Love is more than just a pretty face, but let’s be honest - on your wedding day, we all want that picture-perfect smile! Seems easy enough, right? Then suddenly, you are flipping through your photos, and *gasp* there it is – that dreaded double chin! Now, you could spend an entire week binge watching Tyra Banks on America’s Next Top Model give girls coaching on how to thrust that chin forward, or you could read on below and save that time for addressing your wedding invitations!

Secret #1: Pull your shoulders back, push your chest out slightly, and gently extend your head forward. This is a great way to avoid that double chin. It may feel a bit awkward and weird, but Tyra says that makes for the prettiest pictures anyway. It also helps to accentuate your collarbone, allowing your shoulders and neck to look thinner.

Secret #2: Angle your face. Try to avoid direct head-on shots as these can sometimes result in an absence of shadows, and this can make your face appear wider. Instead, turn your head just slightly to the right or left, tilt your chin outwards and downwards and look at something just above your natural line of sight. This has the added bonus of emanating a soft and demure pose.

Secret #3: This one may also seem a little strange at first, but you’ll swear by its results! Press your tongue to the roof of your mouth while smiling. This draws very subtle tension into your jawline – an effective way to avoid the double chin, and also aids to elongate your neck.

Bonus Tip: “Look Away Trick” – this one takes practice, but is easy enough to do in the privacy of your own house (something I suggest since it could look a bit strange to anyone who might be watching – trust me). Instead of freezing your smile in place for a hundred photos, try looking away from the camera and look back with a big smile just before the snap of the shutter. Your smile will be more genuine and fresh, lighting up your eyes, and making for a gorgeous shot!

Tyra’s Bonus Tip: “The Smize” – Tyra loves this word, a mash-up of her most-used phrase on ANTM, “Smile with your eyes.” If you don’t like to show off those pearly whites, this is a great tip for you. Take a second to relax your face, open your mouth just slightly, and allow your lower lip to match the curve of your upper teeth. Tilt your chin just barely down, look up at the camera with your eyes, and faintly lower your lids – be sure to channel all the happiness of your big day to shine through!

So let’s face it, maybe you didn’t lose that last five pounds before lacing up your gown, but who’s going to notice when you’ve got a face like Tyra Banks?

Okay, so we all do it. We see photos of celebrities on the red carpet with their super high heels, lean legs, and flat stomachs and then we look at photos of ourselves. One bad photo of yourself is enough to make you delete Instagram and swear off social events all together. But you can’t miss your best friend’s wedding next week, and there will be pictures – lots of them. So here’s some advice on how to pose for photos and turn that wedding aisle into a glamorous catwalk.

Secret #1: Turn partially sideways to the camera and plant one foot in front of the other. Point your toe and place your weight on your back leg. This works best to minimize the size of your waste and accentuate your legs – a great way to show off all those hamstring reps you’ve been doing.

Secret #2: Try to avoid facing the camera head on, but rather, stand at an angle. Drop one shoulder so it is comfortably lower than the other. Celebrities use this trick to make their body appear smaller and draw attention to their face.

Secret #3: If you have to be photographed straightforward, try a tip from the fashion bloggers around the world: cross your ankles. This works well in long and short dresses, makes your hips look slimmer, legs look longer, and gives off a more casual vibe.

Bonus Tip: Celebs love using props. I mean, come on Scarlett Johansson, we all know you’re pregnant – those strategic baggy overalls aren’t fooling anyone. Instead, hold a small clutch or purse, or try wearing a stylish jacket to hide unflattering parts a la Gwyneth Paltrow – now there’s a woman who knows how to stylishly and strategically hide a baby bump.

Image Credit: Richard Young                                                    Image Credit: ETOnline — Image Credit: Richard Young Image Credit: ETOnline

Then there’s the good old fashion fallbacks – a good pair of Spanx Hosiery, and you’ve got that tight, flat stomach without ever entering the gym. Spray tans also help to accentuate muscle toning and give a thinner appearance, plus you have the added bonus of looking like you just got back from a beach vacay!

Practice these advice tips in front of your mirror at home, wear your dress to get a good idea of which poses work, and if all else fails, just claim you were trying to look your worst, so that the bride could be the true celebrity star of the day!