What does planning a wedding have in common with cutting onions? No, it’s not that they both make you cry! Like Shrek, they both have layers. Unending layers, it seems, when it comes to wedding planning. And a lot of these layers intersect with one overarching theme: the colors.

There are a couple of items you have to decide before you choose your wedding colors: your venue, your date, and since it’s usually required for the venue, a rough estimate of your guest count.

But that’s really it. Choosing your colors is necessary to make most of your wedding decisions. You won’t be able to buy much or send information out until you’ve at least decided on a general color and theme direction.

One of the most obvious ways your colors will be used is in the wedding party outfits. Your bridesmaids and groomsmen will be living ambassadors of the tone and feeling you want at your wedding. But it can be difficult to accessorize everyone appropriately, making sure they all look good individually, that they all look good together, and that they all look good in your venue. A big part of this comes from knowing which colors to use where. If your wedding palette is only 3 colors, you may want to add a couple of neutral or accent colors to avoid having too much of each of the main colors. It’s important to think about what colors will complement and accentuate your main wedding colors.

Many brides choose jewelry for their bridesmaids as a thank-you gift. It can be daunting to choose jewelry for other people, so here are a couple of tips.

Think about what they will like and look good in.

If you’re providing the Bridesmaids’ jewelry as a gift, make sure it’s a gift they’ll like. Otherwise, you should just trust your bridesmaids to get their own, or go shopping with them. When it comes to earrings, you can think about face shape, or simply pay attention to what type of jewelry your bridesmaids normally wear. Look at photos of them at special events and find something that suits their style. After all, if they feel like themselves, they’ll make your wedding look great.

Don’t go overboard on matching.

We touched on this earlier, but it really can’t be overstated. You went to all the trouble of choosing wedding colors; of course you want to use them. But when it comes to jewelry, you don’t have to have an exact match. In fact, your colors may stand out more if you choose complementary colors rather than matching ones. For example, Pantone’s color of the year is rose quartz and serenity. Instead of hunting down the exact shades of pink or blue you need, think about other colors that look good with that combo, such as gray and gold, as shown in the photo above.

Keep Cost in Mind

One of the top unexpected wedding costs that can throw off your budget is bridal gifts. You want to treat your bridesmaids, but you don’t want to break the budget. On the other hand, if you go too cheap, you may end up buying jewelry that looks tacky and that they’ll never wear again. Look around for deals that don’t sacrifice value. See if there are local artisans who can craft custom pieces at an affordable rate.

When it comes to choosing jewelry, there’s a lot to consider. The best thing you can do is talk to your wedding party about how you want everyone to look and brainstorm ideas about accessories. Whether everyone matches, or each adds their own style to their look, you do have the authority to say no to costume jewelry or flamboyant colors that don’t match your palette. After all, it’s your wedding! Just have fun looking at all the pretty necklaces, earrings, and other accessories for the ladies who will be up there with you on your big day!

Jeriann is a writer from Boise, Idaho. She is currently planning her own wedding, where she will be matching navy blue, mint, and gold. Check out her blog at dairyairhead.com.