Wedding Jewelry

On no other day does jewelry play as significant a role in a couple's life as it does on their wedding day. Wedding jewelry should symbolize both the couple's commitment to each other as well as their personal style.

When it comes time to shop for wedding jewelry, the engagement ring has already been selected; that leaves the wedding bands. Couples often choose matching bands in his and her versions. Many women also like to match their bridal bands to their engagement rings, allowing them to wear both stacked on the same finger.

Gold wedding bands are the traditional choice in wedding jewelry. Over the past 15 years, however, platinum has emerged as a favorite among style-conscious brides who prefer it to gold because of its purity, rarity and sophisticated white-grey sheen.

While diamonds are optional, brides not bound by a budget will opt for an eternity band, which contains diamonds in an unbroken circle around the band, symbolizing, of course, the couple's eternal love for each other.

But wedding jewelry doesn't only refer to rings. Don't forget all the other, less symbolic but still relevant wedding jewelry items that need to be considered. Take the bride's earrings, for example. With the popularity of strapless dress styles emphasizing a woman's shoulders and clavicle, a chic, understated pair of bridal earrings - pearls are classic; diamonds will always do - completes the picture. The same can be said of a solitaire pendant or even a decorative pin for the hair.

Gifts for the wedding party can also take the form of jewelry. Pearl or gemstone baubles for the bridesmaids and cufflinks for the groomsmen are a wonderful way to bring everyone into the wedding jewelry tradition.