One of the best ways to create a truly unique wedding day look is to express your personal style.  There’s nothing more unfortunate than a beautiful bride whose hair, makeup, dress and accessories don’t reflect who she is.  With the pressures of moms, aunts, friends, grandmas, and the wedding industry in general, it’s hard to lose your own vision of how you want to look as a bride.

When you are feeling the pressure, the most important thing to remember is that your wedding day look should reflect you – only a little “better.”  And by better, we mean that you’ll probably get your hair and makeup professionally done, will be wearing a beautiful dress that is completely you, and will be rocking the perfect accessories to compliment the rest of your look.

Two of our favorite ways for brides to truly personalize their wedding day look are with fun shoes and a clutch.  We’ve dedicated plenty of posts to shoes, but here are some stylish clutches that are chock-full of personality, ready to be rocked by the right bride:

Leah Quilted Patent Miniaudiere

Matching your clutch to your favorite color (or wedding colors) is a snap with the Leah Quilted Patent miniaudiere. The vibrant little clutch comes in a fuschia, scarlet red or deep bronze.  We love the pretty rose detail, which gives the bag a feminine bridal touch.

Rockefeller Sophie Long Flap Clutch

Rafe is known for making great clutches, and this stylish little gem (pictured at top) is no exception. This clutch is crafted from genuine snakeskin in a rockstar metallic pewter, and the flap is embellished with diamond shaped gemstones and studs.  Make no mistake, this bag is for seriously stylish brides who want to make a statement on their wedding day.

Black Leah Lizard Miniaudiere

For brides who want to channel their inner Audrey Hepburn on their wedding, a little black lizard clutch like this one is perfect.  It’s timelessly elegant with a nod to vintage, and looks just like something Ms. Hepburn would have picked out herself.

Strapless Wedding Gowns

With a strapless gown, brides can pull off a gorgeous pair of chandelier earrings. Even if the dress has beading, a sparkling pair of  chandelier or dangle earrings is high enough above the neckline to compliment instead of clash.

Bateau (Boatneck) Neckline Wedding Gowns

The vintage bateau neckline looks lovely with a small pair of pearl studs or diamond earrings.

Halter & Sweetheart Neckline Wedding Gown


Necklaces with delicate pendants are a great choice for a halter or sweetheart neckline gown. Since the straps are near the neck, avoid any overly large earrings, and try to avoid wearing both earrings and a necklace with a halter gown.

Endless.com, for example, carries the Coloriffics, Dyeables and Touch-ups lines of bridal shoes. Though some of the styles are hit-or-miss, we absolutely love the following three styles and think they’d make a gorgeous bridal pump for the fashionable bride:

Coloriffics Women’s Desire Pump

The high heel on this open toe pump (pictured at top) makes it ideal for brides who want to add a few extra inches of height.  The design is elegant and classic, but the sparkling rhinestone accent adds a little something special to the shoe that makes it pop.

Touch Ups Women’s Nona Pump

This dyeable bridal pump (at right) is a great choice for brides who want comfort without sacrificing style. The lower heel and all-around support will keep a bride comfortable on the dance floor.  Embellishment can easily be added by sewing, gluing, or clipping on a pretty pair of brooches right in the middle of the peep toe.

Dyeables Women’s Erica Pump

The Erica dyeable bridal pump is a mixture of the two previous styles. The peep-toe pump features a mid-heel for comfort with a bit of height, and the cross-front pleated straps add timeless style.

Once you’ve chosen the perfect white satin or dyeable bridal shoe, take your lovelies to a local shoe store that specializes in dying. They’ll be able to help you find the ideal shade that you are looking for, and shouldn’t take more than a week to turn your plain white bridal shoe into something spectacularly colorful and personalized.

Since J. Crew is sold out of their now infamous satin bow clutches, we thought we’d find some more adorable wedding day clutches for your perusal. We were pleasantly surprised to find that Jessica McClintock has been turning out some gorgeous options that would work well either for the bride or as a bridesmaid gift, thanks to their reasonable prices. Here are some of our favorites, which are available on Endless.com (free shipping and free 365 day returns!):

Jessica McClintock Satin Pouch Bow Clutch

The rhinestone and bow-adorned satin clutch (at top) is perfect for vintage glamour or Old Hollywood romance themes. In fact, the architectural shape of the bow also makes it a great fit for Art Deco theme weddings.  The strap is detachable too, and at only $50 this clutch is a bargain for the bridal style statement it makes. 

Jessica McClintock Center Rose Clutch

This satin clutch is very similar in style to J. Crew’s rosette satin clutch, and comes in red or black. The rich red color would really pop against a white wedding gown, and is a steal at only $40. For this price, gift your bridesmaids with the clutch as a wedding day accessory that they will definitely wear for years to come.

Brides are opting for shoes that express their personality, whether that be understated, modern, bright and colorful or glamorous. For a glamorous, high quality wedding day shoe, we love Badgley Mischka’s recent designs. Two in particular, the Caroline Pump and the Carlo pump are just begging to be worn down the aisle.

The Caroline Pump

Sleek white satin, an eye-catching design and jumbo jewels embellishing the peep toe set this shoe above the pack. These pumps are ideal for a vintage glamour themed wedding, an Art Deco theme wedding, or simply for brides who love a bit of sparkle. Peep toes make popular wedding shoes because the bride can show off her pedicure (try wearing a color that pops for summer weddings (coral, candy red and bubblegum pink) and deep plum, red or burgundy for winter and fall).

The Carlo Pump

The Carlo pump is a round toe pump with feminine, flirty silk rosettes perched on the side of the shoe. The pump is perfect for brides who revel in the girly details of their wedding day as well as romantics who lust after rosettes. Like Badgley Mischka’s Caroline, the Carlo pump has a high stiletto heel that can give short brides the boost they desire.

Style Without the Stiletto


For brides who love stylish details on bridal shoes but prefer flats and comfort to stilettos, Butter has created the loveliest wedding-worthy kitten wedge heels. At only 1.25″ high, the off-white patent peep toes are the ideal choice for tall brides who don’t feel comfortable in high heels and girls who value comfort as much as style.

The perfect wedding day perfume is sweet and light,with a touch of sensuality for an evening reception. Many brides simply use their regular perfume for the wedding day, but some perfumes that work well for daily wear are not the best picks for a wedding. If you prefer a stronger, masculine scent for daily wear, you might want to choose a lighter, more feminine wedding day perfume. Light floral scents do the job well, and go with the feel of the day – soft, romantic and sweet.

One bridal perfume we love for the wedding day is Quel Amour! by Annick Goutal. The scent is airy and feminine with a hint of sensuality, and isn’t overpowering yet lasts for hours. Also, when choosing your wedding day perfume, consider that many photographers like to capture the little details of the day including the process of getting ready. A shot of your perfume bottle, earrings and other bridal accessories laid out together makes a lovely composition that captures the mood of the day. As with all Annick Goutal perfumes,
Quel Amour! comes in a beautiful, delicate bottle that looks as romantic as the name of the perfume – perfect for bridal accessory shots.

Though Annick Goutal perfumes tend to be on the pricey side, The Perfume Spot is offering a huge discount on all their Annick Goutal scents. If you are still in search of the ideal bridal perfume, make sure to check out their selection.

Tips for Choosing Your Dress

If you haven’t already, check out our previous article on Bridal Shower Dresses. It has some great pointers for locating the perfect bridal shower dress, along with a list of brands known for their feminine, flattering dresses to help narrow down your search. Pretty much the same rules can be applied to your engagement party dress and rehearsal dinner dress: avoid anything too short, have fun with color, and shop online first to see how the dress falls on a person or mannequin.

Two More Posh Party Frocks

We highlighted an adorable, bridal shower dress last time, and are back with two more fabulous choices. The first dress (shown at top), by Corey Lynn Calter, is a spaghetti-strap pleated silk little number with a chic floral pattern splashed across the front. The other option is also 100% silk, but that’s where the similarities end. The rich hunter green dress by Amanda Uprichard has an empire waistline paired with a feminine ruffled v-neck. Both dresses are feminine and sophisticated, in albeit entirely different ways. Brides looking for a pop of color with a subtle nod to a wedding gown will love the cream silk of the Corey Lynn Calter dress, while those who prefer more neutral tones will swoon over the gorgeous earthy green Amanda Uprichard frock.

These two dresses would work brilliantly for any pre-wedding festivity, from swanky nighttime engagement party to a bridal shower tea to a semi-casual rehearsal dinner. If you’ve already found your perfect party frock, we’d love to hear where you found it.

White wedding shoes will just blend in with the dress, stain easily during outdoor weddings, and have a tendency to end up in the back of your closet after the day is over.

Picking pretty wedding shoes is also the perfect chance to show off the bride’s style and personality. Plenty of country brides have rocked a pair of comfy, girly cowboy boots under their dress, while some city brides choose 4 inch sparkling heels that ooze glamour. The important thing is to pick a pair of shoes that reflect the bride and the wedding – other than that, the possibilities are endless.

For wedding day glamazons, we’ve picked out a few of our favorite pairs of sparkling heels. These options are ideal for luxurious, high drama weddings with miles of style:

Colette, by Pelle Moda (at top)

Not only is this shoe high glamour, it’s also super sexy.  Pair it with a curve-hugging wedding gown for an unforgettable bridal ensemble.

Gelato, by Oh Deer

Oh Deer makes the cutest shoes with a vintage flair. This sequin-gilded pair of stilettos (at right) is ideal for brides with an Art Deco inspired wedding, thanks to the crossed t-straps and peep toe silhouette.

Kaily, by Pedro Garcia

Known for their superb style and craftsmanship, it doesn’t surprise us that Pedro Garcia is the name behind these stunning peep toes. Three little jewels add a bit of pop to the rich gold leather for a wedding day shoe that’s simply perfection.

If we haven’t highlighted your dream shoes yet, stay tuned! We’ll search high and low to bring you the most stylish bridal shoes, including brightly colored pumps, sexy t-straps and rosette adorned peep toes.

Have Fun with Color

Luckily, with Spring fashions hitting the stores, now is the perfect time to find a pretty, feminine bridal shower dress. Keep your eyes peeled for bridal shower dress criteria like floral prints, ruffles, and flirty details. Also, try to focus on brighter colors – a bridal shower is not the best occasion to wear a somber black or brown ensemble. A dress with some color will look great in photos, and suits the celebration much better.

Narrow Your Dress Search

Once you’re ready to find the perfect bridal shower dress, narrow your search by first checking out designers known for their dresses like Rebecca Taylor, Nanette Lepore and Diane von Furstenberg. Searching online for the perfect shower dress is a smart time-saving strategy, since you can peruse many different designers and stores quickly without combing through racks. Shopping for a dress online also gives you a better idea of how the dress hangs on a person; some dresses that look odd on a department store hanger might fit and flatter beautifully once they are on the body.

Keep It Sweet – But Not Short

Avoid overly tight, clingy dresses for a bridal shower – you’ll likely be sitting down all day and opening gifts, so thigh-high hems will only leave you feeling uncomfortable and exposed. Keep in mind that guests will be taking pictures while seated, which, if you are seated in a circle to open presents, makes an embarassing panty shot hard to avoid in a super short dress. Keep the hem to knee-length or slightly below the knee to avoid any not-so-Kodak moments.

Our Bridal Shower Dress Pick

One adorable spring dress that fits all of our criteria is this lovely blue and white floral stunner by
Rebecca Taylor. It’s feminine, flowy and comfortable – perfect for a blushing bride to be at her shower. Get it online at Pink Mascara, a boutique that carries an abundance of super cute dresses and stylish accessories.