You’ve got the wedding planned down to the last, tiny detail. Through it all, your bridesmaids have been with you right in the thick of it, through all the meltdowns, emotional tears, dress shopping, helping send out invites, and so much more. They’ve invested a lot into your big day!
So, it’s time to decide what to give them as an expression of thanks. We say, why not get wedding jewelry sets for all your girls? The best part about giving them jewelry as the bridesmaid gift is that it benefits you as well. By giving them jewelry to wear on the big day, you can ensure that they are wearing accessories that go well with the dresses you all worked so hard to pick out.
You also get to ensure that nothing clashes with your dress and wedding jewelry! After all, you are the star of the show. With that in mind, keep reading for our best tips for choosing bridesmaid jewelry.
Should Bridesmaid Jewelry Sets Match?
This is largely subjective. Some brides may think that matching dresses and matching jewelry is a little overkill. Meanwhile, other brides love to have every detail match! It’s more a matter of taste than tradition, so decide what you like best. If you don’t care if everyone’s jewelry matches, you could encourage your bridesmaids to choose jewelry and accessories to reflect their style.
Just purchase a single jewelry item for everyone to wear, such as matching rings or a pendant necklace or brooch. And if you prefer to pick out all the jewelry yourself, so you know the end result will match your vision, by all means, do! You can make it your gift to the bride. Of course, if you still want to get them something else as a bridal party gift too, that’s more than fine.
Don’t Go Overboard
Sometimes, less really is more. You don’t want your bridesmaids’ jewelry to detract from your look in any way. You also want all jewelry and accessories to complement each other so that everyone looks pulled together and nothing clashes. If you go overboard, the end result can be a little sloppy looking and overdone.
Consider Your Style of Wedding
If your wedding is informal and straightforward, you can get away with simple items, like jewelry gift sets that feature single stones, or dainty necklaces and earrings. However, if your wedding is formal, jewelry that is flashier and more glam may be appropriate. Think of your style and wedding theme to determine what kind of jewelry might be a good fit.
Avoid Multiple Colors and Metals
Just like going with too many colors is a big “no,” so is going with too many metals. The rule of thumb for wedding jewelry is no more than two colors in your jewelry and no more than two types of metals. Going with anything more not only creates a look that’s confusing and busy, but it also detracts from the moment. People are so caught up staring at the hodgepodge of ruby, emerald and sapphire wedding rings that your bridal party is wearing, their attention is turned away from you.
Dress Considerations: Fabric and Color
This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many brides don’t even think about the color or fabric of the bridesmaid dresses before choosing jewelry. There are plenty of options that go well with different colors and types of fabric’ and if you aren’t sure, talk with the experts at your bridal shop. They have extensive experience in matching jewelry to dress and can help you narrow down some choices. Additionally, if your bridesmaid dresses have any embellishments, you want to be careful to choose jewelry items that don’t clash with them.
Dress Considerations: Necklines
Keep in mind the type of neckline on your bridesmaid dresses. Something that looks good with a strapless dress may not look nearly as good with a halter-style dress.
One Shoulder Necklines
Dresses that are off the shoulder on one side mean you can usually skip the necklace. If you do get one, it should be very simple. Keep the focus on eye-catching earrings and perhaps a beautiful arm bracelet with a matching ring. Chandelier earrings are a great choice for this type of neckline.
Strapless and Sweetheart Necklines
When wearing a strapless dress, stud earrings and a chunky necklace are the way to go. Think necklaces that make a statement, and earrings that don’t detract from that statement in any way. When you pair the two together, it creates a look that’s “just” enough. Choker-style necklaces are also a popular choice.
Halter Necklines
Bridesmaid dresses with halter necklines are fun and don’t require much accessorizing. You probably want to skip the necklace completely and focus on other jewelry items, like dangling, sparkling earrings, and perhaps a ring or bracelet that complements them.
V-Neck Necklines
For some reason, v-neck dresses are popular during the spring season. A v-neck dress essentially makes whatever necklace you choose to wear a focal point. Think delicate and dainty as far as necklaces go, with perhaps teardrop earrings or dainty dangling earrings to match. Depending on your budget, you can also get a pretty ring or bracelet to go with them. Some brides like the look of choker necklaces with a v-neck or even a double necklace. Pendant necklaces are all the rage and give you the chance to personalize your jewelry gift for your bridesmaids.
Sheer/Illusion Necklines
It’s recommended not to wear a necklace with sheer necklines because the jewelry could get snagged on the material. You’re better off going with cute, delicate earrings paired with a pretty bracelet and a single-stone ring. While this isn’t a set rule, definitely consider it. It would be a shame to create an unsightly snag in one of your bridesmaid’s dresses on the big day!
When Should You Start Looking?
Buying jewelry for your bridesmaids might not be number one on your list of to-dos, but you shouldn’t wait until the last minute. It’s a good idea to at least start looking early on, in case you run across something you think would be perfect. Then you’ll have plenty of time to order more if you plan on having each of your bridesmaids’ jewelry items match.
How Much Should You Spend?
How much you spend on this jewelry depends on how large your wedding party is and what kind of budget you’ve allocated for your bridesmaid jewelry sets. However, you do want to buy nice jewelry that your bridesmaids can wear again in the future. Remember that this jewelry may also pull double duty as your traditional bridesmaid gift, so you want it to fully reflect how much you appreciate each of the women who stepped up to help support you for your big day. A good rule of thumb is to plan on spending $75-$150 for each bridesmaid.
Differentiate Your Maid of Honor
Even if you buy matching jewelry sets for all your bridesmaids, you should differentiate your maid of honor. Not only does she get a dress that’s slightly different, but she should also get jewelry that’s different. She plays a key role in your wedding, with a lot of weight placed on her shoulders, so don’t be afraid to get a little more luxurious with her jewelry. Just don’t get anything that might distract from what you’re wearing.
One idea is to get your bridesmaids jewelry that compliments what you’re wearing, and get your maid of honor something that actually matches what you are wearing. For instance, if you are wearing a sapphire wedding ring, perhaps you could get your maid of honor a sapphire pendant necklace or drop earrings.
When to Give Your Bridesmaids Jewelry
There are different ways to go about this. Some brides opt to give their bridesmaids gifts during the rehearsal dinner. This could include the bridesmaid jewelry. However, you aren’t limited to that. You could give your bridesmaids their wedding jewelry sets just about any time. Plan a special afternoon with lunch plus manis and pedis, and present their jewelry then. Or give them their jewelry on the wedding day. Tell them not to bother accessorizing because you have something special planned for them. You could also just give them each their bridal jewelry set individually, whenever you feel the time is right.
*Here at Diamond Nexus, we strive to provide valuable information while being clear and honest about our products. The Nexus Diamond™ alternative is a patented lab created diamond simulate that, among all simulants, most closely imitates the look, weight and wear of a diamond, with two exceptions – it is absolutely perfect in every way, and it costs significantly less. Price points and environmental facts expressed in this blog were taken from popular online retailers and may vary. Learn more about the environmental impact of mining by visiting our blog.