How to Wear Your Wedding Ring, What to Know About Wedding Jewelry, and More
Coming from a background of years in fine jewelry, this is a subject we are passionate about. If you need some advice for your future wedding jewelry, look no further than this blog. Every bride has their own style, so without making specific style suggestions, I promise that there is something for every bride in this post.
Jewelry is something that can add to the look, make you feel loved if gifted, and can also be a way to honor people in your life that you love or that are no longer with you.
So, without further ado: wedding jewelry.
We know the most important piece of wedding jewelry is obviously the wedding bands! In the jewelry industry, there were a few questions that we got constantly, so let’s start there.
Do you wear your engagement ring on your wedding day?
Yes! We absolutely recommend wearing the engagement ring for your getting ready photos and any photos taken prior to the ceremony.
How to wear your wedding ring:
It goes on the inside, closest to your heart. The engagement ring goes on the outside.
How do you put the wedding band on during the ceremony?
You have a few options here and none of them are wrong; it comes down to personal preference and what’s easiest. 1. Give both to the groom (tell him he will have two rings to put on and the order in advance so there’s no confusion) just before the ceremony and have him put both on 2. Put the wedding band on the outside and switch them later 3. Don’t wear the engagement ring during ceremony and put it on after
A few things to consider with your wedding jewelry:
Are you wanting this to be something that goes with your dress? Are you wanting the groom to match? Do you have a desire for the bridal party to have a specific look? I know that these seem like a lot of questions, however, through questions we are able to objectively find answers to what we actually desire.
As I am writing this, I am thinking about specific brides: some are much more traditional than others, some prefer fun, quirky things, and others are much more minimalistic in their look. Here is my biggest advice to you: have fun and make sure you love what you decide to wear.
To our beautiful brides,
This is your day. So enjoy it and let us capture all the little details that you have decided are important to you. With wedding day jewelry there is so much to think through. Let’s start with an easy first step. Your wedding band. This is something that you and your partner have likely decided on together. (If you are engaged, we highly recommend making a date out of wedding band shopping).
Tip: Two weeks before the wedding, take your engagement in to be rhodium plated if it is white gold. If it is platinum or yellow gold, have them polished. This will make sure the rings will look the same and any scratches, dents, or scuffs from wearing your engagement ring are cleaned up.
Once you have your wedding band sorted and your dress (or outfit) picked, it is time to start accessorizing. Think necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets and what styles you may want. When we worked in the jewelry industry, which is where we met, (read our origin story here) we often would start with the metal type.
Typically, most brides have a metal preference for one reason or another. If you’re not a fan of mixed metals, I would suggest that the accessories you choose for the wedding day be in the same type of metal as your engagement and wedding rings. This can create a sense of cohesion and elevate the look. Next, you need to decide if you are wearing all of the jewelry (necklace, earrings, bracelet, rings) or what pieces of jewelry you want.
Something to consider when choosing earrings would be drop, dangle, hoop, or stud. They all give a different feel to the ensemble. Studs are traditional and classic; they’ll go with everything. Drop and dangle earrings tend to add a little something extra to the look. Hoops are a great option for the minimalist or classic bride as well, but can still add a little sparkle.
Another thing that is important to consider as you are making these decisions is pieces of jewelry with special meaning. Do you have a piece of heirloom jewelry that will be worn? If possible, take the heirloom piece(s) with you when picking out your wedding jewelry for cohesion. Receiving a piece of wedding jewelry as a gift, especially day-of, can be more difficult to plan for, but you can let those closest to you know what metal and/or stone types the rest of your wedding jewelry is. We recommend only wearing additional rings on your wedding day if it is a piece with meaning: a gift, heirloom, matching with bridesmaids, etc. For example, one of our brides received a ring from her parents with her maiden name on it.
If the groom is purchasing a gift, make sure that someone can direct him towards what you are wanting when it comes to color, stones, and type of jewelry. He will be less stressed and more excited to get the right thing for you. Promise.
To our Grooms,
This is also your day too.
We need to make sure that you are looking and feeling as good as your bride-to-be. There are many things that we could look at, however, my favorite options for men are going to be cufflinks and tie clips, and of course a watch. There is nothing more romantic than a bride gifting her groom with a stunning watch with a note saying, “I’ll meet you at the end of the aisle at insert the wedding time here.”
Grooms can also use heirloom pieces with options like cufflinks or tie clips from a grandparent too.
For the bridal party,
You are here as loving and supportive friends and family.
Jewelry for our bridal party can be as simple or lavish as you would prefer. I would recommend a set here. Jewelry either comes in a set, or can have the matching earrings, necklace, and/or bracelet purchased separately. There is a sense of cohesion that comes if everyone wears the same jewelry, especially if the stones and metals match as well.
If you are more of a bride that likes the idea of everyone wearing things they already love and have, I think the best way to keep the bridal party cohesive is to pick a metal color you would like everyone to wear, and if they should have stones or not. You could say something like “we would love for all members of our wedding party to wear white gold or silver with diamonds for any accessories.”