The Anti-Sparkle Brides Who Chose To Wear Olivia & Pearl On Their Big Day

Anyone who has ever planned – or is in the midst of planning – a wedding will know that details matter. They’re the small but necessary signifiers that allow your personality to stand out in the sea of traditions, whether that’s a vibrant charger plate that reflects your design chops or a menu item that’s packed full of memories (ah, the burrata of Sicily ’21). And though it’s easy for brides to get lost in a Pinterest board of floral arrangements and doughnut walls, it’s important to remember the one thing that your guests will be paying attention to above all: you.

The hunt for your perfect dress will always be a natural place to start but, in our opinion, wedding jewellery should be just as much of a focus. You may find yourself in need of a necklace if you’re wearing something strapless, whereas anyone who has their heart set on an up-do would benefit from drop earrings. Maximalist dresses loaded with lace will require something muted yet sophisticated to offset, while minimalist dresses without adornment nearly always need a little extra something to lift the look. See? There’s more to consider than you might think. However, as anyone who has been avidly saving Instagram pictures will attest, weddings are wrought with trends and brides can quickly come bogged down if they attempt too many on the style front. That’s why, when it comes to jewellery, our advice is to stick to the classics – and pearls are one of the most classic jewellery choices brides can make.

But classic doesn’t mean boring. The ideal choice for anti-sparkle brides looking for jewellery that can still impress, London-based jewellery brand Olivia & Pearl have made it their mission to reinvent the pearl into a modern-day wedding icon.

These naturally iridescent gemstones – once the ultimate display of finery - have come a long way since the prim and proper polish of your grannie’s traditional twinset. Having enjoyed a resurgence in recent years thanks to the likes of celebrity brides such as Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and Amal Clooney who all featured subtly elegant orbs as part of their now iconic wedding day looks, Olivia & Pearl create accessories for modern brides who want to capture that sense of timeless glamour without feeling stuck in the past.

Whether it’s a pair of delicate drop earrings or a naturally jagged keshi pearl necklace, each piece offers a chic update to the timeless style while showcasing the unique and natural beauty of the pearls themselves. Pearls which, as it happens, are AAAA+ grade sustainably sourced from ethical suppliers for quality. This method is also more socially responsible - something that was extremely important to founder, Olivia Smith, when she started the brand. There’s plenty of song and dance made around diamond rings, but there’s not a bride alive that would be disappointed with these pearls on their big day – as evidenced by the brand’s real-life brides below. Proving you don’t require sparkle in order to shine, these three brides all chose to elevate their bridal look with Olivia & Pearl jewellery – including one rather familiar face, Great British Bake-Off winner, Manon Lagrève. Discover what they wore, and add to your mood board immediately.

Shop Manon's wedding day jewellery

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