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She's Got the Look
Chicago wedding stylist Tara Price once had a bride who wanted all the grand accessories: big earrings, a flashy necklace and an intricate hairpiece.
Price, of Unveil Your Look, a wedding styling service, appreciated the idea that the bride wanted to dazzle on her wedding day, she also knew the barrage of accessories overwhelmed the bride’s overall look. The gown itself already had a lot of detailing, says Price, so she introduced the idea of embellishing with a simple pair of earrings and a headband.
Some women love jewelry and may want to pile on the accessories, while others may stay on the more simplistic side. Stylists and boutique owners often help brides balance their own style with the traditional wedding day look.
The wedding day is a very special day, and it’s OK to want to overdo it a little bit, says Susan Metropoulos, owner of The Left Bank, a bridal jewelry and accessories boutique in Chicago. Metropoulos always advises brides to trust their own judgment.
“Have your everyday style be an influence [on your wedding style], and be yourself,” she says. “It’s also a very special day though, so you should sparkle even more than usual.”
Metropoulos says about once a year the stylists at her store get a bride that’s very highly memorable and wants a full-on look – complete with tiara, big earrings and a big necklace. Sometimes, the stylists try to reel in these brides a bit and suggest a simpler look. Other times, stylists must be cognizant of a bride’s family culture. Lots of accessories are expected in certain cultures, Metropoulos adds.
Alyssa Mueller, a buyer with at Becker’s Bridal in Fowler, Mich., recommends choosing a wedding gown before fantasizing about elegant accessories.
The dress should be the priority, Mueller says, as it can set the stage for the rest of the wedding theme, including the wedding’s décor and overarching atmosphere. Mueller does advise, however, that accessories influence the gown search if the bride has an heirloom piece they’d like to wear.
With the rise in popularity of a larger variety of accessories, including hairpieces and necklaces, it seems as though it’s becoming less and less prevalent for a bride to feel pressure as to how she “should” look, according to Mueller.
When it comes to accessorizing on that special day, it’s important to keep an overall look in mind. “You don’t want to wear a shiny and bright silver necklace with an antique colored belt,” says Vida Vafa, owner of Antonio’s Bridal in Birmingham, Mich. “Also you don’t want to match everything exactly together, but you should make sure everything ties together.”
Stylist Price defines a “traditional” wedding look as a bride wearing a pair of simple earrings. Now, traditional is moving toward also including the trend of including a hairpiece.
As to advising a certain style for the bride, Price says, “It’s her day, and that’s what we have to remember. If a person does hire a stylist though, it hints to us that they do want some sort of help, so we do our best to make sure they’re comfortable with their look.”
© Brides365
[Image: Rick Aguilar Studios]