Wedding Jewellery Guide

Preparing for your big day can be stressful, but it's also incredibly exciting, especially when it comes to what you'll be wearing. Once you've chosen your wedding dress, it's time to start thinking about those extra special details to complete your bridal look, starting with your wedding jewellery.

No bridal outfit is complete without those finishing touches, and in this guide we'll walk you through everything you need to consider when choosing wedding jewelleryfor your special day.

How to choose bridal jewellery

Here are some of the most important things to think about when choosing your bridal jewellery, to ensure that your overall look is coherent, elegant and a reflection of your style:

Your dress

Whether you've chosen a simple satin gown or one with a lot of embellishment, the shape and style of your dress should be taken into consideration when choosing your wedding jewellery, and the pieces you choose should complement the design, not detract from it.

An understated, minimalist dress pairs well with statement jewellery, and you may wish to wear a full wedding jewellery set featuring a necklace, bracelet and earrings to add some detail and interest to your outfit. A dress with a lot of detailing, on the other hand, works better with simple, pared back designs, and you may want to choose just one or two items of jewellery to wear with it.

Looking at the neckline, a strapless dress begs for a statement necklace, whether that's a pendant necklace, a drop necklace or a selection of dainty layered chains. Keep the rest of your jewellery simple with a pair of delicate studs and a simple bridal bracelet.

If your wedding dress has a high neckline or a halter neck, a necklace can look too busy. Focus instead on choosing a beautiful pair of wedding earrings and an eye-catching bracelet.

Wedding dresses with a V-neck pair perfectly with a long pendant or a drop necklace that sits in the V on your chest. Add a dainty bracelet and a subtle pair of studs for understated elegance.

Your hairstyle

Your hairstyle plays a big part in your overall look, and before deciding on your bridal jewellery you should first decide whether you're going to have a sophisticated updo or wear your hair down to channel your inner bohemian. You should also consider whether you're going to wear a veil, a tiara or any other form of hair accessory, as the jewellery you choose should match the materials of your headpiece.

If you're planning an elegant updo, you can afford to play with statement jewellery, and drop earrings work beautifully with your hair pulled back. Alternatively, if you're wearing your hair loose, go for a simple pair of studs that won't get caught up in your waves, but that will add a touch of glamour nonetheless.

Metals and materials

When it comes to metals, you should generally try to match the colour of your bridal jewellery to that of your engagement and wedding ring. So if your rings are gold, choose other gold jewellery to match, while if they're platinum, white gold or silver, choose silver-coloured jewellery for a coherent theme.

Coordinate your jewellery with the embellishments on your dress; pearls work beautifully with beaded wedding dresses while diamonds complement crystal-studded designs. While pearls and diamonds are the most traditional stones for a bride to wear, you could also consider coloured gemstones to match the colour scheme of your wedding. Pale colours are generally safer, as they keep the attention on your dress, but if your scheme allows for it, there's nothing stopping you from going bold with colour.

Simple vs statement

We've already mentioned this with regards to complementing the style of your wedding dress and your hairstyle, but when choosing between simple and statement jewellery, the key is balance. Less is often more, so take care to choose items of jewellery that complement one another and don't fight for attention.

You should also decide on how pared-back or bold you want to go based on your own personal style, taking into account what you feel comfortable in and the styles you'll be more likely to wear time and time again as a reminder of this special day.

Wedding traditions

If you're a sucker for tradition, you'll know that on your wedding day you should wear something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Why not treat yourself to a special piece of jewellery as your something new? You could even tick two of these off the list at the same time by choosing a bridal necklace, bracelet or pair of earrings featuring a blue gemstone.

Now that you have a better idea of what to look for, discover our range of jewellery to complete your look on your special day.