You’ve chosen the perfect gown, and now it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll accessorize it. It’s a delicate balance to find the perfect accents that don’t overpower the dress itself, the pieces that show you off. So take notes and see which options appeal to you now, before you hit the stores to shop for the rest of your wedding day ensemble.

Veil

Your veil will be a coordinating piece for the entire look of your gown, so consider how much of your gown you’d like to cover with a long veil. What works best for the formality of your event? A fingertip veil is the most popular choice for formal, first-time wedding, with blusher veils being popular for second weddings where the bride has had her first marriage annulled and can thus wear a veil according to the traditional etiquette rules. Consider the following styles as you plan your veil accessory, and we do suggest that you go to look for veils and headpieces right after you have your trial hairstyle session with your stylist so that your hair is the way it will be on the wedding day. That’s the best way to really see how your veil will look for your wedding day appearance.

•Blusher: This is a single layer, shorter veil that is worn over the face during the ceremony, and then flipped back over the head after the ceremony. It can be worn alone and then removed after the ceremony, or paired as a layer to a longer veil.

•Chapel: This veil extends 2 ½ yards from the headpiece, extending over the train.

•Cathedrale: The most formal veil, cathedrale is usually paired with a cathedral length train. As such, the veil extends 3 ½ yards from the headpiece, with a significant amount trailing behind you as you walk. Stylists use the word ‘regal’ to describe this veil.

•Elbow: This veil extends down to your elbows, a popular look for less formal weddings where you still want the bridal touch.

•Fingertip: This veil extends down to your fingertips when your arms are hanging straight. This is the most versatile and most popular veil length for its ease of mobility.

•Waltz: Reaches from your headpiece to the hem of your dress.

•Double-tier: Features two layers of material, with a shorter length laid over the longer.

•Pouf: The pouf veil is made from a gathering of veil material where it connects to the headpiece, creating a natural ‘pouf’ to the shoulder-length veil. Stylists use the word ‘playful’ to describe this veil.

•Mantilla: Originally a Spanish-style, this veil drapes over the head, and comes in lace or netting, secured with or without a headpiece. Stylists use the word ‘heritage-inspired’ to describe this veil.

Headpiece

The type of headpiece you decide on depends on your hairstyle, how you’ll wear your hair, and even the design of your gown. Some brides choose not to have a headpiece, preferring instead to just wear their hair naturally, perhaps with flowers tucked into it. Here is your style defining guide:

•Tiara: A small or large piece that may be adorned with crystals, pearls or gemstones, or fashioned from intricate silver braiding or design

•Headband: A full headwrap or slide-on clip, the headband may be solid fabric such as a shiny satin, or a pearl or crystal-adorned width.

•Crown:  As the name implies, a small and simple or larger and more ornate, jewel-studded full crown that attaches to your head via hair combs or clips. Your personality will decide the size – small and delicate for a touch of regal look, or large and dramatic.

•Wreath: A full circle made from flowers and greenery. For a more up-to-date and less bulky look, beads and crystals interspersed with tiny blossoms, such as hyacinth blossoms, is gorgeous.

•Profile: A jeweled piece, much like a barrette in wide or thin design, attached appropriately to your hairstyle, most often to the side of your hair’s part.

•Hat: From brimmed garden hat to pillbox hat, this one may be adorned with ribbon or flowers.

•Juliet cap: A circular cap that fits over the top of your head, usually unadorned.

•Snood: A patterned, lace or crocheted ‘bun holder’ that secures an up-do in style. (We told you we’d get to this!)

•Hairpins and hair accents: Your hair stylist will attach jeweled, crystal or pearl pins to the perfect spots in your updo, chignon, or throughout a loose and flowing hair style. Pins may be used on their own or to attach individually wired fresh flower blossoms.

Gloves

Gloves are most often seen at formal weddings, in a shade to match the wedding gown. Your bridesmaids can wear matching-length gloves in a color to match their gowns, so that you all look extra-elegant and regal. Are gloves a part of your wedding day fantasy? Take a look at Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. When she descends the staircase with those opera-length gloves on, she’s the essence of style. (Well, she would be even without the gloves, but they certainly complete the style perfection!) Here are the primary types of gloves for you to match to your gown style and the formality and setting of your wedding:

•Opera-length: Full-length gloves that reach from your fingertips all the way up to near your shoulder, perfect with a strapless or sleeveless dress.

•Elbow-length: Reaching from your fingertips to just above or just below your elbow, this style works well with off-the-shoulder dresses, cap sleeves, petal sleeves and illusion netting mini sleeves. This one is perfect if you have toned upper arms – they bring the eye right to your muscles.

•Wrist-length: Reaching from your fingertips to just above or just below your wrist. It’s a delicate look, less formal than the others, but a lovely look for your longer-sleeve dress.

•Open finger-gloves: These come in any length as mentioned above, but your fingers are exposed. Most often, the glove attaches via a ring on your middle finger, to provide the smooth silk or lace covering of the glove with full use of your fingers for the ring exchange and handling the candle taper, or signing a Ketubah, etc.

Match your glove color to your exact shade of gown color, or bring some color from your bouquet or your shoes into your glove shading. If you have sparkling silver shoes, for instance, why not gloves with just a hint of silver? If you have pink detailing on your white gown, your gloves – worn only for the ceremony – might have pink in them as well. And what’s your style of fabric? You’ll see shiny silk gloves, satin gloves, sheer gloves and Victorian lace gloves. We suggest that you ask your gown designer or sales associate to show you different styles of gloves to coordinate with your gown, rather than ordering gloves online. A perfect color match – unless you’re going with colored gloves with a white gown – is essential.

Shoes

Keep those heel heights on the lower side, such as 3 inches, for optimum comfort during the long day and night of your wedding. More brides are choosing to add a little color to their shoes, such as with a silver strappy heel, or even a barely-there blush blue or pink to coordinate with any color in the gown. Again, comfort is key, so choose a style and strap positions that will allow you to stand and dance for hours, and break those babies in before the wedding day.

If you’ll be in a grassy area, such as at an outdoor wedding, choose thicker, chunkier heels so that you don’t sink down into the grass, and just forget about grass stain worries if you have white shoes. They’re going to get green, which makes for a fun keepsake in the future.

For beach weddings, consider going barefoot and then slipping into stylish, comfy shoes for any indoor reception.

Jewelry

It might be a new set from your groom, a gift from your parents, or the heart pendant you never take off. Choose your jewelry according to what looks best with the bodice of your dress, a style that allows you to sparkle and not get overshadowed by too-flashy jewelry pieces. The new trend right now is not to wear any necklace with a strapless gown. A simple pair of sparkling earrings may be all you need.

And of course, a jewelry set may be your ‘something borrowed,’ which is especially touching if you wear your mom’s or grandmother’s wedding day jewelry.

Hair Accents

Think about crystal or pearl pins that you can clip into your hair, for a festive look after you remove your veil and headpiece during the reception. And of course, you can also do tiny fresh flowers pinned into place by your hairstylist, or a wreath of beautiful fresh flowers for your outdoor garden wedding. On an island or at a beach wedding, think about one exotic island flower tucked behind your ear as well.