Yay – you’ve found your dream dress! It’s time to breathe a sigh of relief because you’ve made one of the biggest (and most exciting!) decisions you’ll make for your wedding. We usually encourage our brides not to rush into deciding the accessories on the same day as the dress, as it can be a lot!
Once you have found your dress and the details of your wedding are starting to come together, such as venue, colours, and flowers, you might start to get an idea of what accessories will suit your day. Here’s a breakdown of the types of accessories to think about with your dress:
Veils
An obvious place to start for sure, veils are the classic wedding accessory. While like any accessory choice it’s always personal preference, we always recommend considering your dress style when selecting a veil. For simpler fabrics, you might find a decorative veil with a hint of sparkle or some lace detail the perfect combination.
For bolder lace dresses, a plain, extra sheer veil that shows off the detail while still maintaining the classic bridal look.
Shoes
The decision of shoes is one of the most important accessory choices to make as it impacts the all-important alterations of your dress. The height of your shoes will determine the hem length in alterations, so this is a choice you need to have made by the point of your first seamstress appointment.
Our biggest tip for selecting your shoes is to think – comfort! Whatever you have planned for your big day, chances are you will be walking around greeting guests, snapping memories, and generally enjoying your day. Pick a shoe type that you will find comfortable to do this in (and remember to break them in before!). Many brides change into flats as the day progresses, so you might want to think about a few shoe options for the day but keep in mind that a drastic heel height change will mean the dress will be too long once into flats.
We have a beautiful selection of block heels, stilettos and flats in the boutique from Charlotte Mills, The Perfect Bridal Co and Avalia. We often get comments from our brides about how incredibly comfortable they all are as they are designed to be worn throughout your big day and to dance the night away!
These can be tried on during a specific Accessory Appointment or at your First Try appointment once your dress arrives.
Jewellery
Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings… there’s so much choice! It’s easy to get overwhelmed, so let’s try and break it down.
Dress details: What details in your dress could you match? Sparkle and diamantés in your earrings, or maybe florals with pearls in a pendant. You can stick to a theme or mix-and-match tailored to your day. Jewellery is something that can be easily overdone, so don’t feel you have to have everything. Sometimes leaving your collarbone free of jewels allows your dress to shine, for example.
Make sure you have a test run at trying all your jewellery on together to make sure you love the finished look.
Hairpieces
Just like your jewellery, hairpieces are a w
onderful way to bring out the details in your dress or highlight different parts of your day, such as floral arrangements. It’s important to know how you will wear your hair before making decisions about hair accessories. For hair worn down or in a slicked-back bun, a statement headband looks incredible. For textured updos or half-up-half-down-dos, elegant pins and decorative combs work really well.
Top tip: Be sure to take your accessories to your hair trials.
Shrugs, Capes, & Boleros
An amazing option for autumn and winter weddings, or for the more daring bride looking to stand out. Shrugs, capes, and boleros have seen a rise in popularity in recent years with brides using them as another way to personalise their wedding looks. The options are endless, with tulle, embroidery, faux fur, satin, and many more fabrics to match or complement your gown.
Feeling like there’s too much choice? It’s also a completely valid decision not to add any accessories – sometimes all you need is yourself in the dress! Here at Champagne and Charlotte Bridal, we offer dedicated accessory appointments where we can advise and discuss. We even have a selection of amazing accessories in the boutique for you to try on and buy.
