How To Choose Jewelry to Match Your Wedding Outfit
Guest Post by Tess DiNapoli
When it comes to choosing the perfect jewelry for your big day, it’s all in the details. Whether your tastes tend toward boho chic, upscale modern, or just about anything in between, wedding jewelry is a chance to show off your personal style (and have it preserved in wedding photos until the end of time). To help you find the perfect pieces, here’s a quick guide to choosing jewelry to match your wedding outfit, for every style and budget.
If we haven’t met yet, hi! I’m Lindsey Nickel and I’m a local Sonoma and Napa wedding planner and the owner of Lovely Day Events. Since 2010, I have helped stylish, fun-loving couples (and their dogs) plan destination weddings. Our clients want the ceremony to be outside, the food to be outstanding, and the dance parties to be epic. If this sounds like you, you’re in the right place, so you might want to learn more about our wedding planning services.
Trust Your Instincts When Choosing Your Wedding Jewelry
As you plan your wedding, it can be easy to get caught up in the opinions of others. While that might be okay for place settings and minor menu adjustments, picking the right wedding jewelry is all about you. This principle extends beyond necklaces and earrings to the engagement ring. Especially with non-diamond alternatives, such as rubies and sapphires, coming back into vogue, there’s never been a better time to channel your personal sense of style.
Look to the Dress When Choosing Your Wedding Jewelry
Since wedding jewelry is specifically intended for pairing with your dream dress, some practical considerations should definitely be taken into account. Here are a few quick tips:
Choose a necklace that will complement your gown’s neckline. For instance, lariat and drop necklace styles work well with plunging V necklines, whereas a simple choker or string of pearls might work better with a scoop-neck design.
If you’re opting for a long-sleeve dress, avoid wearing bracelets, which can get visually lost or catch on sleeves.
Drop earrings can look stunning with sleeveless or open-neckline gowns but often look cluttered with high necklines.
If your dress includes fragile materials like lace or tulle, try to avoid jewelry that’s likely to get caught on or tear the fabric.
Take new jewelry items for a road test before the big day. Wearing that necklace for a few hours will let you know whether the clasp shifts to the front and spending a day in those earrings will let you know if they hurt your ears (good information to have before you’re walking down the aisle).
When in doubt, let simplicity be your guide. As Ines de la Fressange and Sophie Gachet point out in their book Parisian Chic, it’s often best to choose between earrings and a necklace rather than wear both. While this fashion rule can obviously be broken on your wedding day (especially for the right bridal jewelry set), bold yet simple earrings or the right statement necklace can help keep the focus on you, rather than what you’re wearing.
Think Long-Term When Choosing Your Wedding Jewelry
One thing that makes wedding jewelry so unique is that you’ll treasure it for a lifetime. With that in mind – and without necessarily breaking the bank – your wedding is a perfectly acceptable time to think about springing for a piece of investment jewelry. Whether that means a custom-made piece, an item from a vintage designer, or a particular style of jewelry you love that’s not quite right for everyday wear, this is definitely the time to explore your options.
Find Inspiration in Everything When Choosing Your Wedding Jewelry
Odds are, when it comes to wedding planning, you’ve already made some aesthetic choices you love. Whether it’s the flowers, the cake, the venue, or even the invitation font, your sense of style is bound to shine through. Choices you’ve already made can be an amazing source of inspiration for the details that are still undecided. Is your wedding dreamlike and whimsical, or strikingly modern? Are you dressing for a cathedral or the beach? Flipping open your wedding portfolio (or, let’s be honest, heading to Pinterest) can be a great way to find the wedding jewelry inspiration you’re looking for.
Express Yourself When Choosing Your Wedding Jewelry
At the end of the day, your wedding is about an expression of love and commitment, but it’s also about expressing your personal style. From choosing the right vendors to the style of your hair, each little decision can help to create the perfect occasion. Trusting yourself, and finding joy in self-expression, should be your guiding principle. Ultimately, make sure that the jewelry you choose fits your personality – that it feels like “you” – and you’ll be sure to shine on your wedding day.
Tess DiNapoli is an artist, freelance writer, and content strategist. She has a passion for event planning, but she also enjoys covering the fashion industry and the world of fitness.