Earrings can bring together any bridal look. No matter what style you are after, there is a pair of earrings to fit. We have found 10 perfect pairs from Etsy that are sure to add the perfect finishing touch!

If a small splash of color is what you’re after, these mint opal Swarovski Crystal earrings in a tear drop shape by NotOneSparrow are perfect.

This pair of Art Deco Chandelier earrings by annasinclair will have you looking like you’ve stepped out of the 20’s.

This beautiful vintage crystal cubic zirconia, tear drop shaped set from LottieDaDesigns would be a perfect gift for bridesmaids that is not only elegant. The vintage feel makes these lovelies more personal and unique.

Another set that has that romantic vintage feel are these 1920’s pearl chandelier earrings which are also from LottieDaDesigns.

They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but if you’d rather buddy up with pearls than say hello to these Champagne pearl chandelier earrings from LavenderByJurgita.

Mint green is a classic spring/summer color that looks good on everyone. With that in mind these clear mint Swarovski gold plated stud earrings from iloniti would make a wonderful gift for your bridesmaids.

The elegance and intimacy of a garden ceremony where you and your love are surrounded by your friends and family is reflected in this dainty set of dangling, long leaf crystal earrings from CherryHillsBridal.

A bride that is looking to make a big dramatic statement will surely get just that with this extravagant show stopping pair of Swarovski coral peach and mint chandelier earrings from EldorTinaJewelry.

For beach brides who want to bring that lush dark color of the ocean into their look this pair of sapphire navy blue with round gold filigree earrings from Marolsha does just that.

If you are a winter bride who knows the magic of winter- the sparkle of untouched snow, the crisp air in your lungs, the glint of light on the icicles – you’ll want to bring that to your special day with this pair of blue Swarovski crystal earrings from EndoraJewellery.

*This post includes Etsy Affiliate links

Madison and Eric knew from the get-go that their wedding day was either going to be really big or really small – they simply couldn’t find a happy medium when it came to their guest list. Wanting to start their marriage off in a financially stable way, they opted for the latter, and in a beautiful, heartfelt ceremony, the couple exchanged their vows on the back deck of the groom’s parents’ home in Kentucky while their closest family and friends looked on. Despite choosing an intimate wedding for financial reasons, the newlyweds couldn’t have been happier with the outcome of their decision – it was a truly relaxed and joyful day with those they love the most.

A big thank you to Sarah Katherine Davis for sending over all the lovely photos so we could share them with you guys today!

Madison, 27 & Eric, 26

Prospect, KY

Wedding Date: May 24, 2015

Number of Guests: 34

Wedding Cost: $7,000 (Does not include cost of rings or honeymoon)

Wedding Ceremony Location: The deck of Eric’s parents’ riverfront home in Prospect, Kentucky

Wedding Reception Location: Dinner took place inside of Eric’s parents’ home. Guests were free to move from inside to outside and vice versa, but most of the later part of the reception (dancing, etc.) took place outside on the deck, where the ceremony was.

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

Madison has a huge and close-knit extended family. Combined with the wonderful friends we have accumulated over the years from various phases of our lives, we were either going to have a very big wedding, or a very small wedding – it didn’t seem possible to find an in between. Ultimately, an intimate wedding was the best financial decision, and would allow us to create a unique, special day without a lot of stress or pressure.

What are some of the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

The guest list was challenging. We had to make some difficult decisions, such as limiting family invites to immediate family + grandparents + aunts and uncles (no cousins.) We also made the tough decision to invite only our closest friends who know and have spent time with us as a couple. Deciding what to do about the wedding party was also difficult; the handful of close friends we each invited could have easily been our wedding party, but rather than having a third of our guests standing up there with us, we decided that having just one attendant each was more in keeping with the feel/simplicity of our wedding.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

Yes, but because we made clear lines (no cousins and only our closest friends who know us as a couple), it took out a lot of the ‘guess work.’ It wasn’t easy to stick to that, but it was best that we did, both in the interests of being able to have our wedding venue and budget work out, and in terms of being able to have some integrity regarding our process when having difficult conversations with friends and family about who we could not invite.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

Most people were VERY understanding. For the most part, anyone who has been married or has helped plan a wedding gets it: weddings are expensive, more guests = more $$, and ultimately, it’s about what’s best for the bride and groom. That being said, there is definitely a way to go about it and a way to not go about it. I don’t think we always got it 100% right, but our goal (even if not always perfectly achieved) was to have these conversations with close friends and family who we couldn’t invite in a way that let them know that they ARE incredibly important to us while explaining the parameters within which we were working. We sought to underscore the fact that the lack of an invite was in no way personal or a reflection of how we felt about that person. To our knowledge, only one or two friends had a hard time with our decisions. The disappointment is understandable, and most everyone was very supportive.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Our officiant did a fantastic job. The spring weather was perfect, birds were singing, and it was so meaningful to look out at that small but mighty group of people who came from far and near to be part of our day. We were filled with gratitude knowing that those present were the ones who have been most instrumental in our development as individuals, as well as the ones who have played small and large roles, all significant, in both bringing us together and in the growth of our relationship in the two years of our dating/engagement. It was truly a celebration of love, and of the people who helped that love come to be.

What were the highlights of the reception?

Dancing with our friends! And delicious cake.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

It was such a beautiful, relaxed day. We were able to be fully present and to celebrate our wedding day for the joyful day that it was. We never felt that we were shortchanging anyone in terms of spending time with them or being able to enjoy their company. Lastly, we couldn’t have made a better decision financially. Having a small wedding saved us so much money that our ‘vision’ while planning was easily within our reach; we were able to spend a little more on décor and other aspects that created the exact look and ambiance we wanted. As a result, we began our marriage on strong financial footing rather than in debt or severely stretched. (This would have been true even without help from family – we were careful to create a budget that was within our means as a couple – but was even more the case due to family members who went above and beyond in contributing toward some of the bigger costs in lieu of wedding gifts.)

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Handle with care conversations with close friends and family who you are not able to invite. Remember that some amount of hurt is normal/appropriate, and have confidence that what you are doing is best for you. The people who really love you will understand, perhaps feel a little sad, but more than anything, will be happy for you and your spouse-to-be.

Vendors:

Flowers: Nanz & Kraft Florist

Photography: Sarah Katherine Davis Photography

Cake: Mert’s Cakes

Dinner: Shane’s Rib Shack

Sound Equipment Rental: Doo-Wop Shop

Party Rentals: Ballou’s Rent All, Inc.

Bride’s Hair: Wedding Hair by Laura Conard

Bride’s Make-up: Makeup by Pamela Butler

With an international guest list to consider and long distance planning issues to keep in mind, Sweden based couple, Susanne and Pieter, felt that it was only natural to keep their wedding weekend in Portugal intimate. Tucked away in the beautiful Alentejo region of rural Portugal, the bride and groom exchanged their vows between two olive trees on the grounds of the historical Pousada Flor da Rosa hotel in a picturesque ceremony full of love and well-timed laughter (courtesy of their adorable 6 month old daughter) and celebrated with an elegant dinner reception in the castle-like setting surrounded by their nearest and dearest.

A huge thank you to Angela and Bruno of Paper Kite Photography for allowing us to share in Susanne Pieter’s joyous day through all the gorgeous photography!

Susanne, 36 & Pieter, 37

Crato, Portugal

Wedding Date: September 20, 2014

Number of Guests: 34

Wedding Cost: It’s easy to get lost in all the details surrounding a wedding and the costs can increase quickly. Our best advice is to always focus on what you really want and find important. Luckily we don’t remember the final figure, but it was definitely worth it!

Wedding Ceremony Location: In the garden of Pousada Flor da Rosa. The ceremony took place between two olive trees. It was a beautiful intimate spot, just made for walking up the aisle of old stones.

Wedding Reception Location: The wedding reception took place in the terrace of the garden, close to the pool area. This was perfect for the reception as it was possible to mingle outdoors with a roof close by in case of rain.

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

We wanted to keep the wedding between close family and friends. Also for us, as Pieter is from the Netherlands and I’m from Sweden, many of our family members and friends would need to travel to get to our wedding. Our guests travelled from Brazil, Canada, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and USA. Because of that reason, it also became quite natural to keep the wedding intimate. We wanted all of our guests to be able to join us for the weekend and feel relaxed and happy to celebrate our wedding with us.

What are some of the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

First of all, it takes a lot of time! You do notice that there are so many choices you didn’t even think you needed to consider. What we did, was to prioritize. We started to look into what was most important to us – location and photographers – and continued from there.

Secondly, finding a balance. When it came to all the choices, such as invitations, decoration details and miscellaneous costs, it wasn’t always easy to know where to draw the line. We tried to ask ourselves what was important to us and to keep it personal. It’s easy to get sucked into choosing lots of details that at the planning stage sound great, but for us it was important that it felt right. I think the “less is more” philosophy worked well for our wedding. The scenery itself was amazing and with some beautiful decorations, a live string trio playing songs of our choice, and our ability to share this day with our closest family and friends, it felt perfect!

Thirdly, the distance. Planning the wedding from a distance was a challenge. It was very helpful that we had a very good wedding planner in Lisbon, Portugal that was able to guide us through the planning process and arrange the wedding according to our choices. It was especially appreciated on our wedding day, when everything went smoothly as they managed everything at the site. They were also really great people to have join our day!

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

We thought it wouldn’t be, but we have to say it was a little tricky to decide.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

We didn’t have too many issues with this, but a few people had an opinion about who should be invited. However, we addressed this issue by reminding them why we made our choices and that it is our choice to make. Also, because we wanted every guest to be able to stay over at the same location, we had to limit the number of guests.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

The highlights include our six months old daughter Amelie, laughing out loud right after we both had said ‘yes’; the sun breaking through the clouds right when the ceremony was about to take place; the beautiful string trio playing some good music; the mood and feeling around the ceremony; and the people, the music, and enjoying such a special day.

What were the highlights of the reception?

We had a great spot to celebrate and mingle after the ceremony. There were some great group photos taken by our photographers here before we took off together for some really amazing photos in the beautiful surroundings of Alentejo.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

The best thing about our intimate wedding was that we really enjoyed every moment of our day!

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Keep it personal and make it YOUR wedding!

Vendors:

Wedding Planner: Como Branco 

Photographers: Paper Kite

Venue: Pousada Flor da Rosa (Modernized historical building now serving as a Hotel)

The shoulder necklace takes the traditional necklace to an entirely new and dramatic level. The versatile look can fit a high fashion bride or add a bit of sparkle to a simple outfit. We’ve found 10 Etsy shoulder pieces that we think you’ll love.

This beautiful rhinestone shoulder piece with crystal epaulettes from PowderBlueBijoux gives a simple dress a  romantic look.

For the bride who wants to look like she is literally dripping in jewels, this rhinestone and crystal shoulder necklace with beaded fringe from CamillaChristine is a show stopper!

We love the subtlety of this silver shoulder necklace with crystal and rhinestone brooches, also from CamillaChristine. It definitely adds the wow factor to your wedding attire!

Planning a vintage inspired wedding? This Victorian inspired shoulder necklace with pearls and rhinestones from mylittlebride has that classic, glamorous look, straight out of the past.

A shoulder necklace can be a small accessory or it can be the main feature of a bridal look, like this Crystal shoulder necklace from PowderBlueBijoux. This piece demands the attention of the entire room.

For something that brings the drama to the neckline and shoulders, we recommend this Silver and Crystal Shoulder necklace from PowderBlueBijoux.

A bride can have the sweet innocent look of a princess on her wedding day or she could bring the dramatic presence of a queen. This crystal shoulder necklace from AlexiBlackwellBridal is definitely for the queen!

Wanting that sweetheart neckline, but also wanting to be covered up can leave you with few options. Fortunately there is this opal and rhinestone shoulder necklace from CamillaChristine. This necklace has all the glitz, but still covers your chest just enough to make you feel comfortable.

This shoulder necklace with pearl details from TheLittleWhiteDress is perfect for the Bohemian bride. It has a bit of a vintage flair, combined with a relaxed natural look.

A boho style with a bit more shoulder coverage is this vintage inspired, gold, pearl and rhinestone piece from mylittlebride.

*This post includes Etsy Affiliate links

“Eat, drink and be cozy.” It’s a quote that we love, and one that perfectly sums up our top ten wedding registry picks from Williams-Sonoma. Because when it comes right down to it, there’s nothing better than being cozy at home enjoying a great meal, some delicious beverages and a post-dinner snuggle on the couch with your sweetie. And Williams-Sonoma has just about everything under the sun to make that happen! With their huge selection of quality products for kitchen and home, Williams-Sonoma is the ideal place to create your wedding registry.

With so much variety, we know that it can get a bit overwhelming, so we’ve chosen ten of our all-time favorite products that are sure to be a hit in your home.

1 – Since a big ol’ batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies warm out of the oven is probably one of the best things in life, our number one registry choice is a KitchenAid Stand Mixer – especially one with a gleaming copper finish. Designed for the avid home baker, this top-of-the-line machine combines a generous 7-qt. capacity with a full range of commercial features to deliver the ultimate mixing performance. Yes, please!

2 – We have a thing for coffee – not just any coffee, French press coffee! This stylin’ Le Creuset Cafe Stoneware French Press is the perfect registry item for anyone like us, who believes there are few things as satisfying in life as a cup of gourmet java, especially when shared with your sweetie.  Available in classic Le Creuset colors, this French press adds bold style to the countertop and complements Le Creuset cookware.

3 –We’ve already discussed cookies – but what about cakes, muffins, and all the other glutenous desserts that delight us? If you love to bake as much as we do, this Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch Nonstick 4-Piece Bakeware Set is a must-have on your wedding registry. Made in the USA from superior aluminized steel, this commercial-grade non stick set is suitable for most baking projects.

4 – We didn’t even know there was such a thing as a KitchenAid Stand Mixer Pasta Roller Attachment until we attended a cooking glass with San Franciso chef Thomas McNaughton from Flour + Water at Williams-Sonoma’s Flagship store in Sonoma, who let us in on this important piece of information! If you love homemade pasta (who doesn’t?), this attachment installs easily to your Kitchenaid Mixer, making it a cinch to create your own egg noodles, tortellini and lasagna.

5 – If you are a fan of comfort food – especially gourmet one-pot meals, then your wedding registry should include Le Creuset’s Signature Round Dutch Oven. Designed to enhance slow-cooking by heating evenly, this Dutch oven locks in moisture for tender, succulent dishes.

6 – Gorgeous, quality flatware can making your dining experience so much better! Lucca Faceted Flatware from Fortessa is crafted from heavy-gauge 18/10 stainless steel, the highest grade available for flatware. Not only is this flatware easy on the eyes, it is perfectly balanced so that it fits comfortably in your hand to enhance your dining experience.

7 – When it comes to feeling cozy, we think a well aged California Cabernet Savignon really kicks things up a notch, especially when it’s in a Schott Zwiesel Volte stemless wine glass. With pets and kids almost always nearby (“Didn’t we tell you never to play ball in the house?”), we prefer the more stable stemless variety – but no matter which style you choose,  Schott Zwiesel’s unique Tritan crystal technology imparts superb durability and crystal clarity. And it’s dishwasher safe!

8 – Is there anything more relaxing than curling up with a good book, and a hot cup of tea? The Breville One-Touch Tea Maker will make the perfect cup of tea with just, well, one touch. Not only does this brewer automatically brew tea at five different temperature settings, but the brew strength of each pot can be adjusted between mild, medium and strong. We’ll drink to that!

9 – We love the simplicity and durability of Fortessa Coupe Dinnerware Collection. The fact that it is white, means that it will go with any tablescape! We’ve dined with these plates many times, and we truly understand why Fortessa dinnerware  is the choice of five-star hotels and fine restaurants worldwide. Great quality, great place, great style!

10 – A throw is the epitome of coziness, don’t you think? But this Faux Bois Alpaca and Cotton throw (made with undyed Alpaca yarn and soft cotton) isn’t just cozy – it’s utterly luxurious and it goes with just about anything. Trust us, the only regret you will have with putting this on your wedding registry, is that you didn’t ask for two!  

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fortessa. The opinions and text are all mine.