Everything you need to know about bridal jewellery

Once you have the perfect dress how do you choose the perfect bridal jewellery to go with it? Here’s everything you need to know to help you accessorise your wedding day to perfection.

What  jewellery should you wear on your wedding day?

Found your perfect wedding dress? Hurray! Now, all you need to think about is what jewellery you’re going to wear (and the 2,957 other things on your to-do list!)

We may not be able to help with 2,956 of the things on that list, but one thing we can help you with is your bridal jewellery. We've put together some important questions to consider. And, once you’ve read them all, you should have a much clearer idea of how to choose the perfect bridal jewellery for your special day.

What are the essential bridal jewellery pieces?

Once you have your wedding dress in the bag it’s time to think about accessories. All those sparkling (or not) details that will complete the bridal look. 

There are, of course, two essential pieces of jewellery you’ll need on your wedding day - your engagement and wedding ring. But what other jewellery you wear, how much and the style of those pieces will depend on several key factors. These include your dress, your style and any colours you've chosen for other elements of the day.

Ultimately, the choice of how much and what jewellery to wear will be down to you. Some brides choose the full bridal jewellery collection, with earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Others prefer a more pared-back look, with one or two standout pieces, such as a statement necklace or pair of earrings. 

Only you can decide what will work best for you, but if you use these questions as a guide, you should be heading in the right direction for wedded bliss!

Wedding style - what kind of bride are you?

Whether you love the vintage look or like to keep things clean and modern, your wedding dress should (hopefully!) reflect your individual style. And the dress you've chosen is the ideal starting point for choosing your jewellery. 

Vintage va-va-voom

If you love vintage style and your dress reflects that, then you can't go wrong with a pair of showstopping pearls or crystal earrings. This works especially well if your dress is 1930s or 40s in style, with long flowing satin or silk lines.

Pearls are timeless and exude that vintage feel (although there are a whole host of modern designs too). Choose from elaborate designs that combine pearls and other stones, or simple pearl drops and studs. A matching classic pearl necklace also looks amazing in tandem with a vintage dress.

If your dress features lots of lace detailing, you may want to complement it with something detailed and delicate. If it’s more clean lines and swishy silk, why not go all-out on cluster earrings and a matching necklace? Or if that’s not your style, choose a simple, single crystal pendant and ‘diamond’ like studs.

Magnificently modern brides

If your wedding dress is a more modern design and your style leans that way too, you’ll want jewellery to match. That doesn’t mean pearls and crystals are off the table, as both come in beautiful modern incarnations too. 

Single stone pieces in modern geometric shapes also look stunning with a modern gown. As do simple gold or silver chains, or sleek metal designs. Consider the next section on necklines to decide which style might work best with your dress.

Necklines - not to be underestimated!

Necklines are very important when choosing your bridal jewellery. The neckline of your dress will affect the type of jewellery you can wear and some necklines are much easier to accessorise than others.

What bridal jewellery suits bardot and strapless wedding dresses?

For those with bardot or strapless dresses your focus should be on complementing your neckline and bare shoulders. Dangling earrings are delightful here, as they accentuate a long neckline.

For vintage styles dangling crystals or pearls look fabulous, styled with a matching pendant or tennis necklace. For more modern designs, look at long delicate chains as earrings or even layered as necklaces. These will emphasise the beautiful shape of your bare neck and shoulders.

What bridal jewellery should I wear with a v-neck or halter neck dresses?

If your dress has a deep 'v' neckline, the world is your oyster when it comes to necklaces. Obviously long pendants will draw attention to that ‘v’. And there are some stunning examples with crystals, pearls and gemstones to choose from. But shorter, choker necklaces and pendants will also look amazing. It all depends on the final look you want. Experiment with a few styles until you find the perfect combination to suit your dress.

For those who've chosen a halter neck wedding dress, you’re likely going to want to skip necklaces altogether. Your dress will be the centre of attention around the neckline. Which means, you may want to go all-out on your earrings. A pair of dangling statement earrings will draw attention to your neck and shoulders. And those long, bare arms are asking for matching bracelets. If you're after more sparkle, you can always add extra bling with hair accessories.

Colours of love - how to add colour to your bridal look

Most wedding dresses are on the white or cream spectrum, but that doesn’t mean your jewellery has to be! 

In fact, your bridal jewellery offers the perfect opportunity to inject some colour into your look. Use this to unify your outfit with accenting colours in your groom’s outfit. Or to complement the colours of your flowers or bridesmaids outfits.

Crystals and gemstones, or coloured glass, all offer the chance to add colour . Whatever the style and neckline of your dress, there will be a gemstone to suit your look. From delicate pinks and blues, to deeper shades. Just be mindful that darker colours will look very dark in contrast to a white or cream dress.

Will bridal hair accessories suit me?

Hair accessories aren’t for every bride. It may be that you have plenty going on already with your jewellery, or find them too fussy. But if you’re looking to add more sparkle to your look there are some beautiful designs to choose from. With something to suit all tastes and styles, from tiaras to hair combs, hair vines and clips.

If you’re wearing a more traditional dress and veil, you may want to look at a tiara. But if your dress is more vintage or bo-ho, take a look at the delightful, delicate hair vine designs that can be woven into long-hair or informal styles. Alternatively, if the stylish up-do is where your heart's at, a pretty hair clip or comb might just add the finish touch you need to complete your dream bridal look.