4 Tips for Accessorizing Bridesmaid Dresses

The process of choosing a dress for your bridesmaids is no easy feat. In addition to choosing a dress you love and want to see in your wedding photos, you also need to take into consideration a few factors about your bridesmaids specifically. Of course you want your best girls to feel great while they stand beside you on your big day, so it’s important to keep body types and height differences in mind while you shop around for the perfect bridesmaid dress.

So you’ve nailed down the dress for your bridesmaids. Though the hard part is over, you still have more to do in the bridesmaid styling department. Accessorizing a bridesmaid dress with beautiful wedding jewelry and other add-ons can take their look to the next level and make each bridesmaid feel even more beautiful on the day of the wedding. Though there’s no “one size fits all” method to styling your bridesmaids, here are a few tips to serve as inspiration and help make the process super easy.

1. Personal Touch: You love your bridesmaids because they’re your closest friends and family. They’re each their own person with a specific personality, so why not let that shine through at the wedding? A thoughtful and considerate option is to allow your bridesmaids to choose their own accessories for the wedding. Since you have chosen their dress as the bride, their accessories could make the bridesmaid dress feel more unique and closer to their personal style. It’s also a great option if you’d like to help your bridesmaids avoid extra wedding costs since they have already invested in the dress itself. Most people have a nice set of jewelry for special occasions that would save them from buying new pieces just to match everyone else in the bridal party.

   

2. Gift an Accessory: Most brides give a thoughtful memento to their bridesmaids before or on the wedding day. A gift from the bride to her bridesmaids says a huge thank you to them for taking the time to be a part of their wedding festivities and being a great friend. It’s common for this sweet gift to come in the form of something they can wear on the day of the wedding, whether it be a robe to wear while getting ready or a sparkly pair of wedding earrings to wear that day and keep forever. The idea of giving a bridesmaid accessory as a gift not only counts as a great present, but it also allows you to streamline one of their accessories to fit your liking as well.

3. Get Inspired by the Bride: What better place to find ideas for bridesmaid accessories than the bride herself? By taking inspiration from your own wedding look, you’ll create a cohesive and beautiful bridal party aesthetic that will look great both in photos and in person. For example, if you have pearls sewn into part of your wedding gown, you might ask your bridesmaids to wear a pair of pearl earrings and your maid of honor to wear a pearl necklace. Other unique bridesmaid jewelry ideas include matching your bridesmaids’ earrings or pendant shape to the shape of your engagement ring in order to create a theme within all of your wedding jewelry.

4. Consider Their Dresses: Bridesmaid dresses are notorious for featuring a few popular necklines. As the bride, you’ll want to choose a neckline that flatters all of your bridesmaids and will make them feel beautiful. Once you decide on a specific style, the rest of the bridesmaid accessories should be chosen with the dress in mind. This can help you narrow down your options when it comes to wedding jewelry and even which hairstyle you recommend to your bridesmaids.

For dresses with an illusion neckline, halter top or a high-cut neckline with mesh or lace, you might think about keeping jewelry simple and to a minimum. Since an illusion neckline is a focal point in itself, let it shine and don’t clutter the overall look with big earrings or a necklace. Go for a classic pair of stud earrings that will contribute to the look without overpowering it. Sweetheart, strapless and v-neck dresses leave a lot more room for adding earrings and a necklace. A pretty pendant wedding necklace with a dainty chain is the perfect way to break up the section of bare skin left showing by these specific dress styles. From there, add matching drop earrings and show them off by doing an updo or pulling the hair halfway back. Lastly, one-shoulder dresses deserve some bling, too! Since the style already creates asymmetry within the neckline, keep things balanced by skipping a necklace and adding in some funky statement earrings. Have fun with it and don’t be afraid to choose something different!