Bridal Accessories: The Ultimate Guide

Any bride-to-be knows that when choosing the perfect overall look for her wedding day, there is a constant battle going on in her mind between the need to fit in and at the same time, stand out.

Whereas wedding day traditions pull her in the direction of fitting in by looking almost exactly like every other bride that walked down the aisle before her, the need to be remembered and appear more beautiful than other brides pulls her in the opposite direction of wanting to stand out.

So the question remains, how to stand out and be remembered while still dressing like a traditional bride? And the answer is…accessorize! On top of that traditional white dress wear the kind of jewelry and veil that speak to your true individual sense of style. Under it, wear shoes that complement the overall look and enhance it. Lastly, carry a bouquet made of your favorite flowers and accentuate it with accents such as crystals, pearls, or even quirky pins. Use your accessories to make your wedding day look your own!

Here are some options to help you accessorize your wedding day look perfectly and stand out in the best way possible from that other girl getting hitched in all white.

VEILS: RUNWAY VS. READY TO WEAR

Veils come in many different price ranges. A bride has the option of choosing to don a designer veil (from the likes of Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta, etc.) for a higher price, or a ready to wear veil at a lower price without having to compromise on the quality and beauty of the product.

Veils also come in many different lengths which then correspond to a certain overall look. For the sake of simplifying the process, I will break them down into three main categories and showcase both designer and non-designer options for every bride and every budget.

1) Short Length (Birdcage Veils, Blusher Veils and Headpieces). These veils tend to convey a lot of personality, are not traditionally worn, and are flirty in appearance. An emerging trend seen amongst designers for this category of veils is headbands. Beautiful headbands worn on their own adorned with flowers or feathers as a headpiece or worn with blusher veils attached to them.

RUNWAY (Bridal Fashion Week 2015)

Jenny Packham

Reem Acra

READY TO WEAR

ETUDELOVE by Sara and Eugenia showcases a collection of extremely charming and feminine handmade blusher veils and headpieces that very much resemble those showcased at both Reem Acra and Jenny Packham at Bridal Fashion Week 2015. However, they come at a fraction of the price and are perfect for those brides that want to stay well within their budgets.

ETUDELOVE Blushing Lullaby veil $60.00

ETUDELOVE Pizzicato veil $115.00

ETUDELOVE veils available at ETUDELOVE.com

2) Medium Length (Fingertip and Waltz Veils). These are the most traditionally accepted form of veils and they give off an air of innocence. Most of the fingertip and waltz length veils seen on the runway were versions of mantilla lace veils, with scalloped lace edging which added a romantic touch.

RUNWAY (Bridal Fashion Week 2015)

Naeem Khan

Oscar de La Renta

READY TO WEAR

Erica Elizabeth Designs offers a great selection of traditionally beautiful medium length veils with the same lace edging as Oscar de la Renta and Naeem Khan. These veils would look best when paired with a wedding day look that wouldn’t be too embellished, such as a lightly beaded gown with very delicate, feminine jewelry.

Erica Elizabeth Designs Chantilly Lace edge Mantilla Veil $355.00

Erica Elizabeth Designs Daphne Silk Tulle Chantilly Lace Drop Veil $720.00

Erica Elizabeth Designs veils available at EricaElizabethDesigns.com

3) Long Length (Chapel and Cathedral Veils). The longest veils are meant for the most regal of looks. There were many designer veils on the runway this season with a cascading front.

RUNWAY (Bridal Fashion Week 2015)

Carolina Herrera

Naeem Khan

READY TO WEAR

Great examples of Chapel and Cathedral length veils with cascading fronts can also be found at Sara Gabriel, whose luxe floor sweeping veils lend a dramatic air to complement beautiful gowns paired with statement jewelry.

Sara Gabriel Rachael Veil

Sara Gabriel Chloe Veil

Sara Gabriel Veils available at 155 Wooster St Unit 3W New York, NY 10012 212.206.1915

JEWELRY:

Wedding day jewelry should be very carefully selected in accordance with the color and accents on the dress, veil and shoes. A bride can either opt to wear a necklace, earrings, bracelet or headwear. However, a general rule is to try not to wear all of these items at the same time. If a bride wears too much jewelry, it distracts the onlooker from the overall view and if she wears too little then she seems underdressed. Thus, if the veil and dress are heavily adorned, wear less jewelry; and if the veil and dress are not as embellished, pile on more jewelry.

For the stylish bride with a budget, there is always the option of borrowing jewelry for the day of your wedding. Happily Ever Borrowed houses a great collection of elegant jewelry that can be borrowed at prices starting as low as $35.00. On top of the price of the item, the customer just pays a shipping fee of $12.99 and then returns the item back after using it for either four or eight days.

Available at HappilyEverBorrowed.com

If borrowing jewelry isn’t your preference, then there are many fine jewelry retailers that can satisfy a bride’s craving for all things shiny. Mija is home to sterling silver and 18k gold plated jewelry, encrusted with precious and semiprecious stones that are affordable and luxurious.

Available at MijaJewelry.com

Tejani Jewelry incorporates modern flair and traditional Indian accents from designer Urvi’s cultural background into couture accessories. These pieces are one of a kind and perfect for the traditional bride who prefers jewelry with a vintage, feminine feel.

Available at Tejani.com

Powder Blue Bijoux offers a wide range of couture bridal accessories in every category, including headwear with prices ranging from $29.00 to $225.00. Thus, there is a piece on their website to please every bride.

Available at PowderBlueBijoux.com

SHOES:

This is the area where comfort is key and the most experimentation with color, embellishments, textures and shapes is allowed. Even though shoes are hidden under a wedding dress most of the time, do not underestimate their power. The saying goes that the right shoes can make the outfit, whereas the wrong shoes can completely ruin it. This definitely holds true for your wedding day as well, so choose wisely.

Harriet Wilde is a British brand that offers worldwide shipping and is headed by designer Ruth Shaw. It is home to vintage inspired stylish wedding footwear that would glam up any wedding day ensemble.

Available at HarrietWilde.com

Ruche carries a wide variety of shoes from flats and oxfords to wedges and heels in a variety of colors. The prices are more on the lower end and with a wide selection. A bride is sure to find something at Ruche that would make her feet very happy!

Available at ShopRuche.com

BHLDN is a collection of bridal necessities inspired by world travel and the idea of regal and proper dressing at formal occasions. These two ideas are combined and evident in their beautiful collection of shoes that would make any bride blush.

Available at BHLDN.com

FLOWERS:

A bridal bouquet can be as personalized as possible. When selecting one, the bride should keep in mind her favorite flowers, the season during which her wedding falls, and the color schemes of the wedding and her ensemble for the day. Or she can skip the flowers entirely and go straight for a crystal or bejeweled bouquet! Either way, the final result should be a bouquet that will help her perfectly round out her wedding day look.

Here are some of the most lovely flower shops and boutiques that will make any of a bride’s floral fantasies a reality.

Bridal Bouquets by Ky is an Etsy shop that will provide a bride with the most magical bouquets made of things such as pearl beads and mirrored beads. These will look beautiful with any dress and be a keepsake for the sole reason that they are not made of perishable materials!

Available at www.etsy.com/shop/BridalBouquetsbyKy

Red Rose and Lavender makes beautiful rustic bouquets out of wildflowers and even succulents that would accompany a bohemian wedding day look perfectly.