Planning your wedding can be an extremely stressful, but an absolutely rewarding and gratifying experience. Now that you have the perfect man and a gloriously fashionable wedding dress, you can start worrying about all the bridal accessories you need to complete your overall look. Although bridal magazines have a zillion items listed under “bridal accessories,” keep in mind that you only need to purchase the essentials or the items that are relevant to you.

No two weddings are ever truly and completely alike, and brides, too, have differing needs and varying wedding priorities. Heading to a bridal boutique without knowing the exact items you need for your wedding may lead to an expensive and mostly unnecessary shopping-spree.

To avoid unnecessary purchases while you search for your bridal accessories, we’re providing you with a list of some of the most common items and garments on almost every bride’s wedding accessory list.

Bridal Accessory Must-Haves

Bridal Shoes: Right after you pick the perfect dress shape and design, you have to find the perfect footwear to complement your wedding attire. Bridal shoes are arguably the most important item on your list of bridal accessories, unless you plan on going barefoot for your beach wedding.

Your choice of shoes can make or break your entire outfit. When picking out your bridal shoes, make sure your shoes match your dress. We’re not just talking about your shoe-color; we’re also referring to fabric and heel height.

Bridal Lingerie: You may be wearing white on the outside, but isn’t sexy red or black bridal lingerie under pristine and traditional clothing the perfect way to enhance excitement before your wedding night? Bridal lingerie come in many different designs, colors and styles. Pick bridal lingerie that provide enough wedding dress support, while still making you look and feel deliciously desirable.

Consider this the perfect wedding night surprise for your lucky husband.

Bridal Purse or Handbag: Bridal purses are different from those everyday handbags you carry to work. They contain a lot less makeup and absolutely no useless junk. Use your bridal purse or handbag to store your lipstick, an extra tampon and compact powder for emergencies and quick touch-ups.

If you’ve had your wedding dress custom made, you can ask your seamstress to create a bridal purse from your gown’s extra fabric.

For more appeal, you can have your tiny bridal purse or handbag personalized with the date of your wedding, your name and your groom’s name embroidered on the fabric.

Wedding Money Bags: Although your bridal purse can act as an efficient wedding money bag, you could purchase a separate bag to store all the money given to you during the Dollar Dance.

Money bags come in different styles and designs. Satin money bags are extremely popular with modern brides. If you’re going for a wedding money bag with detailing, just make sure the bag complements your entire outfit.

Hair Ornaments or Headpiece: Whether you’re wearing a veil or leaving your head bare, wedding hair ornaments and headpieces can be the perfect way to add some sparkle to your appearance and to emphasize a particularly ornate and intricate wedding hairstyle.

Go for hair pins, tiaras or even a lovely hat; just make sure your headpiece won’t overpower your delicate features and your bridal attire.

Jewelry: There are some rules you need to follow when it comes to bridal or wedding jewelry. The first rule is to go for simple jewelry when wearing highly-embellished gowns or veils.

Next, wear sparkling and intricate jewelry with simple gowns to add glitter and sparkle to your outfit.

Lastly, make sure your jewelry choice matches your wedding band and the rest of your attire; this includes metal and jewelry color.

Petticoats: If you’re wearing a sleek gown, then you certainly won’t need a petticoat. The petticoat, also known as the underskirt, helps your gown retain its proper shape. The petticoat is a must if you’re wearing an A-Line wedding dress or a ball gown.

There are some wedding dresses with built-in petticoats to help a dress retain its original shape. To avoid making a useless purchase, consult your seamstress or the bridal boutique owner over whether you’ll need a petticoat for your gown or not.

Wedding Bouquet: Definitely one of the most important bridal accessories you’ll need, the wedding bouquet refers to the flowers you carry while you walk down the aisle. Although you can always forgo having a bouquet of precious blooms, consider how your wedding bouquet can be the perfect way to introduce color to your otherwise drab and dull outfit.

Wedding Garter: Whether you’re going for a traditional wedding or not, the wedding garter is the perfect way to add “something blue” to your outfit inconspicuously. Remember, the wedding garter is hidden underneath the voluminous fabric of your gown only to be revealed during the garter toss at the wedding reception.

Your wedding garter need not be completely blue, in fact, some blue accents or a blue ribbon will do.

Wedding Gloves: Wedding gloves are a great way to keep your fingers warm during winter weddings. Whether you’re being traditional and demure or you’re simply channeling old world glamor with your satin opera gloves, these gloves are a perfectly elegant addition to any formal wedding dress.

Wedding Handkerchiefs: Whether you’re buying embroidered and fancy wedding handkerchiefs as souvenirs for the guests, or you’re heading down the aisle carrying a lacy handkerchief to wipe away your tears of joy, you’ll find numerous designs of intricate and lovely wedding handkerchiefs in bridal boutiques and online stores.

Wedding Tiara: Feel and look like the princess bride you truly are with a lovely wedding tiara sitting atop your head. Wedding tiaras come in many different colors and designs. Consider jewelry metal color and gown embellishments when picking out your wedding tiara.

Wedding Veil: A traditional wedding is not complete without the wedding veil. Wedding veils come in different designs and lengths. Some wedding veils have intricate and heavy embroidery that is perfect for simple and unadorned wedding gowns.

If you’re wearing a lavish wedding gown, refrain from purchasing a heavily embellished wedding veil since a long veil will cover the entire back and train of your dress.

Choose your bridal accessories wisely and keep your budget in mind as you make your bridal accessory purchases. These accessories need not be designer or extremely costly; after all, you’ll be using these accessories for this one special occasion.