THE WEDDING SERIES: Bridal Jewellery
Let's talk jewellery for the big day itself; key considerations, inspiration from some of the most stylish brides, over 25 fabulous pieces and an interview with fine jeweller Kitty Joyas
The third edition in my Wedding Series is dedicated to jewellery for the big day itself, your Wedding Day.
Whether you’re going something new or something blue, traditional pearls or a modern sculptural statement, I’ve got your back with plenty of inspiration from some of the most stylish brides and some beautiful pieces to kick off your jewellery search.
Plus I interviewed jeweller Kitty Joyas to get the lowdown on the inspiration behind her new bridal collection.
So first, let’s talk about the key considerations when it comes to choosing the jewellery for your big day;
The dress - the style, the details, the fabric, the neckline, all crucial details to consider. A high neck points more to earrings and bracelets while an open neckline calls out for a necklace.
Your hair - up or down, off your face or hanging down, all help to narrow down earring and necklace choices. If your hair will be up or half up, it presents an opportunity to ‘dress’ your ears with a fabulous pair of earrings, as statement as you are comfortable with of course.
Your usual jewellery style - as people often say with hair and make up choices, your wedding day isn’t a day to try a new trend or a statement pair of earrings if you don’t normally wear them, or equally feeling pressure to pile on jewellery if you’re usually pretty minimalist. You’ll likely feel uncomfortable and you might regret it looking back at photos in years to come.
To help inspire your bridal jewellery looks, I’ve put together three edits; Modern Pearls, Sculptural Statements and Diamond Daze, each with a moodboard featuring fabulous brides, and with a few of my favourite pieces.
Modern Pearls:
Pearls and brides go hand in hand, so much so that you may be afraid to choose them fearing they’re too traditional or conservative of an option. However, there are plenty of designers making the case for pearls with contemporary design touches and combinations of materials and which will convince you to reconsider. Baroque pearls i.e the organic, lumpy, non-spherical shapes can feel less formal - take these Jessie Thomas Double Pearl earrings or Alighieri’s The Fragment of Light Pearl drop earrings.
If you’re going for the traditional pearl shape, look for a piece that mixes textures and shapes for a more modern approach - Jessica McCormack is a master at this, I love these Rush Hour Til Late earrings, and this mega pearl and diamond necklace that Katherine Ormerod wore on her wedding day. I also love this sweet Pacheree necklace with its touch of emerald and Completedworks have so many options to choose from it’s actually hard to pick a favourite.
Kitty Joyas Solar Pearl earrings £2700 | Mizuki gold and diamond cuff £3920| Jessica McCormack Beaches Pearl necklace £5000 | Jessie Thomas Baroque Pearl pendant £3200 | Laura Vann Column Mother of Pearl earrings £235 | Completedworks pearl bow necklace £495
Sculptural Statements:
If you’re a fan of sculptural jewellery in your day to day life, there’s no need to change this for your wedding day, and ensures you’ll definitely wear your bridal jewellery again. A sculpted shape adds a cool, contemporary touch to a bridal look, ideal for those wanting to step away from traditional bridal styles. For a sleek earring option, The Ysso has some beautiful ones - I love the Flower Bud earrings as worn by Danielle Copperman on her wedding day and Liz Crows The Seen Self earrings are a personal favourite. A cuff adds an elegant note, the By Pariah Luna Cuff is silver perfection, and Ruddock’s twisted Gia cuff is one you’ll wear again and again.
Liz Crow The Flow Within Necklace £269 | Deborah Blyth Fold Earrings £205 | The Ysso Birth of Venus cuff £610 | Jessica McCormack Rush Hour til Late Torque £40,000 | Liv Luttrell Twist Hoop earrings £2400 | Kimai Eclipse bracelet £2895
Diamond Daze:
Take notes from uber-stylish brides such as Camille Charriere and Phoebe Lettice and let diamonds be the final dazzling touch to your wedding day look. If your dress has a lot of detailing, a pair of diamond drop earrings makes an impact without stealing the spotlight - my wishlist will forever include everything Sophie Bille Brahe makes, the Starry earrings are stunning, or these By Pariah cuffs or for a more affordable option, Completedworks would be my go to - these Dare ones are fabulous.
You can never go wrong with a diamond necklace either, it looks particularly chic worn with an open neckline dress - a tennis necklace is a classic for a reason, I love this Kimai one for a twist or this Jessie Thomas stunner. Or perhaps use the opportunity to add your ‘something blue’ with a sapphire drop like this one from Pi London.
Daphine Anna Necklace £280 | Completedworks Light of the Past II earrings £225 | Kimai Sola bracelet £1995 | Mejuri Sapphire Tennis Bracelet £298 | Jessie Thomas Cluster diamond earrings £2950 | Roxanne First Pear Diamond Drop snake necklace £1720
In Conversation With: Kitty Joyas
Fine jeweller Kitty Joyas recently launched her own Wedding collection - a capsule of show-stopping pieces that ooze romantic charm and bohemian spirit, all with Kitty’s signature textured finishes and flashes of vibrant coloured stones. I caught up with Kitty to find out more about the story behind the collection and her favourite pieces.
What inspired the making of this new collection?
With my own wedding day on the horizon, I have been dreaming up my own pieces for the last 6 months which inspired me to create a new collection. Focussed around a beautiful heirloom brooch with a striking central citrine, the collection echoes this idea of a round warm/glowing sun seen in the organic circular forms peppered throughout the collection amongst my favourite combinations: warm citrines, ethereal pearls and timeliness diamonds with the option for your something blue with the solar blue sapphire pieces.
Do you have a favourite or stand out piece from the collection?
The Solar Drop Earrings (pictured below)
Do you have any tips for brides when it comes to choosing jewellery for their wedding day?
I would focus on one central/statement piece and then design around this. For example if you are going to wear a big necklace or chunky choker, I would then opt for really subtle and light earrings!