Last updated at 17:56, Friday, 05 October 2012

Choosing jewellery for a wedding goes much further than the wedding rings the bride and groom exchange during the ceremony.

A bride may want to buy special jewellery to complement her outfit and for her bridesmaids.

It’s important to remember that jewellery shouldn’t overpower the outfit and sometimes less can be more.

The neckline of the dress will determine whether a necklace can be worn. Strapless dresses usually suit a rounded shaped necklace such as a full pearl necklace while a V shaped neckline looks good with pearl pendants and necklaces with a drop.

Sweatheart necklines look good with most styles of necklace while a high necked dress will look stunning without any necklace – instead you could go for a pair of earrings. This may also work best for one-shoulder and halterneck dresses.

You should try to match the detail of your dress to your jewellery such as crystal beading, diamantes, pearls or beading. Classic pearls are perfect for a traditional dress while contemporary jewellery look great with more modern styles of dress.

Keep it subtle, though, as you don’t want to go over the top and take the attention away from your dress. If your dress has a simple style with little details your jewellery can make a stunning feature while it may be overpowering for a more ornate, detailed dress.

The colour of the gold of the engagement and wedding ring will influence your decision over white or yellow gold jewellery.

You may want to keep your look simple and just wear one piece of jewellery or you could buy matching earrings and bracelet.

Your hairstyle may affect the type of earrings you choose. If you decide to wear your hair up then you’ll have more options, from studs to half-hoops and dangling earrings. If you wear your hair down and you have long hair don’t go for earrings that will get caught in your hair although studs or half-hoops will still look good.

Make sure your jewellery isn’t going to catch on your dress – you don’t want sharp edges to tear your gown.

Hair decorations include tiaras, crowns, fascinators, hair bands, slides, grips or combs and your choice should match or complement your other jewellery.

You’ll need to take into account whether you’ll be wearing a veil when you choose your headwear. Take it to your hairdresser when you go for a trial run and work out how you’re going to wear it.

Your jewellery and headwear should be comfortable to wear. Take all your accessories with you when you go for dress fittings. Many brides buy their bridesmaids jewellery to wear on the wedding day as a thank-you gift.

Christmas and New Year are popular times for couples to get engaged. Rings range in metals, shape and sizes and it is advisable to go for something that will last in terms of quality and is timeless and can be worn for life.

Some engagement rings may come in a set with a matching wedding ring but if you buy them separately they should be of the same metal and should sit well together.

If you’re going for gold rings, go for the best quality affordable. If both the rings are gold, make sure they’re of the same carat or purity, otherwise the less pure or harder gold will wear away the other when they are worn together.

Platinum and palladium are harder wearing than gold and this is reflected in the price.

White gold rings are often plated with rhodium and over time this will yellow and so the ring will need replating so bear this in mind. You could have traditional plain bands, patterned or diamond set ring.

If you do manual work then you may want to choose a heavier weight ring for extra durability. If you want the rings engraved then go for a wider band. You could buy a modern ring, antique ring or have one specially made.

As engagement and wedding rings can be very expensive pieces of jewellery you should think about getting them insured if they’re not already covered under your home contents insurance.

First published at 21:05, Wednesday, 03 October 2012
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk