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Wedding Season Pearl Jewellery Style Guide

Pearls are a wonderful choice for bridal jewellery and have long been associated with weddings. From stunning simple pieces to more intricate eye-catching designs, they can often be a fabulous final touch for your big day.

But where did the association with pearls and weddings come from? And what are the best ways to wear pearls on your wedding day? Read on to find out more…

Pearl jewellery as a wedding tradition

Pearls have a history of being a special gem – at one time they were only available to the rich and famous and reserved for the most important occasions, making them perfect for weddings. In ancient cultures pearls also represented purity, much like the tradition of wearing the white dress on your wedding day. 

To the Ancient Greeks, pearls were connected to passion, love and marriage, believing that they would strengthen marital bonds, prevent brides from shedding tears and enhance relationships.  During the Victorian Era, pearls as bridal jewellery became incredibly popular, a trend which has endured until today.

How to plan your wedding jewellery around your wedding dress

If you’re thinking about wearing pearls on your wedding day, the first step is to decide what you’re wearing. If you choose a dress design that shows off a lot of your neck and clavicle, such as a strapless, off-the-shoulder, V-neck or square dress, a stunning pearl necklace can be the perfect finishing touch.


A simple Single Strand White Pearl necklace (above) or a White Pearl Choker Necklace (below) always looks very elegant.

If your dress has a bateau neck, the choker length is your best option. A White Pendant Pearl Necklace can add a little more detail and works well with a halter cut neckline… 

The necklace worn by Lina Cavalieri, the beautiful Italian opera singer and cosmetics entrepreneur, in her portrait painted by Giovanni Boldini in 1901 inspired us to create this timeless piece. Alternatively, you could choose a romantic White Pearl Heart Pendant Necklace to  add a beautiful extra touch. 

Unique pearl necklaces for brides

For bold brides who love to make a statement, why not consider a White Baroque Pearl Necklace? This piece was inspired by a favourite necklace of Diana, Princess of Wales, the timeless fashion icon, as can been seen in this beautiful photograph by Patrick Demarchelier from 1990.

The term “Baroque” refers to all pearls that aren’t perfect spheres. In other words, if it’s not perfectly round, it is considered a Baroque pearl. Baroque pearls are thus defined as having irregular, non-symmetrical shapes and uneven surfaces, often with beautiful lustre and colours.

No two Baroque pearls will ever be the same and every piece of jewellery that utilises Baroque pearls showcases something unique, so if you’re thinking about pearls for your wedding day, but want something different, Baroque pearls might be just the thing for you. Although they have been used in jewellery since ancient times, Baroque pearls have a modern vibe and are very versatile.

Or why not step away from just wearing white pearls by choosing pearl jewellery for your wedding day that features coloured pearls? Our Silver Chain Necklace with White, Pink and Lavender Pearl Drop is elegant and eye-catching.

Want to explore more? Take a look at all our pearl necklaces for weddings.

Pearl earrings for brides

Pearl earrings are another very popular wedding jewellery accessory. Simple Pearl Stud Earrings are a timeless classic – our pearl studs are available with white, pink or black pearls, so you could even match them to your wedding colours.

White Pearl and Zirconia Stud Earrings can add an extra sparkle, a subtle but stunning way to complement your dress and necklace.

Or perhaps you would prefer some delicate drop earrings, like these CZ Rose and White Drop Pearl Earrings, which were inspired by a pair worn by the inspirational Audrey Hepburn:

Or they can be more of a focus earring with more drop and detail, like these Silver and CZ Multi Flower Earrings with White Edison Pearl.

Edison pearls are the latest development in the Chinese technology of culturing pearls, since 2014, and were created to rival the prestigious South Sea pearls from Australia but at much more affordable prices.

Whereas freshwater pearls are formed when a piece of tissue from another oyster is implanted in a new oyster (on average, some 20-30 pieces of tissue are implanted per oyster resulting in 20-30 pearls), the oysters used for Edison pearls are implanted (nucleated) with a single large round bead, aiming to create perfectly round pearls since the oyster is able to focus all its energy on a single pearl at a time. This results in a lower yield, but the focus is on quality not quantity. The result is high quality pearls with stunning lustre, which can measure up to 16mm and come in a range of beautiful colours.

Visit our shop to explore all our pearl earrings for weddings

Pearl bracelets for brides

Some brides may choose a pearl bracelet to accompany their other pearl wedding jewellery. If you have a very simple dress, a 3-Strand White Pearl Bracelet can be a real statement piece. 

Or perhaps you’re looking for a more modern pearl bracelet, in which case our 9K Gold Wire Bracelet with End Pearls could be the perfect choice as it features a large 10mm pearl at each end, one white and one pink:

One of the best things about pearls is that they are timeless, no matter the design of your wedding dress there’s a piece of pearl jewellery to suit your style. Bring a classic piece of pearl jewellery to your wedding day with a piece from our pearl jewellery collections inspired by History.