BRIDAL JEWELLERY SHOPPING 101

Today’s millennial bride believes in a more sophisticated and well-informed approach to jewellery shopping - the one that values quality and versatility in equal measure. At the same time, the lead-up to the wedding is also probably the only time we will get to go all-out with shopping some of the most prestigious and grand jewels.

So basically there’s a lot on your plate - the on-going trends, a huge choice of jewellers and whom to trust, the budget that you need to keep in mind and most importantly the bridal set that you want to purchase for your big day! One of the best ways to walk this thin line is to chalk up a list of essentials that will stand the test of time, balanced with a few on-trend pieces. The wedding set is the crowning glory, but jewellery for your pre-wedding events and your trousseau, if designed smartly, can be reused with ease even after the celebrations have drawn to a close. Leveraging Prerna’s over a decade worth of experience of handholding brides through the most critical yet exciting journey, we have put together the essentials that will make this journey not only pleasurable (after all you are a bride to be and deserved to be pampered silly) but also ensure you walk away with creating a trousseau that is truly a definition your personal style. So here is our list of Bridal 101s that promise to take the pain away from the most exciting shopping spree of your life!

1. Freeze your bridal set before the outfit

Many a times, brides-to-be purchase their outfits before jewellery, but this is a mistake. The wedding jewellery that you are buying will most likely be far more expensive than your clothing and will also end up getting reused a lot more. Remember, your outfit should highlight your jewellery, not diminish its value. You must begin with browsing on Instagram or Pinterest to get clarity on what kind of jewels catch your eye. Take a trip to your favourite jewellery store to try on a few pieces to know what suits you best, get the jeweller’s perspective on their favourite bridal jewels, and identify the jewels that compliment your looks, enhance your neckline and add the right glow to your face! Whether it is South Indian jewellery, a royal jadau set or enamel set in a specific colour - it should stand out AND compliment your wedding day ensemble.

2. Invest in multiple necklaces rather than a big, singular piece to add to your wedding trousseau

Gone are the days when wedding sets simply gathered dust in the bank vault. The goal today is to invest in bridal sets and trousseau pieces that allow for easy wearability. Buying detachable, multi-purpose necklaces will allow you to make a statement at the next family wedding, yet at the same time be layered down for a more laid-back festive dinner party. Layered necklaces also allow you to achieve the same with greater ease and are the epitome of form and function. Instead of one grand polki necklace for your wedding, break it down to a choker and a layered haar. While heavy necklaces are an important element in a bride's trousseau, so are lighter pieces that can be worn for your pre-wedding events, as well as for a friend's wedding a few months down the line. Ensure that your trusted jeweler has the creativity and interest to offer you a wide range and mix of delicate chokers and regal necklaces instead of pushing what’s available with him.

3. The design of your dreams

Curating a design that matches the needs of your outfit, the functions and the family can be quite a daunting task but it is your personal touch that will matter the most. Design your jewellery to complement your facial and neck structure. Each function during the celebration of your big day has a distinct look, so why not your jewels! Make them speak for themselves with your style quotient! Some pointers to keep in mind would be –

Never go for a repetitive design or colour, for instance a regal and heavy necklace with emeralds may look gorgeous on your wedding day which then gives you a chance to design and experiment with something more YOU for the mehendi or even your cocktail look with diamonds or even a different stone.

The AMARIS tip – Do not go for a choker if you have a broad neck!

Chandballas alone can light up any look, and go really well with broader face cuts, whereas jhumkas work really well with a thin face cut.

Psstt.. make sure you go for a jeweler who has the right people on board to help you make your celebration even more meaningful.

4. Ensure the jewels that you pick up for your trousseau have a strong re-sale value –

Jewellery is imbued with an emotional investment that makes it priceless. However, when you purchase big pieces of jewellery, you want to ensure that the item will retain its monetary value. Whether you are buying a stunning necklace, or a one-of-a-kind engagement ring, or a statement ring, there are certain factors that will ensure that your jewellery remains valuable forever. Prior to making that big and significant purchase, you must clearly understand the return and exchange policy of the brand and understand the exact weight of gold and diamonds used in the same. Better still; take these things in writing as a part of your invoice. Most professional jewellers would be proud of their return and exchange policy and would disclose it as a part of the buying process.

5. Don’t just go nuts about shopping for new bridal jewellery – mix it with heirloom pieces.

Wearing heirloom pieces that have been in your family can make you feel very special AND they can be styled in really cool ways to work hand in hand with your latest jewels. Alternatively, get them modified, reinvented or designed in a way that you can wear them during your wedding functions. A healthy mix of both new and old jewels is what makes a bride a timeless one. We at AMARIS believe that an heirloom piece can always be re-styled according to the bride’s taste and a little splash of colour makes a huge difference.

6. Don’t chase trends blindly but be comfortable in your own choices

In our opinion, the most important point is to feel comfortable with your jewellery. After all, this is your big day, and you would want to enjoy it as much as possible. Try and avoid very heavy earrings for occasions where you are required to dance. However, if you decide to wear something really heavy then ensure you have enough support through ear chains, ask your jeweller to customise something to pair with your earrings and the overall look, there are a lot of pretty choices available that actually add to the overall aesthetics! Do not forget to wear ear patches, application of numbing cream and use of a transparent thread can also help ease the pain. Jewellery shouldn’t make you feel constricted, but should increase your glow.

7. Must have jewels for a to-be-bride’s jewel box – The AMARIS’s recommended list

The modern bride's well-planned strategy should be to buy jewellery that she can wear for her pre-wedding and wedding events, and then innovatively re-style post her big day as well. Invest in multiple sets of earrings, bracelets, rings and necklaces for a complete jewel box!

Earrings - Variety is definitely the spice you should be after while shopping for earrings, since they hold the power to amp-up your entire look! Solitaire tops are a fitting choice for everyday wear, and look better if they match your engagement ring as well. In addition to this we recommend - a pair of heritage polki chandbaalis, a glam pair of diamond chandelier earrings, oversized studs in polki and one with diamonds – and you are covered for all your post wedding glam, be it festive parties, dinners, family weddings or other post wedding celebrations. These statement earrings don’t always demand a necklace to be paired with and that’s the best part!

Bracelets – Every newlywed girl has ample of occasions to attend to right after her wedding. Having a simple and sorted collection of bracelets to sail through all the occasions and beyond is NECESSARY. A delicate tennis bracelet with diamonds or a pair of diamond bangles is ideal, as it goes with all the looks. Having a solid polki (jadau) kada (with or without color) or a pair of neutral polki bangles sets you right for all the traditional occasions. A signature regular bracelet in rose gold or white gold that can be stacked and highlights your everyday looks effortlessly is another must have. Last but not the least, a cocktail diamond cuff (this one can be a representation of your personal likings and style - you could go all out with colored stones or keep it super neutral with just chunky diamonds) could be your perfect savior for all the dressed up events/cocktail nights that you are expected to glam up for later on!

Rings – A girl never has too many rings, still we would love to round-up the essentials for you. You already have a beautiful engagement ring which if set in a perfect mount will be the conversation starter. Apart from that we would love to begin with a statement (or how we call is – THE SHOWSTOPPER) ring and would recommend that you play around with diamond shapes and sizes along with a color that pops on your fingers. A neutral polki ring is another must-have and you will never be able to thank us enough as it come to your rescue during those innumerable post wedding events. Another ring we would recommend will be a delicate band with a mix of diamonds and a modern gold finish for your everyday essentials.

Necklace - The millennial brides never miss out on a delicate yet experimental choker – our recommendation is a colorful yet delicate polki choker as it is so effortless and simple to style for those post wedding celebrations. Another important addition to your trousseau should be a stunning diamond necklace or choker set (with or without color stones) that you might end up wearing for one of your wedding functions and later every time you are wearing a modern silhouette to dress up for a cocktail party. Alternately, this can be replaced with a delicate diamond string if you prefer a toned down look. Next, we would say that you go for a neutral polki/jadau necklace or string in a modern setting that you can style with almost any color palette and if styled carefully can even be paired with a gown and leave everyone in awe. Lastly, some delicate and playful diamond pendants would seal the deal with your necklace selections as your dress up your everyday look and layer them up!

Most importantly as you go about the process of adding jewels to your trousseau, make sure you have a clear idea of what you want and that they should cover all your post-wedding needs, and make sure that the jeweler doesn’t just sell you what he has in stock.

To know more insights about the most un-talked dilemmas like, Syndicate polki or Kilwas, How to find your dream jeweler?, Whether to invest in a certified solitaire or non-certified and so on, drop us an email on online@amarisjewels.com.

AMARIS suggests that your wedding trousseau should have most or all pieces that you can wear after the big day. Pick some pieces that can last you a lifetime, and will never look dated - such as heritage gold bangles, statement chandballis/ jhumkas and other options. The trend nowadays is to buy detachable wedding jewellery that can be made into something simpler at a later stage. Chokers are always trendy and a great addition to any jewelry collection. And you won't regret adding a single-line solitaire necklace to this mix either.