost white, but went tanning for about 2 months once before my senior recital. I just started tanning again for my wedding.
If you can get in there three times, you'll probably get just enough color to not look dead.
I would upgrade to the higher quality bed, or the upright tanner (which I prefer, it doesn't burn my ass) and pick up a small pouch of lotion that includes a light bronzer and tanning excellorator. The better beds do tan you faster - but I would go for like half the max time your first time in, and if you start to feel overly hot or "burning" in any area, step out. Don't let yourself turn red, your body will tell you when you've hit capacity. Go M/W/F. Give yourself a day to recover in between sessions. Also, pick up one of those "tramp stickers" and put it somewhere where no one else will see it (I usually do my abs) so you can gauge how much of a color change you've gone through after each session.
Ya know, I kind of disagree with some of the posters that have said 3 sessions won't do anything for you. I noticed a difference in my skin tone after three sessions of tanning. Maybe it just depends on your skin tone. I used a tan accelerator that seemed to work really well. @Silverbrooke gave good suggestions - do the highest quality bed and don't stay in very long the first time.
I also agree with farmersdaughter!
I started tanning for my June wedding now and I've only gone 3 times. I don't use tanning accelerator and I'm already seeing a huge improvement in my color. I keep myself moisterized with normal skin lotion but I also started at a lower time and worked up a bit (10 min the first 2 times, then 12 and so on).
I think it depends on your skin. I tan pretty well so maybe that's just me.
Thanks everyone!! I think I'm going to try tanning beds. I can probably fit three times in, I'll def. use an accelerator. I do tan easily, I just work most daylight hours and haven't seen sun since September and it shows. 
I don't need to be bronzed and looking like I just had a vacation, I just don't want to look like the walking dead, especially in pictures. And, yes I am terrified enough of the spray tans making me splotchy that I don't want to try it for the first time a week before my wedding. I can't believe I didn't notice this earlier...
I highly recommend using the super high beds that most salons should have. I nomally burn in the sun the first few times I'm out, but never ever burn in these super high beds. Use a tanning accelerator and in two sessions you shouldn't look pale in pictures. I only use tanning beds right before vacations to avoid burning...once I have a base tan, I'm good in the sun! Normally I'm just super pale. Don't do the medium beds!! You'll probably burn and that would NOT be good! The regular beds you probably won't be able to get any color until after several sessions. Good luck!!
Hire someone to come to your house and spray you. Not the spray bed, but like with the airbrush.
It's a miracle worker, I swear. :)
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First, I know it's bad for you i work in the medical field.
I'm getting married in a week and in pictures at an event I took last week I look half dead. Not kidding. I have never come across a self tanner that didn't either splotch me or stink to high heaven. i have very dry skin, so exfoliation helps, but I'm still splotchy.
Soooooooo, I'm thinking of hitting the tanning beds a couple times to try to get a "glow", and two or three times over the next week shouldn't hurt anything, i'm not going to become a tanning addict, what should i do?!?!?