Choosing the right jewelry for your wedding day can be overwhelming, but there are some tips to help you make the right decision. Here are some important tips to consider when choosing your wedding day jewelry:
- Less is more. Don’t overdo it with too many pieces of jewelry. Keep it simple and elegant.
- Match your metals to your dress. If your dress is white, platinum, white gold, and silver jewelry are often the favorites, but yellow gold is also a good choice.
- Consider your dress’s neckline. If you are going to wear a necklace, pick one that follows the neckline of your dress. For example, with a strapless or off-shoulder dress, a statement necklace draws attention to the chest, while a more refined necklace or choker can focus on collarbones. If you have a V-neck dress, you can opt for subtle earrings.
- Pair your wedding jewelry with your gown’s fabric. If your dress is made with lace fabric, jewelry with pearls and/or crystals can be a good choice.
- Choose jewelry that accents your dress. Mimic your dress details with your jewelry. For example, if your dress has a lovely floral pattern, choose jewelry with a similar design.
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Remember, these are general tips, and it’s important to choose jewelry that makes you feel beautiful and authentic on your special day.
Affordable options for wedding day jewelry
While it might not be every day that you get to wear a wedding dress, chances are you’re a bit more familiar with wearing jewelry. You know what works and what you feel most confident in, so let that be a baseline for your overall bridal look. “If you never wear earrings, let’s not use your wedding day as the first time you bring out a statement earring,” explains Hartman.
Instead, take note of the pieces you feel most comfortable in and turn those up a notch. Never leave home without a stud? Find a more formal version with multiple stones. Love a good arm candy stack? Layer two glitzy bracelets of the same style.
If you’re looking for affordable options for wedding day jewelry, there are plenty of options available. Here are some places to start your search:
- Modern Gents. This website offers a collection of affordable bridal jewelry, including necklaces, earrings, and other wedding jewelry. They have a variety of styles and materials to choose from, and their prices are reasonable.
- The Budget Savvy Bride. This website has a list of the best places to find affordable wedding jewelry, including Amazon, BHLDN, David’s Bridal, and Etsy. These retailers offer a range of styles and prices to fit any budget.
- Affordable Elegance Bridal. This website offers a selection of glamorous bridal and bridesmaid jewelry at affordable prices. They have a variety of styles to choose from, including necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.
- Etsy. Etsy is a great place to find unique and affordable wedding jewelry. You can find handmade pieces from independent sellers, and there are plenty of options to fit any style and budget.
- Lulus. Lulus offers a selection of affordable wedding jewelry for the bride, bridesmaids, and guests. They have a variety of styles to choose from, including necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.
- Amazon. Amazon has a wide selection of bridal jewelry at affordable prices. You can find everything from simple and elegant pieces to more elaborate designs.
Remember, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to find beautiful wedding day jewelry. With a little research and some creativity, you can find affordable options that will make you feel beautiful on your special day.
Earrings for wedding day
Earrings are one of the most universal accessories a bride can wear, no matter the wedding dress silhouette. So when it comes to selecting a style that works best for the big day, brides should consider their personal aesthetics and overall day-of fashion vision.
For traditional brides, in particular, “There’s nothing more classic to me than diamonds or pearls,” says Hartman. However, if looking for a more romantic look, “Go with something that has a lot of movement or floral elements,” Hartman advises. More specifically, an etched metal with a leaf or a vine, complete with stones at the center of the flower buds, will look gorgeous at a garden or vineyard wedding.
Rings for wedding day
Your engagement ring and wedding band are meant to be worn every day of your marriage, so they should already reflect the personal style you’ll want to emulate on the big day. That said, you can wear additional rings, “just be intentional in your choices,” says Hartman. You can also forgo wearing extra rings altogether, and instead opt to make your wedding rings the star of your entire look.
Bracelets for wedding day
When it comes to bracelets, think back on outfits you’ve worn and loved for other formal occasions—such as other people’s weddings—and pick pieces in a similar vein. If you need a bit more help selecting a specific style, though, follow the above advice and lean into specific bridal styles. For instance, a diamond tennis bracelet is a timeless piece for classic brides that’ll look just as elegant now as it will in 25 years. Brides with bohemian sensibilities, on the other hand, can wear multiple bracelets and mix metals, or opt or pieces with textured, woven, or braided designs.
Necklaces for wedding day
If you are going to wear a necklace, Hartman says that the general rule of thumb is to pick one that follows the neckline of your dress. V-necks work best with a pendant, and chokers and statement necklaces go better with strapless and sweetheart necklines. No matter the neckline, however, your necklace should sit on your skin, not the dress, if there is skin showing.
Additional Tips for Selecting Bridal Jewelry
Still not quite sure where to begin when it comes to selecting your wedding jewelry? Here are a few general tips to inspire your search.
Know that you can always switch things up
The jewelry you wear for your ceremony doesn’t have to be the jewelry you wear for the rest of the wedding. If your ceremony veil keeps you from wearing statement earrings, change into some sparklers for the reception. Or if your long-sleeve bolero prevents you from wearing bracelets, fill your arms with bangles when you take your sleeves off. Though you can also do an entirely new second-look dress for the reception, an accessory switch-up is a more budget-friendly approach that will still have the desired impact.
Prioritize personal style over trends
The wedding world is certainly not immune to trends, and there’s no shame in embracing the ones that truly speak to you. (In fact, that’s half the fun!) That said, don’t chase a look that doesn’t feel right for you just because it’s all over social media. “Trends are going to come and go, but your wedding photos last forever,” says Hartman. “It’s more important to make decisions based on personal style and sentimental reasons—that way, you can look back and say, ‘Those pieces really meant something to me’ rather than ‘I saw someone on Pinterest wearing this, so I wore it, too.’”
Don’t feel pressured by outside opinions
Different generations have different ideas of what bridalwear should look like. For mom, specifically, going formal might automatically mean putting on a necklace, but these days, Hartman says it’s all about the statement earring. (And, she adds, the décolletage is “such a beautiful spot on a woman’s body, you don’t necessarily need to embellish it any further.”) All that to say: don’t feel pressured to shop for a piece just because someone else thinks you should wear one.
Don’t forget about your sentimental pieces
While jewelry is a great way to work in “something borrowed,” the last thing you want is for Nana’s pearls or your favorite aunt’s bangles to feel like an afterthought. If there’s a particular piece you know you’ll want to wear, Hartman suggests bringing it along while dress shopping—that way there’s no risk of it not matching.
If an heirloom piece is being handed down to you for your wedding day (i.e. you’re not borrowing it), consider working with a jeweler to remake it into something more in line with your personal style.
Ditch the rules
If you poke around the internet a bit, you might read that certain jewelry metals go with certain shades of dresses: platinum and silver for pure white; yellow gold for ivory and champagne; rose gold for blush. Hartman, however, doesn’t quite agree. “I love blush with a beautiful platinum, and a true white with a true gold—that is such a statement,” she says. While some metal tones and colors do fight each other, set aside the “rules” and trust your eye to tell you what works.
I am a dedicated professional with over 20 years of experience in the field of jewelry repair and restoration. Born and raised in California, I found my passion for the intricacies of jewelry design at a young age when I had the chance to observe a local craftsman at work. Throughout my career, I have specialized in restoring vintage and antique jewelry pieces, bringing them back to their former glory while maintaining their historical integrity. I regularly contribute articles and opinion pieces to a variety of jewelry-focused websites and magazines, sharing my insights and knowledge about jewelry repair techniques, trends, and the cultural significance of various jewelry pieces.