When it comes to planning a
wedding, the devil is definitely in the detail. Despite having multiple focal
points throughout the day, from the dress and colour scheme to the location and
menu, many brides underestimate the power of accessories – not to
mention the worry of getting it wrong. We talked to the experts from The Real
Effect about the 10 common mistakes that brides make when
buying their wedding accessories.
1. Upstaging the dress
It is all too easy to get carried
away with draping yourself in jewels, and this does work for some looks, but no
matter what style you go for, remember to never upstage the dress. In years to
come the questions on people’s lips will always be ‘what was your dress like?’
not ‘what was your jewellery like?’ So, take note and find accessories that
will become the support act to your dress’s lead role and not the other way
around.
2. Buying accessories
before the dress
Most wedding planning starts
months if not years before the big day and it can be tempting to impulse buy in
those first few months of being engaged. Keeping self-control in the early
stages is one of the biggest challenges for a bride-to-be, but buying the
jewellery before the dress is a risky business. For many brides that we have
spoken to, the dress they end up buying is often completely different from the
one they thought they’d wear on their big day, so buying accompanying
accessories – whether shoes, tiaras or jewellery – before you know the style of
your dress could leave you with an overall image that looks incomplete.
3. Not considering
coloured accessories
You can easily default
to the classic gold or silver jewellery with a clear stone, but don’t rule out
coloured accessories. Adding a pop of colour with jewellery is a subtle
way to liven up a neutral colour scheme without it being too overbearing.
Alternatively, if you have a themed wedding or a prominent colour, accessories
are the perfect way to continue the theme throughout the day to complete the
overall look. For example, a ‘winter wedding’ lends itself to a deep ocean blue
colour scheme and picking accessories to echo this could finish the overall
look off better than a clear stone choice.
4. Forgetting about what
suits your skin tone
By the time you get married you
will most probably have at least an idea of what suits you and what doesn’t,
and your wedding day isn’t the day to get it wrong! Different skin tones are
suited to either gold or silver jewellery and if you’re not sure then ask for
some expert advice. The same rule applies if opting for a coloured stone,
depending if you have a fair complexion or olive skin for example, find out
which colours suit you best and stick to them.
5. As if one isn’t
enough!
Pick gold or silver – not both!
This may seem obvious, but we have seen this fashion faux pas happen on a
number of occasions. Most brides have a colour scheme of choice and opting for
gold and silver jewellery on top of that can make things look a little less
classy.
6. Buying trendy
accessories
After what is sometimes years of
planning the big day can feel like it’s over in a flash, but that’s why
photographs are so important – it’s no wonder the wedding album is pulled out
at every family get together. With this in mind, you want to make sure that
your choices aren’t too trendy or your photos will look dated really quickly.
Opt for timeless classics instead and your photographs will always look
fashionable and glamorous.
7. Having everything
matching
Not everything has to match - the
key thing to remember is that this is your day and you need to
bring your own flare. Brides often get given jewellery by family members to
wear on the day and this should be embraced but finding accessories to match
can be difficult particularly if it is an old family air loom.
8. Forgetting that
sometimes less is more
It’s common for brides to go mad
with accessories, particularly as this is a once in a lifetime day. However, on
this occasion less is certainly more, and it's not a must to wear them
all – tiara, veil, necklace, earrings, bracelets and bag – not to
mention the must-have flowers, dress, shoes and ring! Picking just the right
amount of accessories is sometimes a hard balance to achieve, but there is
nothing worse than a bride looking too over the top. Be sure to try on all the
accessories you have to wear together well ahead of the big day and don’t be
afraid to scale them back. You will feel just as much the bride even with half
of the accessories!
9. Getting carried away
with the price tag
A wedding can put huge financial
pressure on a couple and buying accessories that break the bank just isn’t
necessary. With the huge array of choices out there you are sure to find
accessories that look stunning and are in your price range, just make sure you
shop around before you make your final decision. There is sometimes little
difference between what jewellers call ‘wedding jewellery’ and their other
items, apart from the price tag of course! Don’t feel pressured into buying
only wedding collections; the normal jewellery sets can be just as glamorous.
10. Not thinking
beyond the wedding day
It is so easy to get tunnel
vision but there are some things that can be used beyond the wedding day and
accessories are one of them. Let’s face it, you are unlikely to wear your
wedding dress to the shops or your wedding shoes on a night out, but why not choose
jewellery that will look just as good afterwards as it did on the day?
Choosing jewellery that is versatile will ensure you can use it again and make
the most of your budget. After all, if you’re going to get good wear out of
them, then you can really afford to get exactly what you want!
For some
inspiration on choosing your wedding day accessories, check out our previous
post here and check out The Real Effect website. Don't forget
to follow us on Twitter and like us
on Facebook and share
your wedding accessories ideas with us!
