Your wedding day is one of the most memorable days of your life, and every detail contributes to the overall look and feel of the celebration. While the focus is often on you & your partner's outfits and accessories, creating a cohesive look for the guests of honour - no matter their age or how they identify, is equally important. A coordinated look can be a beautiful symbol of harmony and unity between you as a couple and those stood by your side.
In this blog we will explore: Finding the right balance, coordinating accessories with colour, bead style and motifs, customising and personalising accessories, popular trends, things to consider and final tips and advice.
Family photo with mother wearing geometric crown and daughter in side geometric headpiece. Photo by Ashley Hasbrouck Photography
Finding the right balance:
What you choose to wear as the couple will set the tone for the entire wedding and this will be reflected in the guests of honour's outfits, accessories and jewellery - but it is important to allow each member's unique style to shine through.
To do this it is important to remain flexible with what they wear - not everyone has to have the same outfit and hair pin (for example), some may prefer to have a small hair pin, others something larger or some just a small item of jewellery. Ideally you want your crew to love their items and wear them again (especially if you are buying them for them) so ensuring it is to their taste and style is important. They will also hugely appreciate accessories that have been picked especially for them over ones that have been given to everyone - affirming their importance to you even further.
Your crew should complement your looks - not compete, and so subtle details which are carried across each member will ensure a cohesive look without drawing attention away from your or your partner’s.
Items from the celestial collection that would coordinate across the couple and guests of honour. The stars or moons could also be made into lapel pins and collar clips. See the celestial collection here.
Coordinating accessories - with colour, bead style or motifs
One of the easiest ways to coordinate is with colour. If you have a wedding colour scheme with one or two colours then your party can all have jewellery and accessories with those in them. However, this is not so easy if you have a few colours in your scheme or you have asked your crew to buy outfits within a colour range. Ideally then you want the accessories to work with the colours of their outfits rather than a set colour across all of them. When colour isn't the same across everyone then the next thing to consider is bead style and motifs that can be carried through. That way accessories can match the colour of their outfit but still coordinate across a spectrum of colours.
Take a look at your and/or your partners jewellery- is it predominantly pearl, crystal or rhinestone? It is a good idea to include those bead styles in your crews accessories. What if they are not particularly blingy or don't like pearls? Then look for (or have made) accessories where that bead style is present but not necessarily the predominant bead so that there is still a theme running through but is more to their taste.
When it comes to motifs look at your and/ or your partners outfit - is there flowers in the lace? Are there stars in the overlay? Is there deco style beadwork? These patterns and motifs can be reflected not only in your own and/or your partners accessories but in the jewellery / accessories that the rest of the crew wear - be that button holes, collar clips, earrings, necklaces, hair pins, combs, head chains, headbands or mini crowns.
Mum & mini me wearing my quartz points and mini leaf crown. Photo by Ashley Hasbrouck Photography See the quartz points crown and mini leaf band here.
Customising and Personalising accessories
Probably the easiest way of creating a set of accessories for a range of different tastes, identities, ages and needs is to have them made bespoke. A designer (such as myself) will be able to look at the details within the outfits and draw together elements such a motif and bead style and carry it across items for everyone. By doing this you can take into account of any specific needs such as hair thickness, differing hair styles, those with pierced / multi pierced ears and those without, metal colour preferences and any allergies.
In one example: when making for a client one of her party would often have a reaction to different types of metals and so her headband was ribbon wrapped after being beaded to ensure all wire work was covered.
Another example is a client wanted headpieces for three guests of honour - two were adults and one was a child. I used a flower motif that echoed the one on my clients crown on two combs for the older members of the crew and on a beaded headband for the younger. This way each item was age appropriate but had a common theme.
When making for my clients I often like to take an element of the main headpiece - be that a leaf, flower or star and use it within accessories for others. Changes in colour can be included while still coordinating between accessory style.
By having your accessories made bespoke there is also the possibility of adding sentimental touches such as initials, birthstones, symbols, and charms added to the design in order to add individuality but also represent shared memories, hobbies or interests between you and the wearer. This can make the piece all the more special and will ensure the item becomes a keepsake.
One of my clients wearing her twig crown. These twigs were then used to create two combs and a brooch with different colour crystals to reflect the outfit. (Photo Nicki Shea Photography)
Popular Trents and inspiration:
I am thrilled to see that nearly weds are increasingly opting for accessories made from sustainable materials such as recycled metals and ethically sourced and / or biodegradable materials. (As we know I’m all about creating accessories as sustainably as possible) …and that support for small businesses and artisans is growing, with couples choosing handcrafted accessories that tell a story and reduce their environmental footprint. (Hurrah!) Not only is this supporting small businesses - which is a huge part of the economy, but cutting down on fast throw away fashion. Items that are personal and unique can be treasured and passed down the generations rather than worn once and then thrown away.
couple wear coordinating quartz crown and necklace. Photo by Honey and Heather Photography
The trend for personalised items is also growing with may couples choosing jewellery with initials, names, zodiac signs and birthstones as a way of honouring their special guests (see customising and personalisation above).
Vintage is also having a revival with a particular reference to the Art Deco and Victorian eras with intricate details and luxurious materials. (Good job I love to convert vintage details into something modern!). Florals and leaf motifs are super popular - be it intricate or more minimalist in its representation.
Mixed metal tone floral comb, pins and earrings - all available from my inspired by nature collection.
Mixed metal tones is also a popular look - which is handy when it comes to your special guests as different metal colours suit different skin tones. Warmer skins will work well with gold and cooler with silver. I also regularly create designs which incorporate a mix of metal tones which can work for everyone. By having a mix of metals you are not only accommodating your party’s needs but keeping on trend!
Thing to consider:
As aforementioned you want your guests of honour to feel comfortable, to wear something that reflects their style and to have something with meaning that they can treasure. When choosing accessories ensuring they are going to be comfortable for the day is key. No one will treasure something they had on for 5 mins and had to take off because it was uncomfortable or gave them an allergic reaction!
If you are buying for lots of special guest then often it is easy to be drawn to cheaper mass made designs. Unfortunately these items may be overly heavy, poorly made or have pieces that stick out and dig into the head making them uncomfortable to wear for a whole day. In addition to this items made overseas may not fully conform to UK standards (containing nasties such as lead which are dangerous to health) which can cause reactions. I would also urge people to consider at what price have these cheap items been made at - human and environmentally? Really if something is super cheap then there is a reason - generally not a good one!
When buying items from makers and designers consideration for the wearer is taken into account - in terms of fit, how it will be worn and comfort. Not only ensuring items are comfortable, they can offer personalisation and customisation in order to create truly meaningful pieces, as well as be able to discuss with you how the items are made and with what materials.
Many think that independent designers and makers will be far more expensive than buying ready made but I would hugely recommend being upfront with your designer about your budget. That way they can create a range of designs to suit what you want to spend.
Family photo with mum wearing quartz points crown, older children quartz with oversized pearl crowns, youngest wears mini leaf band. Photo by Aimee Laoise Photography
Final Tips and Advice
If you are buying the accessories and/ or jewellery you want your guests of honour to wear on the wedding day as a gift, you may want to keep them a surprise. In this instance you may be able to have some preliminary chats around you & your partners vision for the wedding day and get a feel for style preferences and any specific types of accessories they love or dislike. This can help in selecting pieces that everyone will be comfortable wearing without giving too much away.
However it may also be helpful to chat with the crew’s loved ones and friends to ensure what you are planning is to their taste and that you are aware of any allergies or sensitivities.
If you are expecting your guests of honour to buy their own accessories and / or jewellery then it is important to ask them for a budget if you are selecting them or having items made bespoke. Always check they are happy - the best way to upset your special guests is to make them pay for something they do not like! Maybe a better option would be to put together a list (with prices) of possible accessories and jewellery which coordinate for your crew to choose from. Or if you are allowing them complete free rein with shopping for their accessories then set perimeters such as the bead style or colour and maybe create inspiration boards. This can be done with shared boards on Pinterest or group chats to ensure everyone is onboard and keeping to the overall look and feel of your vibe.
Geometric necklace, hairpins and earrings from the geometric collection.
The easiest way for you to ensure you guests of honour love their accessories is for them to be fully involved in choosing / designing them - however you will need to stand strong as to what you want for your day in order to ensure everything works harmoniously. It is a great idea to have a trying on session where accessories and outfit can be put on together. You may chose to have hair trials where headpieces can be tried out with chosen hairstyles. Encourage you guests of honour to be honest about their look - and be open to making adjustments.
By involving your crew in the decision-making process and conducting trial runs, you ensure a harmonious and well-coordinated look that everyone feels good about. These steps not only enhance the aesthetic appeal but also contribute to a smoother and more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
So to conclude:
You want your guests of honour to feel comfortable and happy with the accessories they wear on the day. To do this while maintaining a cohesive look keep a shared vision and echo colour, bead styles and / or motifs across the pieces.
Be flexible in what you expect your crew to wear and allow them to wear items that reflect themselves while keeping the aesthetic of your wedding day.
Make accessories and jewellery meaningful with personalised details so that they will treasure them long after the wedding day.
Bespoke is a great way of creating a harmonised set of accessories which reflect your crews taste and needs while ensuring consistency of vibe across them.
If your crew are going to see their accessories before the day then involve them in the selection process to ensure they feel valued and treasure what they are going to wear.
Reach out to designers and makers to discuss your needs and talk about budget.
Feel free to pop me a message if you have any questions around selecting your guest of honours accessories and jewellery. I'd love to either help you choose items for them or create something bespoke.
Good luck with your planning!
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