The Most Common Jewellery Mistakes Brides Make — And How to Avoid Them

Bridal jewellery can make or break your entire wedding look. This advice is something I give to every single bride, because jewellery plays an extremely important role in Indian bridal styling. I cannot stress this enough—choosing the right pieces thoughtfully is essential if you want a balanced, elegant, and comfortable bridal look.

Below are the most common jewellery mistakes brides make (and later regret!), along with the guidance I personally share with all my brides.

1.⁠ ⁠Not Trying the Entire Bridal Jewellery Look Together

The biggest mistake brides make is trying each piece of jewellery separately. Your necklace alone may look beautiful, your nath may look perfect by itself, and your tikka might look stunning individually—but all together, they may not complement each other.

I always insist that brides try every single piece together:

• Necklace

• Earrings

• Nath

• Tikka

• Matha patti

• Shish patti

• Passa (if applicable)

You must put everything on at the same time and see whether the overall look feels cohesive. If something looks off, you can switch that element before finalizing your purchase. Many brides only try their nath or their necklace individually, not realizing that it may clash with the tikka or the matha patti they’ve chosen.

Trying the complete look together is the only way to style it correctly.

2.⁠ ⁠Choosing the Wrong Tikka for Your Forehead Size

Your tikka should be chosen based on your forehead proportion:

• If you have a broad/wide forehead:

Choose a bigger tikka—it creates balance.

• If you have a small/narrow forehead:

Avoid big tikkas. They look out of place. Opt for a smaller tikka that suits your face size.

A big tikka on a small forehead never looks flattering. On the other hand, a small tikka on a broad forehead can sometimes look fine, but usually a bigger one creates better symmetry.

This is one detail brides often overlook and regret later.

3.⁠ ⁠Not Considering the Hairstyle When Choosing Matha Patti / Shish Patti / Passa

Your head jewellery must be selected according to the hairstyle you plan for your wedding day.

Brides wearing imitation jewellery have flexibility—they can carry multiple options like tikka, passa, matha patti, shish patti and decide during the bridal appointment what looks best.

However, brides buying real jewellery do not have that luxury, since they cannot switch pieces on the last minute.

A few things to keep in mind:

• If you plan to wear a shish patti, heavy volume on the crown becomes difficult because:

• we need space for its placement

• the dupatta often sits right after the shish patti

• If you want a lot of volume, avoid shish pattis unless they are sleek.

• If the shish patti is attached to the tikka, placement becomes extremely difficult.

Separate pieces give better control.

So always discuss your front hairstyle with your makeup artist before buying these pieces.

4.⁠ ⁠Wearing a Heavy Nath Without a Screw (or Choosing the Wrong Weight)

This is one of the most common and painful regrets.

Heavy naths must come with a screw.

If they don’t, they:

• keep falling

• pull the nose down

• make the nose look droopy

• cause discomfort throughout the function

Additional points brides forget:

• A thin nose skin cannot handle heavy naths.

• A thicker nose skin can manage more weight.

• Heavy naths can cause pain, watery eyes, or irritation.

• Some brides are unable to wear them at all on the final day.

My recommendation:

Always keep 2–3 nath options, especially if you’re buying imitation jewellery (since they’re not very expensive).

Try them on beforehand and check:

• the weight

• how it sits

• whether it stays in place

• whether it pulls the nose down

Trust me—this saves a lot of last-minute heartbreak.

5.⁠ ⁠Choosing the Wrong Necklace for Your Neck Length

This is a mistake almost no one talks about.

Chokers and Neck Size

• Brides with short or thicker necks should avoid chokers because:

• they make the neck look shorter

• they create a “slouching” effect visually

• they reduce the space between shoulders and jawline

• Brides with long necks look beautiful in chokers—they help balance the proportions.

Ideal Necklace Placement

It’s usually more flattering when the first necklace layer ends before the blouse starts. A small gap of skin:

• adds elegance

• elongates the neckline

• makes the bride look slimmer and more proportionate

Of course, heavily layered bridal looks may not allow this—but wherever possible, this guideline enhances the overall silhouette.

6.⁠ ⁠Underestimating the Weight & Fit of Earrings

Two big issues brides face:

1.⁠ ⁠The ear hole is too small for heavy traditional earring posts

Indian jewellery often has thick posts. When the ear hole is narrow, forcing the earring in can cause:

• bleeding

• swelling

• irritation

• pain during back-to-back events

Wearing heavy earrings for multiple functions becomes unbearable.

Solution:

If you buy jewellery 3–4 months in advance (which most brides do), wear the earrings for a few minutes on and off for 5–6 days.

This naturally widens the hole slightly and prepares your ears.

2.⁠ ⁠Earrings are too heavy

If needed, keep:

• saharas

• ear supports

• behind-the-ear lifters

• tapes designed for heavy earrings

Carry them with you on the wedding day. They make a huge difference.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, remember that there is no one-size-fits-all. These are general recommendations based on years of experience working with brides—and while everyone is different, most of these tips are spot on for the majority of brides.

Please read these points carefully before finalising your jewellery.

If you do, I promise you will have a smooth, stress-free, and stunning bridal experience.