When a bride-to-be gets an engagement ring on her finger, one of the first things she may look forward to doing is hitting the shops and searching for their perfect wedding dress.
Whether it is an elaborate, fairytale-style gown with organza and ruffles or a sleek and slinky frock in a beautiful satin, it is likely to be one of the most important dresses they ever own. But, as with any outfit, it also needs accessories and there are some top trends emerging for winter 2010 that you need to know about.
Writing for Helium, Lucy Maguire offers some tips on how to ensure your hair and jewellery looks just as magnificent as your frock.
As well as choosing the perfect do, you could think about incorporating a decorative hairpiece into your tresses. After all, it's not every day you get to dress up and impress in all your finery.
Ms Maguire says jewel or pearl-encrusted combs are taking the place of more traditional tiaras, while headbands with decorative detailing on the side are also ideal for brides-to-be who want to bring some bling to their curls.
"Feather hair fascinators; combining light colours and wispy lace, are becoming a popular accessorising option for brides who choose to ditch the traditional veil and decorate elegantly structured hairstyles with simple, faux flora and fauna," the expert continues.
Of course, if a woman can't spoil herself on her wedding day when can she? And they do say diamonds are a girl's best friend. So it's also the ideal time to indulge in some glittering gems to sparkle in the wedding photography.
Ms Maguire advises gold is the colour to be seen in at a winter wedding ceremony. The elegant metal works so well with green and red during the holiday season and it can also bring some festive magic to a wedding.
She says it "contrasts with pale ivory and jewel hues beautifully".
But its not just lighter tones gold jewellery can work well with. For brides after a bolder, more eye-catching look, as a piece published on Lon's Article Directory states, darker gowns in grey or even black have a strong part to play in autumn and winter collections.
These may be good tones to use for the bridesmaid dresses, with turquoise also bringing a splash of colour. To bring elegance and a sumptuous feel to these outfits, velvet and ruffles are key materials, with silk remaining a classy alternative, the article continues.
It is not just old-fashioned styles brides-to-be should be embracing this winter as jewellery is getting increasingly modern with on-trend designs taking the place of traditional, delicate gems.
"Key bridal jewellery designers such as Phillipe Audibert have chosen to forgo the simplistic designs for chunky textured cuffs in a chain mail effect," the expert advises.
Antique brass links were combined with "the glitz of Swarovski crystals" at Marni, Ms Maguire continues, while vintage remains a key trend for winter wonderland nuptials at Lanvin.
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