Choosing Your Bridesmaids’ Jewelry

Traditionally, brides will pick out their bridesmaids’ jewelry to wear on the wedding day without their help, and will present it them shortly before the wedding as a gift.

This way, brides exert full control over what their bridesmaids wear jewelry-wise on their big day—generally something that fits in with the wedding theme, bridesmaids’ dresses, or bride’s jewelry—and the jewelry also serves as the standard gifts from bride to bridesmaids.

However, some brides aren’t sure how to go about choosing and buying jewelry for their bridesmaids.

Generally, choosing the same jewelry set for each bridesmaid is ideal (particularly if your bridesmaids are all wearing the same or similar dresses and colors)—this not only creates a more “uniform” look among your wedding party; it is also much simpler!

A bridesmaid jewelry set most commonly includes a necklace and a pair of earrings. Some brides choose to throw a bracelet in there as well; others will select anklets and necklaces or some other variation—the contents of the set are really up to you.

When shopping around for bridesmaid jewelry, consider the theme of the wedding. For example, if the wedding is very formal and classic, stick with a formal and classic-looking jewelry set, such as elegant pearl earrings and necklaces. If you’re having a summer wedding that’s perhaps more casual, you might want to try more “fun” anklets and bracelets.

Next, think about the bridesmaids’ dresses. You ultimately want jewelry to flatter and complement the dresses—not “compete” with them or worse, clash. Think of the color, material, and style of the dress—particularly the neckline if you’re going with necklaces. The type of jewelry you choose for your bridesmaids (earrings, necklace, bracelet, anklet) as well as the style and color should match the look of the dresses.

Also, consider your bridesmaids themselves. What kind of jewelry would they like, and actually want to wear? Do they have their ears pierced? Do they have jewelry aversions or even allergies?

Some final considerations: determine your overall budget for bridesmaid jewelry, and don’t leave this jewelry shopping until the last minute—particularly if you plan to shop online.

Before you go into the jewelry stores blindly, come up with a plan ahead of time so you’re prepared, so you can save some time and money, and you can focus on finding what you’re looking for. Even if you decide to shop for your jewelry online, it’s best to take the wedding theme, bridesmaid dresses, your bridesmaids themselves, and your budget into consideration before selecting and purchasing your bridesmaid jewelry sets.