Planning 101 6th July 2015

Fit for a Princess

Everyone loves a wedding and the royals are no exception. Since the wedding vows of Kate and William were exchanged, we have seen a few members of the extended worldwide royal families plan and execute their stylish and decadent wedding days, no doubt with plenty of outside help. All aspects of a royal wedding are up for public scrutiny; with many details replicated in a bid to recreate the magic and allure of a regal affair. If this is the look you are hoping to achieve on your wedding day here are some helpful hints and tips to help you pull off a look that is fit for a modern day princess.


Less is more


The first and probably most important point to mention is that going over the top with sparkly accessories and an intricately embellished wedding dress can actually do the opposite and cheapen the look of your wedding. The golden key here is less is more; if you are hoping to find a jaw dropping headpiece, think about keeping it simple with your jewellery. Clean, elegant lines with simple shapes and a regal design can actually make a tiara look more expensive. Likewise if you aren’t so keen on a large headpiece this gives you more scope to adorn yourself with glitzier jewellery without looking over the top. Its all about achieving the right balance; think Kate Middleton or Princess Charlene of Monaco.


Vintage is your friend


The current trend for everything vintage is still going strong; use this to your advantage by looking for accessories and headpieces plated in metals such as rhodium (part of the platinum family of metals) as their slightly darker colouration makes them look more antique. The trick with the princess look is for your accessories to look like family heirlooms, priceless and irreplaceable. Look for the best materials your budget can afford; triple A simulated diamonds and real precious metal plating are affordable alternatives to diamonds and solid gold. It is possible to look like royalty without the price tag!


Bringing the look together


Think about how your accessories interact with your dress; for example if you are planning on having a dress with a high neckline, a drop necklace may overcomplicate things and snag the lace – to pull off understated elegance accessorize only as necessary to enhance your dress, not to outshine it. Although your accessories don’t need to match exactly, it’s a good idea to take inspiration for your jewellery from the shapes in your headpiece (or vice versa) for a more polished look.



If you are a more petite bride, a grand tiara can be a fantastic way to add a little height to your frame; likewise if you are a tall bride you may want to consider not adding too much height with a tiara and instead opt for a shallow headpiece. If you are having a veil make sure you try your hair accessories with it to get a clearer picture of how you will look on the day.

If you aren’t a fan of bling, pearls are a fantastic way to add a regal feel to your day. Consider a simple pearl necklace for an elegant look, with pearl studs and a matching bracelet.

There is now more choice than ever for brides, so whichever type of regal look you are trying to achieve, there will be accessories to compliment.  So enjoy being a princess for a day!