You want your jewellery and accessories to compliment your wedding gown, not compete with it. Keep this in mind when picking them out. Heirloom pieces are great for weddings and they can complete the “Something old, something new…” tradition of your wedding day! The general tone and style of your wedding day should be forefront when picking out your gown, jewellery and accessories. You don’t want a princess ball gown complete with ¾ sleeve gloves at a summer garden wedding of fifty. If you do opt for gloves, choose a style that compliments your gown. Long gloves are excellent for a gown with little to no sleeves, elbow length gloves look great with a cap sleeve and short gloves (to the wrist) are great for a shorter dress (tea-length). Make sure to remove your gloves before exchanging rings.

Sexy but sensible – that’s what you’re looking for in a great pair of shoes. The same goes with your wedding shoes. You’ll be on your feet for hours, dancing and mingling. Wear your shoes before the big day to break them in because the last thing you want is sore feet! You should wear them around your house for seven to eight hours to really work them in. When choosing your veil and/or headpiece, keep the style of your gown and wedding in mind. Also consider what you want to do with your hair. When you make your bridal hair appointment, book a trial run and bring in anything you want your stylist to use in your hair. This gives you a chance to make sure you get the exact look you want.

The Wedding Rings:

Know the four C’s when shopping for your wedding rings:

· Cut: the shape, facets, and angles of your stone

· Carat: the measure of the stones’ weight

· Colour: refers to the stones colour (clear, pink, blue, etc)

· Clarity: the inclusions in the diamond – the more transparent the stone, the more it sparkles

Start early and do your homework. Give yourself at least two months before the wedding to start shopping for your rings. You don’t have to have a matching set for your wedding rings. If you would like something that matches, try picking rings that share certain features. Some people prefer a simple band and others look for more flair. Whatever you choose, make sure it is something you can live with for the rest of your life. Try to stay away from trends and look for something more classic. You will be looking at your wedding ring everyday for the rest of your life and you want it to be something you enjoy now, five years from now and fifty years from now.