Bejeweled
By Tresa Erickson

Your wedding is quickly approaching, and like any bride, you can't wait to slide on that dress and walk down the aisle. Your dress is to die for, and you've chosen all of the right accessories to go with it from the veil to the gloves to the shoes. Now, it's time to choose jewelry.

While your first instinct might be to find the largest, shiniest, most expensive pieces you can, you might want to resist that impulse. You don't want to draw all eyes to your jewelry, nor do you want to break the bank on pieces that you may only be able to wear once. You should select more affordable jewelry that you can wear on other special occasions.

Being conservative is key to picking out the right bridal jewelry. Focus on smaller, more traditional pieces and limit your selection to a few pieces. Don't go overboard, for example, and wear a large ruby and sapphire choker and rhinestone barrettes, combs and a tiara. Again, you want the emphasis to be on you, not on the huge choker around your neck and all of the rhinestones in your hair.

Whatever jewelry you choose should complement the style of your dress. If the bodice of your dress is lined with pearls, for example, you might want to wear pearls, whereas if the bodice is encrusted with rhinestones, you might want to wear diamonds. If your dress has a scoop neckline, a long necklace may be fine, whereas if your dress has a high neckline, a choker might be better.

The jewelry you choose should also be complementary in style. A diamond necklace should be paired with diamond earrings, a pearl necklace with pearl earrings, and a sapphire necklace with sapphire earrings. A matching set may be your best option. Even the pieces in your hair, like combs and barrettes, should complement the other jewelry you plan to wear. A pearl necklace and earrings should be accompanied by pearl combs.

Be conservative when selecting bridal jewelry and keep the focus where it belongs. Don't let your jewelry outshine you and your dress.