Bridal Accessories For The Modern Bride

The wedding party may be dressed in designer black tuxedos and silk evening gowns in the richest shade of muted sage. The processional aisle has been lined with designer aisle runners; swags of tulle, white net lace pull bows, and sprinkled with silk flower petals. The altar has been draped in wild orchids and softly billowing sinamay enmeshed with tiny garland lights; wedding luminaries softly lighting up the platform on which the important wedding ceremony vows will be exchanged. All of these parts come together to make a wedding day a magical affair, and all that every bride dreams of. However, when the music begins, and the doors open, everyone from the distant cousins at the back of the church to the groom waiting at the altar turn and watch in awe - all eyes are on the bride.

It is pretty safe to say that if most men had their way, a wedding would be a simple and straightforward affair without a lot of fluff and fuss. The truth is that when all is said and done, a wedding is really about the bride, for the bride and by the bride. Years after the wedding, close family and guests don't intimately remember the church ceremony, the reception meal, what color the groomsmen ties were or what type of flowers the bridesmaids carried. What people usually remember is the bride - her beauty, her blissful radiance and the unmistakable glow of a woman on the happiest day of her life.

A bride spends a great deal of time planning a wedding; every minor detail is agonized over and painstakingly considered. In a woman's mind, a fantasy wedding is the perfect start to a new life as a married couple. In a small way, it is a great gift that a bride bestows upon her betrothed and herself. It is also about creating a theme and a day that the bride and groom, their families and friends and wedding guests will not soon forget. Lastly, it is about being a princess for a day and that cannot happen without the perfect bridal accessories. In fact, a bride could choose the most perfect wedding gown, but without the right bridal accessories, the dress could simply look ordinary, and what bride wants to be ordinary on their fairy tale wedding day?

There are no written rules about which bridal accessories a bride must have, but the most common include tiaras, veils, wedding jewelry, garters, and handbags. If you start with your own personality, add in the time of year, style of wedding dress you have chosen and the theme of your wedding (if you have one), choosing bridal accessories should be a piece of [wedding] cake.

Every fairytale wedding gown needs a crowning glory, and for many brides that is a tiara. Bridal tiaras are very much a personal choice, and aside from likes and dislikes, there are a few considerations.

For example, the bride must consider the length of her hair and how the hair will be worn on her wedding day, and whether or not a veil will also be worn with the tiara.

Bridal tiaras come in a variety of styles including halo style that sits close to the head, crown style that sits high up off the head and headband style that sits delicately across the forehead and adorns the bride's face and highlights the hairstyle.

It is always best to hold off on purchasing a bridal tiara until after the wedding gown has been selected. Once the wedding gown has been chosen, the bride will know better whether she wants a tiara with pearls, rhinestones or colored beading; and the style of tiara that will go best with her gown. It is important that the bridal tiara compliment the dress but not compete with it.

For example, a tiara headpiece that is plain with a single row of rhinestones may be perfect for a simple tea length wedding dress, while a fancier tiara with polished floral embellishments such as French petals or glittering daisy flowers would be an ideal accessory for a wedding dress in white satin with an A-line bodice. Just keep in mind that accoutrements on the bridal tiara, like the crystals, rhinestones, sequin, or pearls should match or compliment any detailing on the wedding dress or veil.

For a bride who is wearing her hair long, a crown style tiara is the best choice as it shows off the headpiece and showcases long, beautiful hair. If the bride is wearing an up-do, a halo style tiara will look amazing, as will a low profile crown style tiara that complements the princess' hairstyle without being overpowering. For a bride who is having her hair styled with the front of the hair pulled back and the back tresses long and loose, almost any bridal tiara style will be appropriate, so the bride may choose whatever one tickles her fancy.

One of the most beneficial aspects of choosing a bridal tiara instead of another type of hair accessory such as a floral wreath, ribbon, lace or baby's breath is that a quality bridal tiara is a wedding day keepsake that can be kept by the bride and cherished forever, perhaps handing it down to a daughter on her wedding day many years from now.

Every little girl has the fairy tale bridal veil wedding day fantasy. Walking down the processional aisle arm in arm with her father, mysteriously covered by a long, white netted veil. The bride arrives to meet her groom at the altar, and her safety is passed from her father to her betrothed. The mysterious veil is lifted and the bride's loveliness is revealed to one and all. The dream may seem a little old fashioned but everyday, brides all over the world continue to honor this tradition and wear a bridal veil on their wedding day.

There is something totally enthralling and entirely fairy tale like about a bride wearing a veil on her wedding day. It does depend on the time of year, the location of the wedding and the formality of the affair - a veil is not appropriate for all brides or all wedding ceremonies. However, for a church or cathedral wedding, where the bride is wearing a traditional wedding dress with a long train, a veil is absolutely at home walking down the aisle.

When choosing a bridal veil, the length of the wedding dress is vitally important. A bridal veil should harmonize the wedding gown, and not overshadow it. Proportion is also important so is you have a simple, sleeveless, tea length wedding dress, it would be inappropriate to wear a full length veil. Furthermore, if the wedding gown has a long train, a cathedral length veil is not appropriate. Basically, there are three familiar lengths of veils, namely elbow, fingertip and cathedral lengths.

Elbow length is 30 inches long and falls to the elbow and is the most popular bridal veil length. This length is best suited for a dress with no train. Perfect for formal and semi-formal wedding dresses, an elbow length veil is best suited for a full skirted wedding dress.

Fingertip length is 36 inches long and falls to the fingertips on most brides. Sometimes a fingertip veil has a finger loop so that the bride can easily control the veil during the wedding ceremony. This length of veil is appropriate for any full length gown, from informal to formal in design. A fingertip veil is not appropriate for a wedding gown with a train and looks particularly lovely with sheath style wedding gowns.

Cathedral length is full length, and usually fall to the floor or longer. The most dramatic of all bridal accessories available, the cathedral veil is generally only appropriate for very formal weddings only, and only when the bride is wearing a formal gown with a very long train. To achieve this look, be sure that the veil extends at least 6 inches past the length of the dress train.

Bridal veils come in bright white and creamy off-white and can be custom dyed to match a wedding gown that is a non-traditional color, although this is not a popular option. Veils can be purchased plain and simple, with scattered pearl or floral embroidered details, or with lovely satin ribbon edge. Hems can be plain, scalloped, or double border in gold or silver thread. The options available are unlimited. If you cannot find a veil to perfectly match your wedding gown, many brides will purchase a plain veil and have a local seamstress hand sew the embellishments onto the bridal veil for a perfect match.

The wedding garter is a standard accessory in any bride's trousseau. It is a lovely albeit frilly unseen wardrobe accessory that becomes the center of attention at the reception. Wedding garter ceremonies became popular during the Middle Ages in England and throughout Europe. Symbolizing a bride's purity, the groom would remove the wedding garters from his bride's legs on their wedding night before they consummated their union for the first time. These were the most sought after items of the bride because they symbolized purity and fertility and were rumored to bring good luck.

The desire to possess wedding garters became so popular that brides would often be attacked after the wedding by drunken wedding guests as they trampled her trying to get to the garter first. In an attempt to protect new brides from the frenzied attack, grooms became responsible for removing the wedding garters from their new brides and throwing them into the crowd of single men. It is from here that the traditional wedding garter ceremony is derived from.

It was thought that the lucky single man who caught the lucky garter would become the next to marry. It was also a common belief that the man who caught the wedding garter and the woman who caught the bridal bouquet would end up marrying each other.

While the basic meanings of the wedding garter ceremony remain intact, it has definitely become tamer and safer for the bride. Many brides will choose to wear two wedding garters, one to be tossed to the single men and one to be removed by her husband on their wedding night. Whether you choose a lace, silk, or satin garter, it will always hold a special meaning. Garters are available in all colors and can also be purchased to match your wedding theme or bridal color scheme. It is quite common for the bride to choose a garter in baby blue or white lace trimmed in blue to be the "something blue" in her wedding ensemble. However, if you prefer another color, it can also your "something new".

Wedding day jewelry pulls it all together and becomes the bridal accessories that can become heirlooms that are kept, cherished and handed down through the generations. Some brides choose to wear wedding day jewelry passed on to them from their family as heirlooms. Other brides invest significant cash for precious or personalized jewelry items. However, for the majority of brides, by the time it comes to purchasing wedding "bling" there is little money left over in the budget coffers, and it is important to find beauty and value in the same chosen sparkling accessories. To achieve this, many brides choose quality simulated stones such as zirconia, rhinestone, simulated pearls and crystal. It is also common for bridal jewelry to be embellished with silk ribbon or satin trim.

No bridal outfit is complete without Eye-catching wedding jewelry for the bride is an essential element because you are the center of attention throughout most of the day. Your dress, shoes, hairstyle, nails, headpiece and jewelry should work well together with no element overshadowing another. Some brides choose to wear only a simple family pin. Other brides like to go all out with past, present and future jewels that dance in the soft light of the wedding ceremony. Other brides to be choose to honor their heritage such as wearing a Celtic knot necklace instead of the more traditional strand of pearls or single row of rhinestones choker.

A bridal purse or handbag is often an essential bridal accessory on her wedding day. However, it is important for the Bridal purses are essential to your wedding day because they need to be appropriately designed so it does not steal the almighty wedding dress thunder, but also conveniently sized to hold all the things you may or may not need to use before, during, and after the wedding ceremony. Satin clutches are the perfect choice for the bride and her wedding attendants to carry down the aisle or for functional use at the wedding reception. Available in every color under the sun to match bridesmaid dresses or wedding theme colors, a satin clutch is a discreet yet elegant choice. Simple evening bags are another great choice as a purse for the bride. These elegant bags of simple design keep the brides niceties and unmentionables close at hand, such as lipstick, compact, brush, glasses and other what-nots. Drawstring bags make great bridal purses because they are small, hold many small items securely inside, and can even be attached to the bride's wedding gown with the looped drawstrings if you choose. These also double as money collection bags during the bride's dance where male guests place money in the bag in exchange for a dance. Tradition is everything at a wedding, and the right handbag allows the bride to continue tradition without sacrificing convenience or practicality.

A wedding handkerchief is a poignant tradition and have been part of the bridal trousseau for centuries. Carrying one on your wedding day is not only symbolic, but it also serves a very important purpose throughout your special and emotional day. You can choose a hankie that is embroidered with blue flowers to fulfill the "something blue". Perhaps the most popular use for the handkerchief today is for use by the bride during the wedding ceremony. Because of its history as a symbol of a woman's love for her chosen man, the traditional use of wedding handkerchiefs is a must-have in any wedding ceremony. These wedding handkerchiefs are now beautifully embroidered, adorned with lace, and often decorated with flowers, lace, crocheted detail or ribbon. It can be wrapped around a bouquet of flowers, tucked inside the glove, or even hidden away in the bosom. No matter what you choose to do with your wedding handkerchief, it is a symbolic and practical bridal accessory to carry to the altar on your wedding day. It is also a nice way to add "something old" to your wedding ensemble if you have an antique hankie that belonged to your grandmother or mother-in-law to be.

The bride is the center of attention on her wedding day, and all eyes are on her as they should be. A bride should pay special attention to bridal accessories and make sure enough money is left in the wedding budget to allow for the purchase of all the necessary niceties. Special wedding jewelry and other carefully selected bridal accessories bring elegance, glam and sparkle to the affair. Since the addition of glitter, lace, or sparkling accessories will draw immediate attention to the bride's face, body, attire and complexion, it is important to choose the perfect bridal accessories that pull off her "Once Upon a Time" fairy tale wedding, and begin her happily ever after with style, grace and chic trendiness.