Bold & Gold is Trending: Wedding Expert Urges Brides to Break Jewellery Tradition
Wedding season is in full swing, and attendees are clearly panicking about what to wear, with a surge of 688K UK Google searches for ‘wedding guest dress’ in the past month alone, both brides and wedding guests are feeling the pressure to look their best and shine on the special occasion. According to wedding tradition, the focus should be on the outfit for both brides and guests, meaning jewellery often ends up being minimal and understated. However, as jewellery preferences become chunkier and more playful, experts have weighed in on the dos and don’ts when it comes to accessorising on this special day.
It’s not just wedding guests that are considering going bolder with their look, brides are too, according to Pinterest Predicts 2025 Wedding Report ‘Mixed metals wedding rings stack’ has risen in popularity by 264% YoY.
To help settle the debate on wedding jewellery, Pandora has enlisted leading wedding expert and editor of Hitched, Zoe Burke, to share her thoughts on brides breaking tradition, while jewellery expert at Pandora Emma Fox has shared tips on choosing jewellery when attending as a guest.
Wedding guest jewellery
Emma Fox, jewellery expert at Pandora shares her take on what jewellery you should wear as a wedding guest:
“Often jewellery can be overlooked when it comes to wedding attire as guests prioritise finding the perfect dress or matching set. However, finding the right pieces can tie your whole outfit together and even bring back happy memories of the wedding next time you wear them.
“It’s usually seen as tradition for the bride to keep it simple and minimal with their jewellery as all the attention will be on their dress, this can then trickle down to wedding guests who don’t want to upstage the bride with bold, statement pieces.
“However, we’re seeing a real shift in wedding guest attire as people decide to wear whatever they feel comfortable in and break from tradition. This applies to accessories too, if you usually wear chunky pieces then by all means stick with this. We’re seeing charm necklaces really gain popularity this year – if your dress is one solid colour or has a low neckline, a playful charm necklace is a great way to tie everything together and add some fun to your outfit.
“Alternatively, if you’re going for an updo hairstyle, embrace this season’s sculptural earring trend with a pair of statement studs.”
Zoe Burke, the leading wedding expert and editor of Hitched.co.uk, adds: “I would avoid wearing a tiara, but other than that, I don’t think there’s anything that’s out of bounds. It’s fine to wear statement jewellery, but make sure you’re aiming for stylish, not scene-stealing.”
Bridal jewellery
Zoe Burke advises brides to consider the fabric of the dress when choosing jewellery, to avoid holes and runs. Zoe explains, “Typically, brides tend to wear quite subtle jewellery, particularly if they have a dramatic wedding outfit! Usually, I see brides going for dainty drop earrings, a delicate necklace that holds special meaning to them, or a simple bracelet. In terms of rings, brides tend to move their engagement ring to their right hand pre-ceremony so their wedding ring can be placed in the correct place on their left.
“If you have a dress made from lace or other delicate fabrics, you’ll want to avoid oversized or detailed jewellery that might catch on your clothes and cause holes or runs.”
Big and bold jewellery is trending, Zoe encourages brides not to shy away from this style on their wedding day; “There’s no right or wrong when it comes to accessorising your look. The most important thing is that you feel like yourself, so if that’s big and bold, then go big and bold. If you don’t usually wear much jewellery, don’t feel like you have to just because it’s your wedding day.”
“It’s really popular to change to an after-party look now, so if you want to mix up your look even more, switching up your jewellery is a great way to do this.”
Zoe urges Brides to embrace gold jewellery if it is their usual choice:
“The metal colour totally depends on your culture and your style. If you love yellow gold, go for it. White gold and silver are popular as they go well with ivory, but honestly, so does gold. I would say there’s no right or wrong, and it’s about being true to yourself, your culture and which tones you prefer.”
To shop bridal jewellery, bridesmaid gifts, or for inspiration on how to accessorise as a guest, visit the Pandora website.