Bridal Accessories

Must-Have Accessories for Brides

By Anna Lynn Sibal

A bride needs to be well-dressed for her wedding day. It would probably be the only day in her life when she gets to be the center of everyone's attention, so it would be great for her to be at her utmost best on that day. Everything about the bride must glow and sparkle on her wedding day.

This is why most brides make such a fuss on their wedding gowns. If they are to be queens or princesses for a day, they might as well look the part. But the wedding gown alone is not the end-all or be-all of the bridal outfit. Accessories that go with the wedding gown are also a vital part of the bridal attire.

What accessories do brides need to wear to go with the wedding gown? Here is a short list.

1. The headpiece and veil. Veils and headpieces can look dramatic on a bride. It is always romantic for a groom to lift the veil covering his bride and reveal the stunning beauty of her face. Some brides, however, opt to wear a veil that does not cover the face and falls down her back instead. Some brides opt not to wear a veil at all but just a headpiece, like a tiara or a headband or a set of decorative hairpins.

If a bride chooses to wear a veil and a headpiece, she should choose a set that is the exact match of her wedding gown. Her hairstyle should also be done to suit the veil and headpiece she would be wearing.

2. Bridal Jewelry. It is a must for brides to wear jewelry for that added sparkle to her bridal attire. The market is thriving with modern jewelry styles for the modern bride, but a bride can wear heirloom pieces or jewelry she bought previously for herself even though they are not exactly bridal jewelry.

Whatever her choice for jewelry is, again, it should match her wedding gown. If there are pearl embellishments on her dress, veil and headpiece, the jewels she should wear are pearls. A white ensemble calls for silver, platinum or white gold. On the other hand, yellow gold jewelry goes best with gowns that have brownish or yellowish tints, like beige or ivory.

3. Shoes. While everyone would be looking mostly at the bride’s face and body during the ceremony and reception, it is important that the bride wears the right shoes. The right bridal shoes would complete the overall look that a bride must have, so it is important that they complement the dress itself and the other accessories that the bride is wearing. Also, the shoes must be comfortable for the bride to wear, as she would be walking around and dancing during the entire affair.

Another accessory that a bride may opt to wear is a pair of gloves. This would be appropriate for formal weddings; long gloves that reach past the elbow are great on strapless gowns. A bride may dispense of them, however, if her wedding is a casual or a beach affair, or if gloves are simply uncomfortable for her to wear.

A bridal gown is a piece of beauty in itself. But to enhance its beauty further, a bride should wear accessories that go well with her gown.