[ed. note: Heather here! This article you’re about to read is the first entry of our weekly “Wedding Wednesday” series. Every week we’ll be talking about wedding jewelry. So be sure to check back next week. ~~Heather]

Whether it be engagement rings, wedding bands, necklaces, or pair of earrings, finding the ideal jewelry piece sure to bring an unforgettable level of brilliance, elegance, and sophistication to you, or your outfit, can almost feel close to impossible.

Luckily for you, the staff at here at PDJ are experts at finding the perfect jewelry items for brides and grooms alike. To make the process a little simpler, we’ve put together a few handy tips on how to easily locate that ideal fine jewelry item that is sure to bring more than a lifetime of beauty to your already perfect day.

A Few Tips!

Tip #1: Ditch trends for more classic couture!

When looking for wedding jewelry, try to remember that your wedding day is going to be forever immortalized in countless photos, videos, Snapchat stories, Facebook posts, etc. With that in mind, forgo overly-trendy styles for more timeless designs. This way you can avoid unnecessary cringing when you look back on your wedding day, five, ten, or even fifty years from now.

We suggest finding an engagement ring from a brand like Verragio, A. Jaffe, or Simon G. These designers are talented at making rings that are timelessly styled, yet still have enough of a twist of modern fashion sensibilities to avoid seeming “old-fashioned”.

Tip #2: Stay aware!

Be sure to consider the exact style, cut, and color of your dress when looking for jewelry to match. Make sure that your jewelry matches the general look and feel of your outfit. For example, a pair of vintage-style, chandelier earrings might not go with your more modernly-styled gown, and vice versa for that matter.

 

Tip #3: Think ahead!

When shopping for wedding jewelry, look for items that you might be able to wear again. Our advice, pick something dressy that you can wear for future formal occasions. Not only is this more reasonable then buying something that you’re only going to wear once, it also will help to fight any guilt for choosing a more expensive item!

Tip #4: Don’t overthink it!

Dylan said “don’t think twice”, Matt Besser said simply “don’t think”. Weddings are all about decisions, so try and make it easy for yourself. Find a piece that you love and take a leap. Don’t be afraid to take chances, and always remember that there’s always time to change your mind.

Tip #5: Surprise!

If you’re planning on surprising your special someone with a diamond-encrusted item of some sort, be sure to do your research before. Try  to confer with their close friends or family, look on-line, and pay attention to their fashion and style preferences.

Tip #6: Find a salesperson that you can trust!

The staff at most local, independent retailers are generally specially educated and trained to help the jewelry-finding experience be as painless as possible. In these sort of places you’ll generally find a more interesting array of diamond jewelry than you would at larger chain retailers.

Tip #7: Try before you buy!

There is truly no substitute for going into your local jewelers and trying a piece on. Sometimes an item can look amazing online but lackluster in-store, and this way you save the hassle of having to ship an unwanted item back to whatever warehouse it came from.

Tip #8: Don’t be cheap!

Lots of time, cheaper jewelry is that way for a reason. More expensive items are usually constructed with high-quality materials, and produce with an attention to detail that cheaper designers just don’t do.

Our Recommendations:

• Engagement rings:

Other than the brands mentioned above, we’re also loving engagement rings by designer like Michael M and Tacori, such as this beautiful, vintage-inspired Tacori RoyalT prong-style ring.

• Wedding Bands

For wedding bands that are timeless, but still modern, we recommend that you check out the eternity style wedding bands. Also, for grooms we recommend the bold and versatile rings by brands like Benchmark or Simon G.

• Diamond Necklaces

Finding the perfect diamond necklace all depends on the neckline of your wedding dress. For deeper necklines we suggest long pendant necklaces, like this 18-karat white gold necklace from Tacori’s “Tears of Joy” collection.

For scoop and higher necklines, we suggest necklaces with small chains, like this Tacori “Reverse Crescent” diamond necklace.

 

• Diamond Bracelets

Similar to wedding necklaces, we recommend sticking with white gold, platinum, or stainless steel pieces. For example, we love this bangle-style bracelet from the exclusive Tacori “Vault” collection!

• Diamond Earrings

Again, just keep it simple. A simple pair of diamond studs can go a long way. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, try something like these Simon G “Mosaic” and Simon G “Duchess” diamond earrings.

Now It’s Your Turn!

Show us your wedding jewelry! Comment, or hit us up on our Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, and use the #weddingwednesday hashtag to get our attention!

~~Heather