5 Tips for Choosing Bridal Jewelry
Your wedding day is your time to shine … literally!
Veils and hair accessories are probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of bridal accessories, but jewelry is one of the smaller details that can put the finishing touches on your bridal look. It can become slightly overwhelming trying to pick out the pieces that will look best with your wedding gown. Do you wear a necklace, a bracelet, or maybe a pair of statement earrings? There are so many options and no hard rules for what you can wear. But, generally speaking, less is more. You want to be smart about your jewelry choices and pick pieces that will compliment your gown and still look good in wedding portraits 10 years from now. If you need a little guidance on how to choose bridal jewelry that works for you, we have our five top tips to think about while you shop!
Play Off Your Style
Wedding gowns aren’t an everyday fashion choice, but chances are you wear at least one piece of jewelry with all of your outfits! If you never leave the house without a pair of stud earrings or an armful of bangles, use that as a starting point for your bridal jewelry. Take note of those staple pieces and give them a glitzy upgrade for your wedding, this way you can incorporate your everyday style into your bridal look and buy jewelry you can still use post-wedding!
Photography by @sheofthewoods
Photography by Lynne Reznick
Work In Heirlooms Early
If you’re planning to wear an heirloom piece of jewelry for your wedding, whether that’s your grandmother’s pearl necklace or a pair of sapphire drop earrings, use it as the base for the rest of your jewelry choices. This will make it easier for you to decide on other jewelry pieces, if you have a statement necklace then you may want to keep the rest of your jewelry super simple with stud earrings and no bracelet. You may also want to take it with you while you dress shop if you haven’t already purchased a gown, to ensure that it will match your dress. It would be disheartening to make a gown or other jewelry purchases and discover your heirloom is clashing.
Match Your Metals
Let the color of your wedding gown guide your jewelry choices! Mixing metals is always an option, but certain metals do look better with specific fabric colors. Typically, white gowns pair well with silver or platinum, ivory or champagne gowns go with gold jewelry, and blush gowns are complemented by rose gold. If your gown has embellishments or embroidery you also want to consider those accent colors and use them as a tell for the metal of your jewelry. Trust your instincts and go with the metal base that you feel works best with your wedding gown.
Photography by Alyssa Parker Photography
Photography by Jessie Wyman & Christina Anne
Consider Your Neckline
Your jewelry is meant to accentuate specific features of your gown, so you should choose pieces that don’t clash with your neckline. Otherwise, it may look too cluttered or out of place. With a high neckline or halter gown, you want your neckline to shine. Opt for more delicate pieces like a thin bracelet, cocktail ring, or drop earrings instead of a necklace. For a wedding gown with a strapless or sweetheart neckline, pick a standout piece of jewelry, whether that’s a short necklace to create some height on your neckline or a pair of chandelier earrings. A v-neckline gown calls for a layering of pieces with a necklace and earring combo to accentuate your neckline.
Be Mindful of Comfort
We’ve all experienced those earaches after wearing heavy earrings all day. Similar to shoes, you will be wearing your bridal jewelry for hours on end, so you want to make sure it’s comfortable to wear. Heavier baubles like chandelier earrings or thick necklaces will weigh you down, so you want to keep that in mind when jewelry shopping. It’s also possible to switch up your accessories from ceremony to reception, so you can choose to wear your heavier or more embellished pieces during the reception and keep it simple for the ceremony.
Photography by Cassidy Lynne
Share this with a bride who is putting together her bridal look and check out our lookbooks for some more bridal inspiration. Need a wedding veil or hair accessory to complete your bridal look? Browse our collection of accessories that range from traditional tulle veils to trendy bows!
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