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bridal accessory tips

Bridal Accessory Styling: 10 Do’s and Dont’s

Details matter and none moreso than on one of the most important days in your life, your wedding day. It’s vital that your bridal accessories are given careful consideration to ensure that you make your bridal outfit and not break it! So with this in mind, let’s discover what the Do’s and Dont’s are when styling your bridal accessories…

Photography Natalie Stevenson Photography
Dress Aleena Leena Bridal from Halo & Wren Bridal
My gorgeous ‘Mae’ Statement Earrings should be worn alone, as shown here. No necklace and no hair accessory at the front of the hair. However, it would be perfectly fine to style some pins at the back of this gorgeous low pony, but nothing elaborate.

The Do’s…

1. Find ‘the One’

The obvious starting point is that you have found ‘the one’. The wedding dress that you have fallen in love with and can’t wait to walk down the aisle in. This has to be the basis from which every accessory you choose will have to work with. Your bridal accessories must complement and enhance your bridal gown.

2. Think Less is More

Ever heard the old adage, ‘less is more’? This is so applicable when it comes to accessorising on your wedding day. If in doubt, that probably means you’ve over accessorised. So in the words of fashion designer Coco Chanel, ‘before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off’.

It’s a tricky one to quantify because there are so many different options and ways in which to wear your bridal accessories but for example, generally speaking, wearing earrings, a crown and a necklace is likely to be too much, unless it’s all really delicate. Of course, your choice of accessories will also be very dependant on how embellished your gown is. If it’s heavily embellished, earrings and a bracelet might well be enough. However, if you have a simplistic, minimal gown, then you will be able to be more creative and choose significant pieces to accessorise, such as a bridal hair vine with earrings and a bracelet.

3. Consider your hairstyle

This is such an important point. Having worked with many bridal hairstylists over a number of years, a high proportion of brides purchase hair accessories that are not suitable for the hairstyle that they want. There are certain styles of headpiece that only work with a particular hairstyle. It will save time and worry later if you have thought about this upfront. Take pictures with you of the sort of hairstyle you would like to your bridal trial or to the bridal shop you bought your dress from and either of these experts will be able to advise on the best headpieces for the hairstyle you have in mind. Alternatively, search for an accessories designer who can work closely with you to ensure that a hairpiece is created to suit your chosen hairstyle and dress.

4. Wear A Veil

I mean, unless you’re adamant that you don’t want one which is fine. It’s absolutely a personal choice. The message here is to assure you that you absolutely can wear a veil and a bridal hair accessory…be it a vine, crown or pins! I’ve been asked on many occasions if it’s too much or if you should only wear one or the other and the answer is no. If you try a veil on and fall in love with how ‘bridal’ it makes you feel, then have no fear that you can also adorn your hair with any accessory you choose. Your hairstylist should know exactly how to style both pieces confidently and if not, why not ask their advice, or mine!

5. Try Everything On

This is so important, particularly if you didn’t find your bridal accessories at the shop you bought your wedding dress from. So if you missed out on the experts co-ordinating everything for you, then you may decide to embark on an online journey to purchase your bridal accessories. When searching and considering what you like, you must keep your wedding dress (and possible hair style) front of mind before selecting items to purchase to ensure they are cohesive. In addition and even more important is, if you buy pieces from several places online then it’s vital that these all work together.

The key in this instance is to try everything on together. This will give you a clear picture as to whether or not the accessories and your wedding dress co-ordinate.

Of course, the alternative would be to seek a bridal accessories designer who can design and create pieces with carefully chosen components that work with the details of your dress. This will provide perfectly co-ordinated accessories that enhance your overall bridal look.

Photography Nikkis Moments
My gorgeous Ellene Statement Headpiece should be worn alone, as shown here. With some detail on the dress, the headpiece works in unison with that and apart from a pair of small stud earrings, is all that is needed to provide a cohesive, polished bridal look.

Photography Natalie Stevenson Photography
Dress Anna Kara Bridal from Morgan Davies Bridal
My timeless, elegant Adrianna bridal drop earrings and co-ordinating Angel bridal necklace. This jewellery set is so delicate that you could absolutely style it with a headpiece too. Just keep it as delicate as the jewellery and you’ll have a match made in heaven.

Photography Natalie Stevenson Photography
This image shows perfectly that you can wear a beautiful pair of statement earrings, in this case it’s my Chloe statement earrings, together with a hair accessory worn at the back of the head. Shown here is my best selling Rosie bridal hair vine.

Don’t…

6. Follow Trends

Trend-focused pieces tend to date, whereas classic pieces will stand the test of time. Carefully consider the look you are going for before opting for trend-driven accessories. This will come into it’s own when you look back on your wedding photos 5 or 10 years down the line.

7. Forget about Comfort

I can’t stress this enough. It’s not often something you think about when selecting accessories but it definitely should be! As with your gown, you will be wearing your accessories all day (or you should be!). Heavy, bulky pieces will have you discarding them half way through the day, just like you do a pair of shoes when they start to hurt after several hours of wearing them. And what a shame to have to do that on one of the most special and important days of your life. In addition, with particular regards to bridal hair accessories, these pieces will not be malable and so therefore cannot be moulded around your hairstyle. Additionally, if it’s a heavy headband, your pressure points behind the ears will be adversely affected, just like they are when you’ve worn your sunglasses all day. In this instance, if you do want statement pieces that will be heavy, then consider having an accessories designer that will make you a bridal hair accessory that will be statement but lightweight too.You do not want to invest in pieces that you cannot wear for the duration of the day.

8. Grow your Hair

Of course you can, it’s a personal choice. I know many girls feel pressured to have hair extensions on their wedding day but please don’t assume that you must grow your hair long to wear hair accessories. They look equally beautiful in short hair, you simply need the embellishment set on the appropriate hair accessory.

Brides with short hair still have a plethora of accessories to choose from. For example, a full circlet headpiece or beautiful vines can easily be worn, with ribbons at the ends to keep secure.

Be you, be yourself and let your personality shine through. All your accessories should allow you to do this.

9. Leave it too Late

Start looking early for your accessories as soon as you have your bridal gown. Once you have found ‘the one’, this will in turn dictate to a certain extent, your hairstyle too so you can go full steam ahead in choosing your finishing touches. It will enable you to have browsed a variety of bridal accessories and potentially come to a decision on your co-ordinated accessories. This will be of great help, particularly if you purchase any bridal hair accessory prior to your bridal hair trial. This will then give you the opportunity to see how your hair piece will look with your chosen style.

10. Give up if you still feel confused…

If after all this advice you are still left utterly confused with all the choice and are unsure how to create that cohesive bridal look, then get in touch for a consultation. This will save wasting anymore time and ensure that you totally nail your bridal look. I can help you choose what works for you, your dress and your hairstyle either by an in person consultation or a virtual one. It will also allow you to purchase all your accessories under expert guidance, all in one go. Everything from a bridal belt to jewellery and your bridal hair accessories. This will ensure you ooze confidence, are comfortable with whatever you’re wearing, can make purchases without any worry and know that you are going to look the most beautiful and ultimate version of you on your wedding day. ,

A perfect marriage of co-ordinating beautiful Klara statement earrings with the stunning ‘Klara’ backdrop necklace. A totally one of a kind set for the ultimate in unique, bespoke bridal accessories.

So email me at [email protected] to arrange your free, no obligation consultation and take away all the stress, worry and months of shopping around for your perfect bridal accessories.

I can’t wait to hear from you.

Rachel xx

Bespoke Design

Why choose Bespoke Bridal Accessories?

Why choose bespoke bridal accessories for your wedding day? I’m here to help you understand why bespoke bridal accessories can really elevate your overall bridal look in so many ways.

It’s the one day that you want to be utterly magical, the most special day of your life so far. Surrounded by all those that you love and whose eyes will be on you. With the spotlight on you, you want to be sure that you are the most beautiful and radiant version of yourself. A time to truly showcase your beauty, personality and uniqueness. Leave your guests mesmerised as you make your way down the aisle. Choosing to adorn the right accessories can really be key to capturing all the above and more.

It’s important to consider your accessories as carefully as you did your bridal gown. Just think about how much time and thought went into selecting what style of dress you wanted, everything from fit to style, possibly even what designers you loved and where you could try their gowns. In order to elevate your gown and therefore your overall bridal look, your accessories should be sought after with the same level of consideration to truly exude perfection.

So, now you’ve found the gown, let’s hear the 4 reasons why you should choose bespoke bridal accessories on your wedding day…

Photograph by Natalie Stevenson Photography

1. Personal

You want your personality and your style to enthral your loved ones on your wedding day. You want to radiate everything that is good about you. You can really embody these traits by carefully selecting bespoke bridal accessories. Choosing accessories that you love allows your personality to shine through. Selecting elements that co-ordinate beautifully with your gown will really help to personalise and elevate your bridal look, particularly if your wedding dress allows for a bridal belt. Bespoke bridal accessories showcase your own style and can effortlessly portray this to everyone.

A significant and heartfelt choice for having bespoke bridal accessories could be to incorporate something of sentimental value. Many brides-to-be come to me with their mother’s jewellery or grandmother’s pearls and ask for them to be used within the design of an accessory that I’m creating for them. This is such a privilege and of course means there is nothing more personal to have and wear on your wedding day. If you want to have a special person near to you who is no longer with us, this is an incredibly touching and personal way to do this.

I also have requests to design and create headpieces or jewellery that mirrors the shape/colour/design of an engagement ring, a piece of jewellery that has been inherited and even a grandmother’s tiara. Nothing is impossible and having the possibility to own something so personal, which is not only beautiful but functional too, is a truly treasured extravagance.

Photograph by Natalie Stevenson Photography

2. Comfort

This is an element of bespoke bridal accessories that should not be underestimated. Just as you need to feel comfortable in your dress all day, the same must be said for your accessories. Everything from your shoe choice to your headpiece, it’s incredibly important that you don’t realise you’re wearing them. You don’t want to be removing them half way through your wedding day because they are uncomfortable. You should be able to wear your accessories for the entire day and in some cases, beyond!

Let’s talk headpieces first. Most handmade bridal hair accessories have been made entirely from scratch with wire. This means that they are completely lightweight, not bulky and can be gently moulded into your hairstyle with ease. This is not normally the case with a mass produced, manufactured piece which has the total opposite effect. With particular reference to my own headbands, I can guarantee that you will not know you are wearing it because all my bands are handmade. They will not dig into your pressure points behind the ears and therefore you will not suffer from a headache or want to remove it halfway through the day.

Is there anything worse than uncomfortable shoes?! I always find it so sad when you see ladies at a prestigious event, impeccably dressed, only for them to have tossed their shoes to one side because they can’t dance/walk in them any longer. Your wedding day shouldn’t be the day that you have to do that! And you don’t have to, but let me explain why…

Footwear should be beautiful but moreover comfortable. My bridal shoe accessory service ticks both these boxes. Firstly, ensure your comfort, by purchasing your own beautiful nude heels or a pair of shoes, to the colour and heel of your choice. Once you’ve chosen your dream pair of shoes, you can allow me to adorn them with beautiful accessories that will also co-ordinate with your wedding dress and other bridal accessories perfectly. There are two choices of design: one is an embellishment which is permanently fixed to your shoe and can be placed on the heel, front or any strap; the second is a clip which would attach to the front of your shoe and of course may be removed. You may wear these shoes time and again, long after your wedding day, enabling you to relive those special memories every time you put them on.

Photograph by Natalie Stevenson Photography

3. Unique

Yes, yes, yes! Bespoke bridal accessories will ALWAYS be unique to you. This is absolutely one way to ensure that no bride will have gone before you wearing the same. No two bespoke bridal accessories that are made by hand will ever be identical. There will always be a slight variation between two pieces.

When you purchase your bridal gown, it may be that others who have visited the same boutique have indeed fallen in love with the same wedding dress as you. This is where you can make that bridal gown utterly unique by adding bespoke bridal accessories that by their very nature, are limited edition pieces.

If you adore a particular headpiece, a pair of earrings or one of my shoe accessory designs, you can ask for it to be tweaked slightly, choose pearls instead where diamantes have been used or request for your accessory to be made in gold instead of silver. The possibility for your uniqueness, your individuality and your personality to ooze from the inside out, is by choosing bespoke bridal accessories.

Photograph by Natalie Stevenson Photography

4. Alterations

Let’s be honest, weddings can be an expensive time. The products/services you choose in some cases will only be relevant or last for the day itself. When you’ve invested so much, how wonderful would it be if you could keep some of what you paid for?

Well with bespoke bridal accessories, you can! How sentimental would it be if you could wear them again? How wonderful if you could relive the memories of one of the most special days of your life every day? With my ‘alterations’ service you can absolutely have these feelings. For example, if you’ve had any type of headpiece made, or even a backdrop necklace, it will likely be that you wouldn’t wear this after your wedding day. Why not have me deconstruct the piece and re-create it into a beautiful necklace, a pair of earrings or bracelet? You can wear these time after time, along with a heartfelt smile too, knowing that you wore all the elements on your wedding day. A new piece of jewellery that can be treasured forever and passed down through the generations as an heirloom.

So, if you needed any more reasons as to why you should choose bespoke bridal accessories, then why not get in touch with me.

I’m intensely passionate about working intimately with my brides to design and create exquisite bridal accessories that work in harmony with the rest of your bridal look, ensuring you look and feel the absolute ultimate version of you on your wedding day.

Rachel xx

Tips/Advice

5 Things to Consider When Buying your Bridal Accessories

Before you even start to think about what bridal accessories you may want to wear on your wedding day, there are certain things that need to be thought about before you purchase anything. Sure, your bridal gown is the main and biggest purchase but the right bridal accessories should not be underestimated and will totally elevate your look and add a personal touch. So, before you buy anything, read my ‘5 things to consider when buying your bridal accessories’:

Dress First!!

Please, please make sure you have fallen in love with and purchased your bridal gown! Now, whilst this may seem obvious to most, there are still those that see a hair accessory that they love and go ahead and purchase it before anything else! You cannot possibly make an informed decision on any of your accessories before you know, for example, what the neckline of your gown is. Is it backless or does it have an illusion back? Does it have long sleeves or no sleeves? Will I need to wear my hair up or down? For your bridal look to be cohesive and co-ordinated, your gown should be your first purchase. Only then can every other detail be considered.

Illusion back wedding dress — Beautiful bridal gown from a selection at George James Bridal, Bedford
‘Ethereal Beauty’ bridal hair comb from my collection
Photography by Lee Rushby Photography

The romantic ‘Beverly’ gown from Claire Pettibone

A dramatic low back on this exquisite couture gown from dress designer Kate Edmondson
One of a kind, bespoke ‘Klara’ backdrop bridal necklace from my ‘Bel Fiore’ collection
Photography by Natalie Stevenson Photography

2. Hair Trial

If you are confident you know how you are going to be wearing your
hair on your wedding day, then you may wish to purchase bridal hair accessories
to take to your trial with you. However, like in a lot of cases when purchasing your bridal gown, you may end up with something slightly different to what you were initially considering. Please don’t forget that your wedding dress will likely dictate how you will style your hair. A hair trial first is ideally the way to go as you can be totally confident what you select will be the perfect choice. Bear in mind that your other bridal
accessories, bridal earrings, bracelet or even shoe adornments will need to be
considered with what bridal hair accessories you choose in order to beautifully co-ordinate.

Wedding Hair loose bun — Gorgeous loose wedding hair up by the talented Emma Kim
Photography by Nikki’s Moments Photography & Film
Delicate ‘Louise’ rose gold hair vine from my custom made collection

Bridal flower hair pins — Scattered ‘Madeline’ large floral hair pins in amongst this beautiful romantic hair up by the uber talented Leah at Belles Beauty based in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire at the stunning Hunton Park, Hertfordshire
Photography by Natalie Stevenson Photography

Ever popular half up half down style which has been styled with an on trend braid by the fabulous
Claire from Barbarella Bridal Hair in Stotfold, Hertfordshire is beautifully adorned here with my
bestselling ‘Clara’ bridal headpiece.
Photography by Natalie Stevenson Photography

3. Jewellery

You should keep in mind what you wear on a day-to-day basis. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel, and make your every day accessories relevant to your wedding day look. For example, if you don’t usually wear statement earrings then there’s no reason to wear them on your wedding day. Generally speaking, less is more. You want to look elegant and demure on your wedding day and so it really isn’t always necessary to have a tiara, veil, necklace, earrings and bracelet. Carefully select the right number of accessories and don’t go overboard. Try them all on together before the big day and don’t be afraid to scale back. The wedding images are a permanent keepsake of your very special day and 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 luxurious classics instead and your bridal style will remain timeless and sophisticated in years to come.

Sparkly bridal earrings — Classically beautiful and timeless ‘Danielle’ bridal drop earrings, the perfect accompaniment to this romantic Justin Alexander bridal gown, which has co-ordinating diamante straps.
Photography by Nikki’s Moments Photography & Film

Gold bridal necklace — Feminine and delicate, this 14k gold filled ‘Angel’ bridal drop necklace is perfect for the neckline on this gorgeous bridal gown from a selection at Morgan Davies Bridal , Hitchin
Photography Natalie Stevenson Photography

'Lisa' 14k gold floral bridal earrings — A high necked couture bridal gown by James Clarke is perfectly complemented by these medium sized ‘Sasha’ hydrangea floral hair pins scattered throughout this gorgeous styled hair updo by Belles Beauty, with the perfect finishing touch of these delicate co-ordinating ‘Lisa’ gold bridal drop earrings.

4. Comfort is Key

Let’s focus now on footwear, although it is important that ALL of your bridal accessories are comfortable since you will be wearing them all day. This is
why most of my brides come to me as not only do they want something unique,
they can also guarantee that they will not even realise they’re wearing them
throughout the day.

Ask yourself, where are you marrying your beau? Are you having an outdoor wedding? Destination Wedding? Stately Home? Do think carefully about this when you’re choosing your wedding shoe. Clearly heels are not the way to go if you’re getting married on a beach! And if you don’t normally wear heels, then consider beautifully adorned flats for your wedding day.

One of the biggest trends of recent years is instead of buying ivory wedding shoes, buy a beautiful nude heel or a pair of shoes to the colour of your choice so that they may be worn many times after your wedding day. This way, you’ll be able to relive those special memories every time you put them on. My recently launched bridal shoe accessory service is perfect for this as you can purchase your very own pair of shoes and allow me to adorn them with beautiful accessories that will also co-ordinate with your wedding dress and other bridal accessories perfectly. Get in touch for more details.

Gold Bridal Shoes — Bespoke bridal shoe accessories, these ‘Klara’ adornments are a ‘one of a kind’ and will not be repeated, they are the perfect accessory for any heeled shoe, high or low.
Photography by Natalie Stevenson Photography

Blush Rose Gold Wedding Heels — Choose your own beautiful but most importantly comfortable wedding shoes and then accessorise them to reflect your individual style. I adore that you can then wear your wedding shoes again and again, making them the most unique and stylish investment.
Photography by Natalie Stevenson Photography

Rose Gold Wedding Shoes — The attraction of custom made bridal accessories is that you will always be
beautifully co-ordinated. Gorgeous rose gold hairpin ‘Leah’ (coming soon), sitting perfectly
alongside the complementing shoe accessory.

5. The Most Authentic and Beautiful Version of You

Above all else, don’t stray too far from your normal style! Although it’s the most special day in your life, the idea is to look and feel like the best, most beautiful version of your regular self.

If you require any advice on selecting the right bridal accessories for you, please do contact me or comment below, I truly would love to be able to help you.

Rachel xx