United States Wedding Jewelry & Attire

Photo by Irina Iriser from Pexels.   A United States wedding includes a few traditional pieces of jewelry and attire. First of all (and most important), the bride's wedding dress. Of course, the groom's tuxedo or suit is important, as well. Finally, the wedding rings. Everything else is a matter of unique taste and preference.  

The Wedding Dress

In the United States, brides typically wear formal wedding gowns. These range in style from princess ball gowns to sleek mermaid silhouettes, and include everything in between. The majority of brides choose white for their wedding dress. However, cream, ivory, champagne, and even pale pink come in second. Of course, a United States wedding might feature a red wedding dress, a fuchsia pink dress, or even a black wedding dress. The name of the game in America is individuality! Second to the dress, shoes are vitally important. Again, the choice of shoes depends largely on the personality of the bride and what she can get away with in front of her peers. I've seen silver tennis shoes, ballet slippers, strappy heels, modest pumps, and everything in between. Most brides choose white. However, since wedding gowns are often long, brides sometimes exercise great freedom in choosing their foot wear. Some even go barefoot. This is a great choice for a beach wedding! My favorite recent trend is blue heels. This covers the "something blue" aspect of the US tradition of "something borrowed, something blue." Plus, blue shoes are quite striking.  

Groom's Attire

Nine times out of ten, at a United State wedding, the groom wears a tuxedo. Black remains the most common choice. However, some choose grey or white. Some grooms also choose to wear a suit instead of renting a tuxedo. The groomsmen also wear matching tuxedos or suits. The wedding colors come into play in the cummerbunds and/or ties worn by the groom and his groomsmen. In addition, flower boutonnieres worn on their lapels match the bouquets carried by the bride and her bridesmaids.  

United States Wedding Rings

In the United States, couples typically choose matching wedding rings. These can be purchased specifically to match with the bride's engagement ring. Or they can be chosen individually to suit the style of the bride and groom. As with all things wedding in the United States, personal style and unique preferences reign in choosing a wedding ring. The most popular is a solid gold or platinum band for the groom. The bride typically receives a more embellished band. Eternity bands paved in diamonds are a popular choice. In America, wedding bands are worn on the left ring fingers. Traditionally, the bride wears the wedding band close to her heart. To accommodate this, she removes her engagement ring before the ceremony. Later, after saying her vows and receiving the wedding ring from her new husband, she slides the engagement ring back on. Couples typically wear their rings every day. Some exceptions are made for men who work in labor industries where they risk losing a finger if their ring gets caught up in machinery.  

Bridal Jewelry

Bridal jewelry traditionally includes diamond or zircon earrings, matching bracelets, and possibly a necklace. Of course, the wedding rings play their part, as well. In addition, American brides might choose to wear a jeweled tiara or a hair pin with diamonds or rhinestones. American brides traditionally wear a veil, as well. The tiara, then, serves as the mechanism by which the veil clips onto the hair. Once again, the American value of individuality comes into play in wedding jewelry. Brides can choose any manner of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and more. Some brides attach jewels to their shoes, either on the backs of the heels or on the tops of the toes. Others choose bold necklaces and rings. Traditionally, a bride's jewelry complements the dress without drawing attention away from the bride's face and bodice. However, each bride chooses her own style for her special day. That is, after all, the American way.  

Bridesmaids

Traditionally, bridesmaids in the United States wear formal matching gowns in a color (or colors) chosen by the bride. Increasingly, brides are giving their attendants more choice in the matter. Since bridesmaids typically purchase the dresses with their own money, American brides might offer the option of choosing their own dress. Just as long is it meets certain color and length requirements. While matching dresses are the norm, more and more brides find pleasure in seeing variety in their photographs. So while bridesmaids may wear the same color, each dress might be a different style. The reverse can be true, as well. They might all have the same dress, but in different colors selected to match the bride's color palette. As for jewelry, bridesmaids usually wear simple earrings and maybe tennis bracelets and rings. Sometimes the bride purchases matching necklaces for her bridesmaids to wear and keep as a memento of the day. The most important decision a bridesmaid make must make is to ensure that whatever she chooses, she does not upstage the bride. The bride is queen on her wedding day. She must not be upstaged by anyone.   ~ Angela Magnotti Andrews