Ask any bride what the best thing they bought for their wedding was, and you’ll almost always get the same answer: a wedding planner. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll find more colorful responses—like a reception dress they’d saved in a bridal bookmarks folder for months, a signature lipstick shade that made them feel like themselves on an otherwise surreal day, or a sentimental keepsake they hope to pass down to their kids one day. The shopping list for anyone getting married is long and pricey, but in the end, only a few items truly stand out. The specifics are personal and differ from couple to couple, but we’re curious by nature. So, we asked 15 Vogue brides to tell us about their most memorable wedding purchases. (If you’re also planning a wedding and looking for some inspiration for your big day, their answers are full of ideas.)
Vogue Brides’ Favorite Wedding Purchases
The Classic Bridal Shoe
Manolo Blahnik Camaparinew Mary Jane pump
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$1,025 NORDSTROM
The Pop of Color
Dior Rouge Dior Hydrating Lipstick
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$50 DIOR
The Skincare Savior
Clarins Cryo-Flash Face Mask
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$80 AMAZON
The Sparkling Jewels
Jennifer Behr Raelynn Earrings
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$358 REVOLVE
The Tablescape Accent
Inner Child Seashell Napkin Rings
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$62 OVER THE MOON
The Personality Piece
Marco Bicego 18k Gemstone Bracelet
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$3,950 BLOOMINGDALES
The Pearl Earrings
Completedworks Tra-La-La Pearl Earrings
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$435 COMPLETEDWORKS
From satin bridal shoes to one-of-a-kind hair accessories to plenty of sparkly jewelry, these are the best things Vogue brides bought for their weddings.
The Statement Earrings
“I wore these CompletedWorks earrings during our wedding ceremony. They were a gift from my husband a couple of years earlier, and he’d always joke about when I’d finally wear them—it never felt like the right moment. He had no idea I was planning to wear them until he saw me walking down the aisle, and he actually started grinning when he noticed! It was so sweet and a lovely nod to something that was already part of our story.
Then, I wore these sparkly Jennifer Behr earrings with my traditional sari during our wedding dinner. It was tough to find jewelry that matched the detailed embroidery of my Indian sari while still feeling modern and effortless. I think these did both; the size and shape blended perfectly with my outfit.” —Poppy Thekdi
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Completedworks
Tra-La-La Pearl Earrings
$435 COMPLETEDWORKS
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Jennifer Behr
Raelynn Earrings
$358 REVOLVE
The Matching Rings
“These low-heeled slingbacks were the versatile shoe I actually thought about pairing with every dress I wore all weekend (they ended up being my rehearsal dinner shoes). Not only were they super comfortable and didn’t hurt after a full night of fun—even into impromptu after-parties in my hotel suite—but they’re the perfect shade of ivory and have a little hidden something blue on the insole.
If you’re looking for a day-of gift for your future spouse, think about creating a new family heirloom. I’ve always worn a signet ring passed down from my grandfather, and I loved the idea of making one we could both wear. Since we were hyphenating our last name, I worked with Holden to create small portrait rings in gold and silver (our preferred jewelry metals) that combined our two last initials. It was the perfect gift to give on the morning of our wedding, something we could carry with us all day.” —Shelby Wax
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Alexandre Birman
Clarita Bell Slingback 60
$795 ALEXANDRE BIRMAN
$795 BLOOMINGDALE’S
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Holden
Portrait Initial Signet Ring
$1,199 HOLDEN
The Out-of-the-Box Hair Detail
“One of the details I still think about the most cost almost nothing. I found these old olive wood beads on Etsy—something like $8 each—and had them woven into my hair. It gave my bridal look a bit more of a pagan vibe than a princess one.” —Olivia-Jené Fagon
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Etsy
Vintage Olive Wood Neckla$39 ETSY
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Etsy
Chunky wooden bead necklace
$13 ETSY
The Sparkling Accessories
“Up until two days before the ceremony, I didn’t have any wedding earrings. My then-fiancé and I were walking through the mall to grab last-minute items before all the guests started arriving, and we walked into the Swarovski store and found these. I loved them right away—the green stones matched my engagement ring perfectly, which is an emerald. He pretended not to like them so he could secretly go back and buy them for me as a wedding day gift.
I was set on wearing metallic shoes for the wedding. After trying on a few styles, I found the Jimmy Choo Bing mules to be really comfortable, but none of the stores had the color I needed. So I searched online and found the perfect pair with just one left in my size… I’ve never ordered something so fast.” —Brianna Agyemang-Tessema
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Swarovski
Gema drop earrings
$74 EBAY
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Jimmy Choo
Bing crystal-embellished mules
$850 FARFETCH
The Pearl Accents
“The earrings were actually the hardest accessory for me to find. I wanted something that felt special without competing with my dress, and I loved how understated and delicate these pearl drops were—knowing they were handmade made them feel even more unique. I also loved the pointed shape and the little pearl detail on these Jimmy Choos, which tied in beautifully with my earrings but still felt clean and classic. Plus, the low heel meant I could actually wear them all day—especially important when our wedding involved walking around New York City!” —Claire Yau
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Studio Ēn
ano. 08 pearl earrings
$158 STUDIO ENA
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Jimmy Choo
Mimmi slingback heels
$995 FWRD
The Last-Minute Buys
“My signature red lip was the finishing touch that completed my entire bridal look. Since we eloped to New York, I was able to pick up a fresh one at the airport before the wedding, which made it feel even more special. The formula is incredibly silky, lasted beautifully all day, and gave the perfect pop of color against my white dress.
Another item that now holds so much sentimental value is the Simone Pérèle garter I wore. I kept telling my now-wife Claire that I really wanted a garter for our wedding day, but with everything else going on, I never got around to buying one. A few days before we flew to New York, she surprised me with this beautiful garter. I’m not sure how traditional it is for your fiancée to buy your garter, but it felt completely right for us. I also loved that it had a blue ribbon, so it became my something blue.” —Johara House
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Dior
rouge Dior hydrating lipstick
$50 DIOR
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Simone Perele
lace wish garter
$27 HARRODS
The Perfect Wedding Shoe
“Finding the right wedding shoe is deceptively difficult. You want something perfect and simple, but it also has to survive the night. For several of my wedding events, I wore a pair of my mother’s vintage white calf-hair Manolos. On the wedding night, though, I chose high-vamp Danielle Frankel shoes because they stayed securely on my feet, almost like boots. I never had to worry about a strap coming loose while I danced.” —Rachel Besser
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Danielle Frankel
Ida satin pumps
$1,385 NET-A-PORTER
The Dream After-Party Dress
“I had seen Rooney Mara wearing an archival Givenchy dress with a cape and little bows on a red carpet right before I got engaged. I loved that dress and immediately saved it; when Sarah Burton debuted a mini version on her runway right after I got engaged, I knew I had to have it. I bought it before I even had sketches for my gown, but returned it thinking it was too early to buy an after-party dress. Two months later, when my husband and I were in London over Christmas, I saw the dress at Selfridges and explained my manic purchasing. He had me try it o”n and said I had to have it. I’m so glad I did! My actual wedding dress was designed with the Manolo Camaparinew Satin Mary Janes in mind. I thought they’d be ruined after our garden reception, but they’re still in perfect condition.” —Gabrielle Katz
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Givenchy
Mini bustier dress
$7,600 GIVENCHY
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Manolo Blahnik
Camaparinew Mary Jane pump
$1,025 NORDSTROM
The Art-Inspired Gift
“My husband bought me this really fun Marco Bicego bracelet with citrine, tourmaline, and all these unusual, colorful gemstones set in hammered gold. It’s very sculptural. He said it reminded him of one of my paintings, which I loved. I wear it every day now. And on a less sentimental note, I also bought a Skims seamless bra for the wedding that has since changed my life.” —Charlotte Hailstone Wu
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Marco Bicego
18k gemstone bracelet
$3,950 BLOOMINGDALES
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Skims
Scoop bralette
$34 SKIMS
The Sea Shells
“My custom Clio Peppiatt after-party corset and skirt set was my favorite piece from my wedding wardrobe. We added baroque seed pearls, and the skirt had organic, shell-shaped petals. It inspired a ready-to-wear dress that Clio kindly named after me—the ‘Emma.’ I bought these seashell napkin rings for our rehearsal dinner from Inner Child. After the wedding, I gave three sets to different family members and kept three for me and my husband. I use them often when hosting, and I highly recommend them as a registry item to complete a coastal tablescape!” —Emma Quigley
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Clio Peppiatt
Emma mini dress
$5,175 NET-A-PORTER
$5,175 CLIO PEPPIATT
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Inner Child
Seashell napkin rings
$62 OVER THE MOON
The Skincare Savior
“This Clarins mask was the shot of espresso my face needed every morning. I’ve relied on it for years, but having it as my trusty companion throughout the wedding weekend really made a difference. I gave it to my whole family before the weekend, and now it’s part of their routine (including my husband’s). While you don’t strictly need a purse for your ‘going out essentials’ on your wedding night, I was so happy we made this custom Moritz Pouch with One/Of for the weekend. It’s been a treat having pieces from my wedding that I can keep returning to and work into my everyday wardrobe.” —Madison Boniface
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Clarins
Cryo-flash face mask
$80 AMAZON
$80 BLOOMINGDALE’S
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Moritz pouch
$590 ONE OF
The Future Heirlooms
“I’m sentimental, and I wanted an heirloom to pass down to my future children so they could look back at our wedding photos and feel connected to the start of our journey that led to them. ‘Something new,’ if you will. I wore these earrings on our wedding day, and they now sit in a safe with a note for our daughter, who we just welcomed into the world.” —Rhiannon Hainds
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Noémie
Diamond flower petal earrings
$3,920 HELLO NOEMIE
The Secret “Something Blue”
“I kept thinking I needed to find something blue to follow the tradition, and when I saw the lingerie from Agent Provocateur, I thought it was hilarious. (Mine said ‘Just Married.’) I loved the playful idea of having this little secret underneath everything. Wearing something a bit more fun also helped keep the whole day from feeling too serious or dramatic. When we left the church for the reception near Giverny in Normandy, I wore Rick Owens Shield Sunglasses and, at the very last minute, wrapped a piece of floating silk around my head as a scarf. We drove the whole way in a convertible, so the combination ended up being both practical and one of my favorite parts of the look.” —Ingvild Gillet
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Agent Provocateur
Claira thong
$90 $55 (39% off) AGENT PROVOCATEUR
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Rick Owens
Shield aviator-style sunglasses
$790 NET-A-PORTER
The Shiny Silver Shoes
“These six-inch platThe shoes gave me incredible height, but they were surprisingly comfortable and sturdy enough for our uneven cliffside aisle. I loved that the silver made more of a statement than traditional white bridal shoes, while the platforms stayed mostly hidden under my dress. —Shayne Kybartas
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Valentino Garavani
Tan-go platform pumps
$1,550 $1,085 (30% off) MYTHERESA
The Family Gifts
“The bag I carried on my wedding day was a custom Clare V. piece, a gift from my aunt, Clare Vivier. It’s a beautiful frame bag made from smooth, milk-colored goat leather, lined with fabric from her mother’s wedding dress. Designed to be simple and chic, it’s also an heirloom I’ll treasure forever; this one is similar.
I always planned to give my husband jewelry as a wedding gift, but I wanted something with more history than something brand new. I went down an Etsy rabbit hole looking at lockets and finally found the perfect one—a vintage sterling silver oval locket on a thin chain, engraved with a lovely fleur-de-lis. For our anniversary later this summer, I’m planning to have the inside engraved with our wedding date and initials.” —Sophia Bennet
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Clare V.
Yvette bag
$425 Clare V.
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Etsy
Sterling silver locket
$110 $94 (15% off) ETSY
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the topic 15 Vogue Brides Share the Best Purchase They Made for Their Wedding
General Beginner Questions
1 What is the main idea behind this best purchase advice
The main idea is that the most memorable wedding purchases arent usually the most expensive or flashy items Instead they are the practical personal or comfortdriven buys that made the brides feel amazing reduced stress or created a specific magical moment they didnt expect
2 What kind of items are usually mentioned as best purchases
Common themes include highquality shapewear that actually works custom or comfortable shoes professional dayof planners or coordinators luxury skincare or spa treatments before the big day and upgraded lighting or sound for the venue
3 Im on a budget Will this advice be relevant to me
Absolutely The list emphasizes value over cost Many of the best purchases were surprisingly affordable like a nice steamer to dewrinkle the wedding partys outfits a polaroid camera for the guest book or a good quality overnight bag for the hotel
4 Is this article about buying things for the guests or for the bride
Its a mix but the focus is heavily on the brides experience The purchases are things that made the bride feel more confident comfortable or present rather than just favors for the guests
5 Why do brides usually regret skipping these small purchases
Because on the day the small details matter For example a bride might regret not buying a bridal emergency kit with stain remover and pain relievers or not investing in a good nights sleep by buying a nice eye mask because those small things can derail the mood if forgotten
Advanced Specific Questions
6 The article mentions practical purchases What is the most surprisingly practical item a Vogue bride recommended
A common surprising pick is a handheld garment steamer Brides rave about this because it removes wrinkles from the dress the veil and the grooms suit right before the ceremony eliminating the panic of creased fabric in photos