How to Accessorize Your Wedding Dress
By having already chosen your wedding dress, you’ve crossed off a major item on your checklist, but what are the best wedding jewelry accessories to accompany your wedding creation? This depends on many factors, and our guide to wedding dress accessories will make it much easier to choose.
Follow These Basics First
A-line, empire, bohemian, princess, or tiered, the style of your wedding dress will determine what accessories go best with it. Before you start shopping, a few basic guidelines apply. Comfort should be your first consideration. As beautiful as that pair of shoes or headpiece may look initially, after what will be a very long day they can quickly become uncomfortable.
That being said, any shoes you plan to wear for your wedding or reception should be worn as much as possible in the weeks before. This will allow you to remedy any areas of discomfort before the big day.
The same goes for headpieces; if you can feel discomfort shortly after putting it on, you can place padding underneath. Of course, if your headpiece isn’t a must-have, then a different style or no headpiece at all may be an option for you.
There are thousands of accessories out there but remember that your dress is the focal point. So, you’ll always want to make sure that whatever accessories you’re going to be wearing will enhance and not distract from your dress. All that’s needed to elevate your wedding day look are one or two eye-catching pieces.
Hair Accessories
A veil, wreath, headband, or veil can add lots of pretty flair to a wedding dress. The same is true of flowers, rhinestones, and pearls when they’re interwoven in an up-do. If your dress is more of a bohemian style, a fresh flower wreath can be the perfect fit for this free-flowing theme. A dress with an empire waist can be perfectly complemented by leaving long hair down and encircling the head with a bejeweled band.
More traditional wedding styles like long A-line gowns are beautifully complemented by a long veil. If your dress is a more modern style, a shorter finger veil can be just the thing. A detachable comb or headpiece allows you to keep some subtle sparkle in your hair once the veil is removed.
Although a bobby pin may not seem like much of a hair accessory, there are many beautiful styles available. Here’s a great hair tip: Use bobby pins in the same color as your hair for securing your style, and then add sparkle with rhinestone pins.
Earrings
If you have shorter hair or will be wearing it up, you can be bold with larger diamond wedding earrings. The style of earrings you choose should match your dress and wedding theme as closely as possible. For example, if your dress and wedding have a nature theme, earrings with a leaf or flower motif will complement this.
If you will be leaving your long hair down, you can add a lot of sparkle without having to choose large earrings, especially if you’ll also be wearing a headpiece. Even the smallest diamond stud earrings can have a significant impact on your overall look.
If your dress is in a plain style with smooth fabric, your earrings can be bolder. A lace, beaded, or otherwise patterned dress is best complemented by earrings that are simple, yet elegant. You can also choose how to accessorize your wedding dress by looking at its neckline.
Neckline
The neckline of your dress is the perfect canvas where it comes to jewelry. The best way to choose whether or not to wear a necklace is to look at the fabric; if the neckline is plain and smooth, then subtle sparkle around the neck can work incredibly well.
Sweetheart
A strapless gown with a sweetheart neckline is best accessorized with shorter necklaces or a choker. Of course, you don’t have to wear a necklace with this style, as the sweetheart neckline offers plenty of visual interest on its own. If you are choosing to go without a necklace, see what a difference elegant chandelier or drop earrings make to your overall look.
Halter
The glamorous halter neckline is ideal for a pair of bold drop earrings and a bracelet to match. If you wish to wear a necklace and earrings with the halter neckline, simple and subtle is best. Diamond studs and a barely there necklace are ideal accessories for the halter neckline.
Off-The-Shoulder
The timeless elegance of the off-the-shoulder wedding gown provides many opportunities to accessorize. Gathers, lace, and other embellishments near the neckline can provide enough detail on their own. That being said, off-the-shoulder necklines with more flair can be a perfect match with a pair of bold statement earrings.
A diamond wedding necklace or choker beautifully accessorizes this neckline, as does a headpiece. However, you want to be careful not to accessorize too much; choose one or the other to avoid crowding, which can take away from your overall look.
Plunging
If you’ve chosen a wedding dress with a plunging neckline, you can accessorize it in several ways. A choker or statement earrings will draw the eye upward, where an elegant lariat necklace will draw attention to the details of the skirt. A slip-style dress with a plunging neckline can match perfectly with an up-do or a headpiece with a bracelet to bring it all together.
Scoop
The scoop neckline is among the more traditional for wedding dresses, and it is the perfect style for delicate jewelry accents. A sweet tiara, veil, or headpiece with slight sparkle can be just the right touch to complement this style. Necklaces and earrings worn with the scoop neckline are best when they’re small and subtle.
Leave Some Space
A famous quote by Coco Chanel advises that “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” This advice still stands today, especially where it comes to accessorizing your wedding dress. Wearing a lot of jewelry or accessories can add a lot of unnecessary clutter. Instead, it’s important to allow your beautiful gown to speak for itself by leaving some space between your accessories.
For example, instead of wearing a glittery headpiece, statement earrings, and a bold necklace together, choose only one of these pieces to accentuate your gown. Another great way to leave some space is by choosing a beautiful diamond wedding bracelet that matches your headpiece. Together, they will create a perfect frame for the centerpiece that is your wedding gown.
Rings and Other Pieces
It’s definitely important to keep the focus on your dress. Just as important is not to attract attention away from your wedding ring. Watches should be left at home and replaced with a bracelet or gloves. A family ring can certainly be worn with your engagement ring, as can multiple rings on your other hand. What you choose to wear will depend on your personal style preferences, but also on the theme of your wedding.
Boleros, wraps, and capes are all great options for covering the shoulders where a venue requires it. Belts can be ideal accessories where the goal is to accentuate your waist and add elegance to a plainer gown. However, be sure to choose a thin belt in a color that matches your dress.
Bringing your wedding accessories with you when you go for a fitting can be an ideal way to try the above advice and get a good idea of which items should remain on your wedding dress accessories list.
If you’re looking for the perfect accessories for your special day, look no further than The Diamond Vault. Our master jewelers can custom design your pieces in-house, or you can browse our selection of beautiful, ready-to-buy styles in one to ten carats by visiting our website. Discover why we are Scottsdale’s top choice for wedding dress accessories by visiting our site today.