Wedding jewelry can be anything from the wedding rings to what the brides wears as an accessory to her wedding dress, to gifts of jewelry that the couple may get. Wedding jewelry can be personalized or general, and it can be jewelry made out of precious metal or gems, or it can be costume jewelry. It really depends on what the wedding jewelry is for.

Wedding rings – In most traditional weddings, the most important wedding jewelry is, of course, the wedding rings. The engagement ring is often chosen by the groom, but many times the bride and groom will choose the engagement ring together, and it will be part of an entire set that includes the engagement ring, the bride’s wedding ring, and the groom’s wedding ring. The wedding rings should reflect the tastes of both the bride and groom, however most of the time it is the bride’s taste that is taken more into consideration. Her engagement ring and wedding ring will most likely be more elaborate than the groom’s wedding ring, and frankly, women tend to care more about jewelry than men do. Usually it is suggested that the groom buy the bride an engagement ring that costs the equivalent of two months worth of his salary, but this is certainly not a rule that needs to be followed.

Jewelry as an accessory to the wedding dress – Although it certainly isn’t required, the bride will often wear one or more pieces of jewelry to accessorize her wedding dress. Very rarely will a bride wear a bracelet as an accessory, since a bracelet may take attention away from the wedding ring. Most brides wear necklaces and/or earrings to go with their wedding dresses. If the style of the wedding dress is simple, without elaborate beading or lace, then the necklace or earrings can have more detail in their designs. If, however, the wedding dress is very decorated and detailed, it is best for the bride to keep her necklace or earrings simple but elegant. The rule is to wear jewelry that enhances the wedding dress, and does not detract from it. Grooms rarely wear any type of jewelry when getting married, although there are rare exceptions.

Jewelry as wedding gifts – If someone is considering giving jewelry to the newly married couple as a wedding gift, great care must be taken. Giving jewelry at any time can be difficult if you don’t know the specific taste of the person you are buying it for, and giving jewelry as a gift to a newly married couple can be even more difficult. The best type of jewelry to give as a wedding gift is a locket for the bride with her wedding date inscribed in it, with or without a chain to go along with it. For the groom, inscribed cufflinks can be a good idea, or perhaps an inscribed tie clip. The key is to buy jewelry that is simple, and not so elaborate that it might clash with their taste. The bride and groom can even buy jewelry for each member of the wedding party as a “thank you” for their help and attendance. Bracelets for the women and cufflinks for the men are a good idea for this.

Wedding jewelry can either be a symbol of something important, such as the wedding rings are, or it can be adornment, such as what the bride wears as part of her wedding outfit. Whatever the jewelry is for, it should be chosen carefully; after all, beautiful jewelry reminds of everyone how special this day is!