If it leaves a glimmer in her eye...
There is nothing quite so gratifying as the act of creating the perfect accessories for a perfect day.
While jewelry is only a small part of a very major production, each bride is her own unique formation of crystalized water (that'd be a snowflake) and the right accessories can distinguish a bride and her ladies from all those other pinterest montages. The photo above is a from a wedding at the Wiscasset Estate in Woodland Hills. Her necklace is composed of 3 woven strands of Swarovski pearls and crystals, designed to coordinate with her dress. The bridesmaids necklaces are also Swarovski pearls with a cast resin cabbage rose accent, strung on silver chain and featuring the bright blue that was the focal color of the wedding decor.
One of the great things about bridal jewelry today - and weddings in general - is that the sky is the limit when it comes to creativity and expression. Bridal designs range from traditional to minimalist, edgy to delicate, barely there to in your face. And while unity and cohesion are still to be desired, sticking to just one standard is no longer a requirement. This photo on the right shows three bridesmaids from a wedding at the Seal Beach Country Club. The bride wanted each girl's jewelry to be represenatative of their personality so that it would work easily into their daily wardrobes long after the event.
Another concern that many brides have is the wearability of their jewelry after the big day, especially when it comes to the bridesmaids' jewelry (since many brides give the jewelry as a "thank you" gift). And no one knows her girls better than the bride, so the consulatation for a custom design is a crucial step in which style, themes, personalities, friendships, memories, inspirations, timeline, and budget are discussed.
It's an exciting act of synthesis, where stories and information get distilled into design sketches, and materials are chosen (who doesn't love a little shopping!?).
The final step (and the best part for me): Construction. Working with the materials is like writing a story - the placement of each stone, chain, pearl, and crystal is a character in the story of this woman and her friends, which I get to tell in my small way.
And, at the end of the day, if it leaves a glimmer in her eye I know I did my job.
(A note from the author: While I love the excitement involved in creating bridal jewelry, it is but a small part of the Erin Maura brand. The author/designer was working on a bridal project while creating her website, and the introductory blog post celebrates some special bridal moments from the past.)
