For many of us, choosing the right dress for what might be the most important day of our lives is imperative, closely followed by the cake… or maybe that’s just me.
We could spend hours mulling over the perfect silhouette that will complement our beautiful frames underneath, but during this process the one thing that may be over looked, is the humble accessory.
Accessories are not simply decoration; they are a definition of character. Choosing the right shoes, jewellery, hair piece or even lipstick is the difference between being a beautiful bride and being a stunning version of yourself on your big day.
Olivia Palermo is my favourite example how accessories can capture your personality.
I love that one of the most influential women in fashion styled her stunning Carolina Herrera Tulle skirt with a modest cream cashmere cardigan, and channelled her inner Carrie Bradshaw with immaculate blue Manolo Blahniks. This really defines who she is as a person, understated and utterly charming with carefully calculated style, a woman who isn’t afraid to play outside the box.
Where Palermo was simplistic and subtle in her choice, the contrast, when looking for style inspiration for your wedding day, would be Miss Carrie Bradshaw in the SATC movie. Who could forget that breath-taking wedding dress montage?
The accessories she wore were so outlandish, you wouldn’t be wrong to assume that she was part of the most expensive, lavish and designer filled pantomime in history.
But whether you loath them or love them, the accessories styling here is so undeniably Carrie. Her character’s confidence shines through each pearl, diamond and feather as if they were made to be worn by her and only her, on her wedding day.
These examples may be polar extremes of each other, but they are perfect illustrations of how the accessories you choose can define you as a person if you want them to. We could spend months collecting ideas from hundreds of wedding magazines and Pinterest mood boards, looking for dress inspiration and the perfect tousled hair style. But while you may be in complete awe at these other stunning brides and thinking to yourself “I want to look just like her” what you need to think is “how can I accessorise this outfit to make this look like an incredible version of me?” So be bold and switch it up, tradition and trends aren’t imperative, how you are remembered on your wedding day is. And as a great fashion house once said “Fashion fades, style is eternal” – Yves Saint Laurent