What are the rules for choosing and wearing wedding jewelry? Should you wear a necklace on your wedding day, and are there dos and don’ts to follow when it comes to wearing necklaces on your wedding day?
To answer these questions, this piece shares insights into wedding jewelry, specifically, how to accessorize with necklaces on your wedding day.
It is essential to keep in mind that although your wedding day is essentially your day to shine and you get to look and feel your very best, some rules and recommendations will ensure you look great.
You really don’t want to be the bride over accessorizes on their wedding day. So, here we go!
Do I have to wear a necklace for my wedding?
While it takes quite a lot to prepare and be ready for your wedding, and you will have so many options to choose from, there is a possibility that you may have to wear a necklace on your wedding day.
But this is true only if the necklace you choose matches the selected dress’ style and your wedding theme. At the end of the day, you don’t want to walk down the aisle having committed a faux pas.
So, in this article, we’ll look at some of the options and types of necklaces that will be perfect for you on your wedding day. We’ll also look at the different dress types and neckline designs and the necklace types that would work best with them.
Should you wear a necklace with a strapless wedding dress?
If you have settled on a strapless wedding dress and couldn’t imagine walking down the aisle with a better dress because this one is just… you, you should know that you can wear a necklace with a dress.
But that is not all; you also need to consider the neckline of the strapless dress because not all necklaces work well with the strapless dress. And if you are not sure where to start, there are two main types of necklaces that you can wear with your strapless wedding dress:
Sweetheart necklines – the sweetheart neckline for the wedding dress mimics the heart shape’s top half, and it is more suitable for anyone with a fuller chest; in such cases, the neckline will be accentuated by the necklace.
Sabrina Necklines – this is a subtle neckline that follows the curve of the wearer’s collarbone in a straight cut.
With these two necklines in mind, you should wear longer necklaces if your dress has a sweetheart neckline and a shorter necklace for Sabrina neckline dresses.
Necklaces you can wear A Strapless Dress
So, how do you choose what necklaces to wear with your strapless dress?
- Bib Necklaces
The bib necklace is a common type of necklace worn with strapless dresses, and it is easily identified by the multiple stones, gems, and pearls, all pieces that stand out and help create the best statement pieces that will make your wedding dress stand out more.
You can choose a set with the bib necklace and pair of earrings, and it works well with the sweetheart necklace. Note, however, that with a Sabrina neckline, the bib necklace may overlap with the dress, and you don’t want that to happen.
- Chokers
The other necklace style that looks great with strapless wedding dresses is the choker necklace, and the best part is that the choker necklaces are designed so elegantly in multiple or single bands with small gems.
So, the choker necklace is not only elegant and bold but also stylishly and well-designed to match your wedding dress. The choker works well if you go for more of a subtle look.
This applies to the collar necklaces too. You could also choose collar or choker necklaces that are thick or thin, depending on your preference, but just make sure that they don’t distract the rest of the accessories and the dress.
- Lariats
The simple, chainless necklace with loops on each end will also be a perfect option for you if you are wearing a strapless wedding ring.
The simple design of the necklace makes it an excellent choice for most people on their wedding days.
- Saltada
This is a 7-tier necklace whose design and style are unmatched on wedding days. And because of the unique design of this wedding accessory, the Saltada necklace will, without a doubt, steal the show.
- Chain necklaces
The chain necklace is not only one of the most variable necklace styles that you could choose to accessorize your wedding dress, but it’s also a great fit because it can work as a solo piece or as a set of chain necklaces.
It is simple, and you get to accessorize it quickly, all on your own. You are also guaranteed that the necklace will look great on you. The best part is that there are many pre-made designs that you can choose from.
- Graduated necklaces
The graduated necklace is the other well-designed necklace style that works very well with strapless wedding dresses.
This necklace is designed to start small, closer to the clasps, then the gems and other added items gradually grow larger as they come close to and rest on your chest. This necklace works great with the sweetheart and Sabrina neckline dresses.
- Statement necklaces
Your strapless wedding dress will also look great if you like statement necklaces. The best statement necklace for the statement dress is the longer necklace, which sits mid-chest, accentuating the endpoint of the necklace, say, with an added stylized pendant.
In addition to the necklaces above that look great with strapless wedding dresses, the other necklaces that look great with your strapless wedding dress include:
Bib necklaces serve as the best kind of jewelry to wear with your strapless wedding dress, and they work out well because they make even the simplest strapless wedding dresses stand out. And so, if you’d love to draw a bit of attention to your bling on your day, you may want to pair the necklace with the strapless dress.
The Saltada neckline/ necklace also works well, but it adds a nice glow to the outfit, making you stand out and shine brighter while walking down the aisle.
Tips for Accessorizing Your simple Wedding Dress
1. Always consider the neckline.
As mentioned above, the dress’s neckline is an essential factor in choosing the right accessories for the wedding dress.
This means that you need to choose your necklace depending on the type of neckline, which could be strapless, sweetheart necklines, halter or high neckline, or a V-neckline.
Generally, for the strapless neckline dressed, chokers or short necklaces are ideal because the long and the medium-length necklaces will be unbalanced while sitting on the exposed skin.
Halter and high-neckline wedding dresses leave little or no room, and you should consider skipping the necklace altogether.
And for V-necks, choose drop necklaces or maybe leave the necklace out altogether.
2. Please do not overdo it.
Remember that when choosing accessories for your wedding dresses, you should know that less is more and never accessorize.
So, while you should consider wearing a necklace with your wedding dress, there are dresses that would look just as good without any necklace added in.
And for you to avoid going overboard, you should always have all the bridal jewelry ready when getting ready for the final dress fitting.
So, if one or two pieces stand out a lot, it might be safer to skip both or switch them out for the more subtle pieces.
3. Hairstyle
Accessories aside, the hairstyle you settle on for your big day has a huge impact on your entire wedding look, not just for your choice of earrings but also necklaces.
And so, for the highest level of flexibility, opt for updos because an updo works excellent for statement necklaces and earrings, unlike a down-do that will be better off with subtle and smaller pieces like stud earrings and simple chain necklaces.
4. Dress color
Always keep your dress color in mind, because the wedding dresses are not always wholly white. And for the most harmonious look, choose bridal jewelry that will complement the dress’s shade well.
It would help if you also remembered that platinum and white gold jewelry options work best with the true white wedding dresses, while rose gold and yellow gold are more ideal for the warmer white dresses.
5. Something blue
Did you know that it is tradition to wear a mix of 4 good luck charms on your wedding day? Yes, that is where the old phrase, ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue, comes from.
So, if you haven’t found something blue, we recommend adding ‘something blue’ to the list of jewelry accessories, so maybe a sapphire blue piece of jewelry that will give off a chic, classic feel to complete your bridal look. Blue Topaz is also an excellent option to settle for.
6. Match the metals
While today’s fashion world recommends breaking the rules, you shouldn’t do that just yet, especially not for your wedding look. Instead, stick to one metal family.
So, if wearing ivory, accessorize with gold, then choose platinum, white gold, or silver accessories if your wedding dress is pure white.
Conclusion
Accessorizing your wedding dress doesn’t have to be grand or complicated.
And thanks to the rules above, we’ve made it all more straightforward, especially if you will have on a simple wedding dress.
Read more fashion tips here or here!
Stephanie is a jewelry lover when she was a teenager. Her major was fashion design when she was in college. She is a jewelry designer at SOQ Jewelry and other design companies. Now she is also a writer for our website. She writes a lot of designs&brands posts with very actionable tips.