Completing a Look with Dramatic Accessories

A spring trend that should be on the radar of all brides-to-be is super-extra accessories; whether it’s huge shoulder-dusting earrings, a dramatic headpiece, or a dazzling chunky necklace. These wedding day accessories can work for any style of bride, but there are certain hair and makeup rules you should follow to ensure that the accessory doesn’t steal the show. As long as you follow these rules and walk down that aisle with confidence, you’ll look better than you ever have before.

1. Go Above and Beyond with Your Makeup

If there’s ever a time to bring in professionals, it’s on your wedding day. You want to look flawless walking down the aisle and in photos you’ll have for life, and it’s hard to pull off a perfected look without professional skills! Additionally, if you choose to wear a super-dramatic accessory, you’ll really need professional help to finish a face that looks finished, polished, and radiant. A makeup artist will choose the right primer, highlighter, blush, and concealer to make sure that your bridal glow is amplified and perfected. She can also ensure that your makeup will last throughout ceremony tears, cake-smashing, and dancing-with-bridesmaids sweat – which is extra important if you’re wearing mega jewelry! 

2. Choose Soft Colors

While there’s definitely a time and place for a vampy wine lip and a feathered and jeweled headpiece, your wedding may not be that place. If you’re bringing the drama with the wedding day accessories, keep the rest of your look muted. Wedding days are about looking like the glam version of yourself, not a glamorous stranger that your fiancé has never seen before. Sticking with softer lips, eyes and cheeks allows the accessory to take center stage. That being said, I’m not endorsing that you use a minimalist approach when applying these soft colors. The right hair and makeup artist can give you smoky bridal eyes that still look subtle enough to not compete with your mega-accessory.

3. Wear Your Hair Up

When you choose large wedding day accessories, it should be the focal point of your bridal look. Wearing your hair down in loose waves will only compete with the bold choker that you picked out. When you’re browsing inspiration, look for sleek, elegant hairstyles. You want a classic up-do that shows off your face and neck – all the better for highlighting those dangling earrings! A low chignon is an eternal classic, as is a French twist. You don’t have to look like a ballerina with one of these simple hairstyles; your hair stylist can add texture and volume while still maintaining the sleek look you need to pull off your dramatic accessory.

4. Lashes, Lashes, Lashes! 

While going simple with your makeup is a good idea, you should still bring the drama in one area, your eyelashes! Over-the-top lashes will emphasize your eyes, complete your face, and will look awesome in photos. You can accomplish this by applying false lashes the day-of or through a more semi-permanent look (which would last through the honeymoon and beyond). Getting your lashes tinted and lifted will add color to light lashes and create an enhancing curl that will open your eyes up. 

You can expect a lift and tint to last through a full eyelash cycle (about 8-12 weeks), which is perfect for newlywed life! Another semi-permanent option is eyelash extensions, which entails getting individual false lashes that last for 6-12 weeks. You can choose the length and volume of the extensions depending on the look you’re going for. As a general rule, length extensions look more natural and volume extensions are more glamorous.

5. Brows are a Must

Brows are the perfect finishing touch for a polished face. They frame your eyes and make your whole face look complete. We’re not talking about insta-fake brows; crisp, clean, manicured brows make a noticeable difference in an overall look. Your makeup artist can fill them in with a light hand, making sure that your brows are perfect sisters (but not twins). This is especially important if you’re planning to wear a dramatic veil; defined brows help give definition to your face, which means that you’ll be center-stage, not the accessory. 

6. Bring Your Accessories to the Trial 

This final tip is the most important. Before you schedule your hair and makeup trial, make sure that you have all of your wedding day accessories chosen and purchased. If you show up to your trial and say that you plan to wear a dramatic veil, but don’t have that veil in-hand, there’s only so much that your artist can do to make sure that the accessory coordinates perfectly with your wedding-day look. Bringing all bridal accessories (such as veil, earrings, necklace, etc.) to your trial is essential to being the picture-perfect bride! Your hair and makeup artist can assess the look of the wedding day accessories against your other wedding details to help you pick the perfect hair and lipstick color. 


Written by: Ashley Backs, Hello Lovely