We all know the time and effort that goes into selecting the perfect dress for your big day – from choosing your wedding dress designer through to the cut and style that works for you, but what about the accessories? All too often we see brides frantically searching for the right finishing touches to their bridal look with just mere days to go.
We’re sure that you’d much rather be fitting in some much needed pre-wedding pamper time rather than turning into a stressed out bride-zilla, so we have put together a few suggestions to help you easily choose the right embellishments in good time, ensuring that you don’t have to settle for something at the last minute.
“It’ll do” just won’t do for your wedding day!
It may seem logical to leave accessorising until after you’ve found your dream dress, but in fact, we think quite the contrary. To achieve a complete look, where the accessories enhance rather than compete with your gown, it is important to consider them from the start.
Choosing Jewellery
Many of our dresses transform beautifully for a sexy evening look - whether through a detachable train, removable lace sleeves or a versatile tulle overskirt - one dress can take you from demure ceremony gown to sexy and sophisticated evening look.
Statement jewellery is a fantastically modern way of changing your daytime look for the reception, too. Often, we will add a beautiful, hand-crafted corsage brooch to the neckline of a gown to add detail for an evening look… a little something extra for all those late night dancefloor selfies when the drama of your full dress is out of shot!
Whether you are going for delicate jewels or statement pieces, bear in mind which metal will work best with the colour of your gown. For example, yellow and rose gold works beautifully with ivory and blush as they bring out the warm tones in the fabric, whereas brides wearing pure white should consider silver accessories to give a clean, crisp aesthetic.
It’s best to stick to one tone of metal so that all of your accessories are cohesive and work in harmony with each other. Apply the ‘less is more’ approach with your jewellery; if your gown has a plunging neckline a pendant necklace will look great paired with simple stud earrings, whereas a detailed neckline should be worn with an embellishment-free décolletage so as not to confuse the dress design. Chandelier earrings work perfectly where a necklace isn’t suitable.
The Wedding Veil
Whether it’s a seductive birdcage, simple fingertip length or show-stopping cathedral veil, there are endless choices when it comes to this tulle tradition.
Keep your venue in mind when choosing this accessory; whilst a trailing lace-edged veil would be stunning for a church aisle, it might not look so glam once it has picked up half of the forest at an outdoor woodland ceremony.
Your wedding dress designer can help you choose a veil that adds to the overall style of your gown. If you are wearing a simple dress but want a little romantic drama for the ceremony, a veil is an ideal and versatile way to embellish your bridal look. For backless gowns choose a sheer veil, with just one layer of tulle as opposed to a structured layered style.
Choosing Hairpieces
Whether an addition to a veil or worn on their own, hairpieces are a great way of adding a touch of glamour to your tresses.
From delicate hair-vines to statement crowns, how you wear your hair can really accentuate beautiful detailing on the dress or can be a way of adding a statement look to a more simplistic gown.
It’s best to have an idea of how you would like to wear your hair before choosing this accessory as some styles will only work with certain dos. Don’t forget to take your accessories along to your hair trial so that your hairdresser can play around with different looks that incorporate the hairpiece!
The Right Shoes
Never has fancy footwear been so important.
It’s that all too familiar female dilemma… comfort or style? We say comfort, every time!
There is nothing worse than a hobbling bride, leaning a little too heavily on her groom, trying desperately to make that wince look like an easy breezy smile!
Our words of wisdom: reserve those 6” stilettos for the hen do! If it’s the illusion of height you are after choose a wedding gown with a slimmer silhouette, elongating petite frames without the need for sky high heels.
Remember that the shoes you choose will determine the length of the hem on a full-length gown, so it’s important to choose the perfect pair early on. Remember to wear your shoes in well before the big day; we all remember that new school shoes feeling all too well and that is not a pain you need on your wedding day.
In summary: less really is more in the case of accessories; don’t be outshone by all that sparkle.
Select accessories carefully with the help of your wedding dress designer and hairdresser and the special pieces you choose will look effortless.
At Angelina Colarusso, we create bespoke hair pieces, corsages and jewellery to suit any bridal style. We also have a beautiful range of antique and modern jewellery, available to view in our Richmond boutique.
Angelina x
