My Wedding Planning: Bridal Accessories

Having a winter wedding allowed me to wear some exceptionally beautiful accessories (if I do say so myself). Not that I couldn't have worn beautiful accessories if I'd had a summertime wedding. But there's something about wintertime that begs for dramatic pieces--feathers, rich colors, fur. I loved choosing these special items for my wedding day.

Finding the perfect shoes was easier than I thought it would be. I found these shoes online, months before the wedding, and they were even on sale! I thought the poof on top was whimsical and wintery, and the color was bold and fun. The pointy toe made them dressy, even though the heels weren't incredibly high (which was good, because I'm tall as it is, and I wanted to be comfortable for a night of dancing!). 

Photo by Noah Zinsmeister

My hairpiece, which I wore for the reception after taking off my veil, was SO much fun to wear. Would you believe it if I told you that it was handmade by my sister-in-law? As my bridal shower gift, she was sweet enough to make a few different styles and she let me pick my favorite. They were all lovely but this was the most stunning. She even graciously added the feathers (a feature of one of the other pieces) for an even more glamorous, snowy look. Isn't she so talented?

Photos by Noah Zinsmeister

And now for the all-important wedding jewelry. For a while, my husband and I wanted to design a pair of earrings for our special day. We thought it would be fun to create a piece that would become a family heirloom. I had a vision of rose gold and rose quartz and diamond (or crystal) teardrop-shaped earrings. But all of the jewelry stores we visited quoted us extremely high prices, and none of them seemed to really understand the look we had in mind.

The summer before our wedding, my mom and mother-in-law and I were shopping in a small boutique in my hometown and I found the earrings you see below. These were the exact shape I wanted, and so I decided to buy them as a model for the ones I (still) wanted to design. I thought it would be easier for a jeweler to understand what we wanted if they had a model, and I hadn't given up yet on my desire to make my own!

When we got home, I tried them on with my veil and both my mom and mother-in-law said "Wow. Forget using these as a model--these are your wedding earrings!" And they were right--they were simple and understated, yet so dramatic.

The bracelet I bought online from Othelia Grace, a vintage-inspired bridal boutique. (I think they have recently re-designed their shop--I was not able to find this bracelet or any others online, just necklaces and earrings and headpieces).

I don't have any photos of my rings, but I'll share the story on them. They are a mix of old and new--my engagement ring is a solitaire round diamond in a low setting with a delicate band, and it belonged to my husband's great grandmother. My wedding band was custom designed and made for us in New York's diamond district (I got my jewelry-designing wish after all!). The band has micro-pave set diamonds and a gentle curve, made to fit around the low-set diamond on my engagement ring. I adore these rings and the special ways they came to be mine.

Photo by Noah Zinsmeister

The purse I carried (actually, my maid of honor carried it!) was a Nordstrom find. It was the perfect dusty rose color, and matched the bridesmaid dresses and my shoes. I was glad that I thought to buy a purse--I needed a spot for my lipstick and lip gloss, my cell phone, some oil-absorbing sheets that all the girls used in the limo before going into the church, and bobby pins. And this Versace Bright Crystal perfume was a wedding gift from my sweet husband. He told me later that when I walked down the aisle to meet him at the altar, the lovely perfume scent wafted over him.

Photo by Noah Zinsmeister

Finally, here is a shot of my wedding veil and the fur coat I wore to and from the church. The veil was a simple as can be--a two-tiered oval cut veil with a raw edge. I did not want any beading or piping or lace on my veil as I was aiming for an ethereal look. I wanted the edges to simply disappear! And the fur coat was my "something borrowed". A family friend had gotten married the previous December and she wore this precious little shrug. I was so happy to borrow it from her--especially because my husband and I walked the 5 or 6 blocks from the reception to the hotel we stayed in that night, and it was a little chilly!

Photo by Robin Fox Photography

I would love to hear from you--what were your special wedding accessories? What do you plan to wear, if you're a bride-to-be?

Photos by Robin Fox Photography