Wedding jewelry goes far beyond the rings exchanged at the altar. Brides, grooms, and marriers of all genders can enhance the impact of their wedding-day looks with heirlooms and gorgeous new gems. While many will stick to classics—diamonds, pearls, gold, and silver—it’s fun to break with tradition and embrace bold shapes and unique stones. Of course, when you are already wearing a show-stopping gown or tux, achieving the right balance with accessories is key to complementing your look.
“I'm usually a big believer in more is more,” says Brooke Garber, owner of Sidney Garber. “But for a wedding, I reverse that. Less is more, less is better, less is what you want.” To that end, the best approach is to consider your outfit holistically. Reflect on the sort of impact you want to make with your jewels and how they fit into the story of your wedding look. “Jewelry, at the end of the day, is an accessory,” says wedding ring and jewelry designer Susie Saltzman. “It should be show-stopping and make a statement, but what it is being worn with should absolutely be taken into consideration.”
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Your attire’s silhouette and style should absolutely play a role in your wedding jewelry. If you have a higher neckline, play with drop earrings to bring cohesion to the look. A longer necklace can look beautiful with a deeper neckline, while bracelets might feel like too much with a longer sleeve. You should also consider the overall mood of your ensemble. “The Row made my daughter’s wedding dress and, as you can imagine, it was a minimalist dream,” shares Garber. “The perfect earrings for the dress were our Pearl On The Hook. They’re single South Sea pearls that, because of the design of our hook, seem to float just below the earlobe. They became her wedding gift from her father and me, and she wears them all the time.”
Need a good formula to balance everything out? “Start with one statement piece, usually an earring or a necklace,” recommends Mary Margaret Beaver of Tiny Gods. “Consider a larger earring if your hair is pulled back or up, and then compliment it with a smaller necklace or perhaps no necklace at all.” To lend a bit of edge to your look, she says, “Don't be afraid to mix your metals, wear an asymmetrical pair of earrings, or consider a long chain or lariat worn backwards with an open back for modern drama. Have fun with it and let it help you shine on your day and express your own unique, personal style.”
It’s also worth thinking about the time and place of your celebration. “Is it on a beach, in the countryside, or on the top floor of a skyscraper? Accessories are the best way to capture a mood,” says jewelry and accessories designer Lele Sadoughi. While dripping diamonds might feel appropriate at a city affair, they could feel out of place at a laid-back outdoor celebration. Also think holistically about your wedding weekend and curate pieces that can fit for your welcome party, rehearsal dinner, and even day-after brunch. “Today’s bride is not just about dressing for the big day. As a maximal brand, I like to capture the whimsy, decadence, or romanticism of each bride,” shares Sadoughi. Those smaller celebrations can also be an opportunity to have a bit more fun with your jewelry look: “Layering necklaces, particularly for your rehearsal dinner or engagement party, is a fun way to incorporate some sparkle, highlight your gorgeous smiling face, and capture the joy of the event,” says Saltzman.
When coordinating with a white or ivory gown, enhancing your look with pearls is a natural fit. “I love pearls all the time but especially on brides,” says Garber. “Pearls are classic, luminous, and add brightness to the face. You’ll never look back on a picture of yourself wearing pearls and think, ‘Why did I do that?’” A pearl can take many forms, too. When searching for the stones to fit your look, consider what sort of weight and presence you want them to hold. “In the world of pearls, each shape carries its own charm,” explains Becky Hosmer of Anna Beck Jewelry, which carries a bridal-specific collection. “I love designing with button, coin, baroque, and seed pearls. Buttons and coins radiate classic elegance, while baroque pearls offer a unique, organic shape and delicate seed pearls add a subtle touch to our beaded necklaces.”
If pearls seem too old-school for your wedding day look, remember there are options beyond a simple set of pearl studs paired with a dress or suit. “While they’re traditional, there are also ways to modernize them,” explains Garber. “You can thread a pearl necklace through your hair [or] you can pin your beloved grandmother’s pearl and diamond brooch in your hair.” Sadoughi shares, “I love pearl earrings with movement, as I think it adds a bit of whimsy and romanticism to a wedding gown. Often, the bodice of a gown has intricate detailing so it’s nice to draw attention to the face with pearl chandelier earrings.”
Leaning more towards diamonds? You don’t need to break the bank to complement your attire with some sparkle. “When looking to complement their engagement rings and wedding bands, brides are embracing lab-grown diamonds, as they allow for larger carat weights at a more approachable price point,” shares Pam Catlett, SVP of Brand, Marketing & Retail Experience at Brilliant Earth. “We always love a great tennis bracelet and necklace, and they continue to grow in popularity.” Companies like Verstolo also offer rentals to help couples wear the pieces they love within their budget.
While fashion is the primary motive behind choosing your wedding jewelry, couples shouldn’t forget that this mix can also hold an emotional impact. The phrase “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” rings strong for many as they choose their wedding jewelry. “I think jewelry worn on your special day becomes associated with the emotion and memory of that day,” says Saltzman. “So when you look down at your ring or touch the necklace you borrowed from your mother, you can be transported back to the joy and love that flooded the day. Incorporating wedding bands or engagement rings from meaningful figures in your life can be a beautiful way to add meaning, emotion, and style to a stack of rings. It can also be a really sentimental way to incorporate a loved one into your special day if they are unable to join.” Whether you scour antique stores for unique cufflinks, don your grandmother’s earrings, shop something brand new, or include a touch of blue with sapphires or aquamarine gemstones, there’s a way to infuse meaning and intention into your wedding-day ensemble.
Of course, you can go custom for your wedding day as well. Many couples choose this route to create a meaningful heirloom piece they can hold onto for years. A simple way to do this is by choosing pieces engraved with your initials, wedding date, or meaningful symbols, suggests Catlett. These can be purchased as a gift for your spouse-to-be and given the day before or morning of the wedding. Or, you can create something that ties in with your history. Emily Satloff, founder, designer, and curator of Larkspur & Hawk, has created a customizable collection that allows you to incorporate fabric cuttings into beautiful jewelry. “I’m working with a bride [who] wanted to wear a gown made by her great-grandmother for her grandmother and was later worn by her mother. Because it’s too tattered and delicate to be worn again, we are creating a suite of jewelry for both her and her mom using fabric clippings from the gown,” shares Satloff. “It’s really a sentimental secret—a peek into your past with a jeweled keepsake from your special day that can be enjoyed forever!”
