I always love helping brides select jewelry to wear on their wedding day. Their excitement is infectious. And when I get to style a bride who’s a friend, the experience is even more special for me. My latest bridal styling experience involved Jillian, whom I’ve known since she was a little girl. Her mother and I have been very close for years, and as Jillian has blossomed into a lovely woman, I have been able to count her as a special friend as well.

Because she is tall and beautiful, Jillian has always looked good in any jewelry I put on her. While the times she has borrowed from my personal collection to embellish her looks as a bridesmaid were fun for me, I couldn’t wait to accessorize her for her own wedding day. That opportunity came last spring.

The Shoes Pointed the Way

As soon as she chose her wedding gown, Jillian sent me some photos. Her dress was beautiful – sleeveless with a v-neckline in front and a low back with a curved drape. The design ruled out a necklace or brooch, but the simple lines of the dress didn’t suggest a particular pair of earrings.

So, I asked about the shoes she would wear, and that gave me the answer – dark green, the favorite color of her husband-to-be. I also knew she would be wearing her long hair down and pulled to one side. In preparation for our meeting, I chose emerald Art Deco pendants as well as other long, dangling earrings for her to try.

When Jillian came over and put on her wedding dress and shoes, we started with the emerald earrings. They looked fabulous. Then we tried the others, but they all paled (both literally and figuratively) in comparison. With the emerald, diamanté and sterling earrings as the main adornment, I chose a simple emerald Art Deco line bracelet to complete her ensemble.

See How She Wore Them

As a friend of the family, I was fortunate to attend Jillian’s wedding and see her shine in person. Her happiness at marrying the love of her life is evident in this photo, which she graciously shared with me.

Here are her comments about her styling experience: “Working with Barbara was an absolute pleasure. Her knowledge of and expertise with her jewelry paired with her amazing sense of style transformed my bridal look into something very special”.

Adorning Brides Is a Specialty

I want every bride to look and feel extraordinary on her wedding day. To help brides-to-be find the perfect jeweled accessories, I’ve built a special collection of 1920-1950s earrings, bracelets, and necklaces – the TruFaux Vintage Bridal collection. Here you’ll find a beautiful selection of pieces for the bride, bridesmaids, and mother of the bride. The Art Deco jewels, in particular, are extremely popular. In addition to their uniqueness, women are drawn to the high-quality and glamour of these pieces.