How to Choose Your Wedding Jewelry

My big day isn’t for another 11 months, but something I think about almost daily at this point is what jewelry I’ll wear at my wedding.

Yes, I realize how crazy it sounds to admit that this detail preoccupies my thoughts—with tons of time before the actual event!—but with so many options to choose from, I want to make sure I have the perfect combo of bling.

Ideally, I want to do a mix of new (my engagement ring and wedding ring could technically take care of that category!) and old (to incorporate pieces I got from my parents and grandparents growing up).

But even though I have a loose plan, there are still so many different directions to go in: Do I buy an amazing statement necklace and offset it with the simple gold bracelet my grandmother gave me as a child? Or, do I wear the necklace my mom wore on her wedding day and buy a fabulous beaded belt to pair with it? And then we have the earrings: Dangly or stud, bling-y or more low-key?

As far as hard and fast “rules” go, there really aren’t any for what you have to wear for your bridal jewelry. But here are a couple guidelines I’ve set for myself to help me decide which way to go:

1. You can either have a fabulous headpiece or super sparkly earrings. Too much head bling could be way overwhelming. Same goes with a statement necklace and crazy earrings. One or the other.

2. On a similar note, you can have a glittering statement necklace or the aforementioned fab headpiece. Don’t want to be too top-heavy, right? I feel the same way about wearing a statement necklace and an amazing belt—too middle-heavy. Though, I think a headpiece and a belt can work together because they are far enough part.

3. Limit your ring bling: Honestly, I think wearing just your wedding and engagement rings is perfect. But if you want to accent with something special on your right hand, as long as it not bigger or more sparkly than you left hand jewelry, then go for it.

4. You don’t need jewelry everywhere. There’s a great quote attributed to Coco Chanel that says, “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” I think that’s very applicable when contemplating wedding jewelry. Sure, you want to be the most decked out person at the event, but there is such thing as going overboard. Wearing earrings, a bracelet, and a necklace can be overkill so I’m going to aim to wear only two out of the three.

5. Make sure each piece is special, to you at least. My biggest reservation about buying new jewelry is that the pieces I have are very dear to me and I feel like they “deserve” to be part of my wedding look, as irrational as that might sound. But, if I can find a necklace or earrings that speak to me, they could end up being just as special–after all, I will be wearing them on my wedding day!

Tell me, ladies: How did you choose your wedding bling?