Photo: Bella Shreveport / Micahla Vaughn

Every bride looks forward to the moment they find THE DRESS.

And once you’ve ordered the dress, you get to make some other fun decisions about your wedding day style. You can start shopping for the perfect pair of shoes, choosing a hairstyle and makeup look, and deciding what jewelry to wear. All fun excuses to shop and scroll the internet for inspiration!

When it comes to jewelry, the ring is, by far, the most important accessory you’ll wear that day. After all, it’s the symbol of your eternal love and your commitment — everything the big day is about!

But aside from your ring, the necklace, bracelet, and earrings you choose can also make a significant impact on your overall style.

Not sure which earrings to pair with your gown? 

Here’s how to choose wedding earrings to complement your dress and help you create a gorgeous head-to-toe wedding day look! 

Bridal Earrings: Keep It Classic or Go Bold!

Site: Bella Pensacola/Bella Bridesmaids Mobile / Amber Fletcher

When choosing bridal earrings, there are a few ways you can go:

Classic and elegant or bold and unexpected.

Like your dress and shoes, the earrings you wear are yet another way to show your personal sense of style. They should be earrings you love, that you’re excited to wear, and that make you feel beautiful and confident. 

The best part about shopping for wedding earrings is that there are endless options to choose from. No matter what type of dress you’re wearing or what kind of budget you’re working on, it’s easy to find all sorts of earring styles at all different price points.  

If you’re going for a classic look, freshwater pearls are a timeless option. Consider wearing pearl stud earrings, pearl drop earrings, or delicate dangle earrings with pearl teardrops.

Prefer a bit more sparkle?

Diamonds always work, and you can keep it classic with diamond studs, small diamond hoop earrings, or crystal drop earrings that hang just below the earlobes.

For the bold bride who wants to wear statement earrings, there are tons of stylish options, such as:

• Diamond climbers that run up the edge of the ear

• Crystal chandelier earrings

• Oversized earrings that graze the shoulder

Colorful gemstones also make a bold statement. Choose the right shade of sapphire or topaz, and they can do double duty as your something blue!

How to Decide Which Earrings to Wear

Photo: Bella Raleigh / Victoria Angela

As the bride, it’s totally up to you to decide which earrings to wear with your wedding dress. But there are a few things to consider that can make the decision-making process a little bit easier.

Consider the style of your dress. If your dress is extravagant, your earrings should be, too. If your dress is casual, a simple pair of earrings is all you need. The trick is to find earrings that have a similar style and vibe as your dress.

Think about your neckline, as well.

Chandelier earrings and long, shoulder-grazing styles look stunning with a low V-neck or a low back. Small drops and small dangles are perfect for pairing with an off-the-shoulder neckline or sweetheart neck. Complement a dress with a high neckline by opting for pave or crystal stud earrings.

Wearing a strapless gown? Keep it simple and classic with diamond studs, or go big and bold with oversized chandeliers.

When choosing wedding earrings, think about the other jewelry you plan to wear. If you’re planning to wear a bold statement necklace, choose earrings that are more understated (and vice versa). If you’re planning to wear an elaborate headpiece or a lot of jewelry in your hair, opt for smaller earrings that don’t compete with your hair bling.

You can also use your wedding venue as inspiration for your wedding earrings. 

Select a floral motif for a garden wedding or a twig or vine motif for a forest wedding. Opt for shell or pearl accents if you’re getting married on the beach. If you’re having a lavish event in a grand ballroom, go for all-out glitz with diamond chandeliers!

How to Pick the Best Earrings for Your Bridesmaids

Photo: Bella Atlanta / Allison Pedigo

Once you pick out the earrings you’re going to wear, it’s time to start thinking about bridesmaid earrings for your sisters, besties, and other favorite girls.

Bridesmaid jewelry does not have to match the bride’s jewelry — the bride should always stand out! 

Most brides choose bridesmaid earrings that coordinate with their own look but aren’t exactly the same. For example, if you’re wearing diamond chandeliers, choose Swarovski crystal clusters or small diamond teardrop earrings for your ‘maids. 

Not only do the bridesmaids’ earrings not have to match the bride’s, they also don’t have to match the other bridesmaids. Just like bridesmaid dresses, it’s perfectly chic to mix-and-match bridesmaid jewelry looks.

As the bride, you can choose the jewelry for your bridal party (jewelry sets make for great bridesmaid gifts!).

Or, you can encourage each bridesmaid to customize her own jewelry look. 

If you let your bridesmaids make the decision, it can be helpful to establish some general guidelines, just to keep some consistency in color and size. 

For example, choose a finish, such as sterling silver, rose gold, white gold, or gold earrings, and then leave it up to your bridesmaids to pick a style that feels most comfortable for them.

Or, you can specify that you want everyone to wear hoops or dangles or studs, and then let them pick the ones they like the best.

When choosing bridesmaid earrings, consider their hairstyles and dress necklines. Updo hairstyles are great with studs or small dangles, while bigger, longer earrings can be a great choice if your bridesmaids are going to wear their hair down. 

What Earrings Should the Rest of the Bridal Party Wear?

Photo: Bella Birmingham / Sam Jasper

Helping the mother of the bride or mother of the groom decide what to wear on your wedding day? Traditionally, the MOB and MOG keep it classic with timeless looks like small diamond dangles or pearl studs.

Most moms shy away from wearing statement jewelry that’s too big or too loud for fear of overshadowing the bride’s style. But if mom loves a big, bold earring, we say embrace it! Let her rock a look that makes her feel like the best version of herself on your big day.

For flower girls with pierced earrings, cubic zirconia earrings or rhinestone earrings are the perfect way to add some sparkle and make her feel just like one of the big girls. 

If some of your groomsmen want to wear earrings, small diamond or CZ studs are ideal. For the guys, smaller earrings will help to maintain consistency with the groomsmen who aren’t planning to wear jewelry.

Conclusion

There are no rules to choosing wedding jewelry other than to pick what you love! 

Whether they’re big, small, simple, or bold, your wedding earrings should be ones that you’re excited about, just like every other element of your wedding day.

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