Perfect for a beach ceremony with a boho attitude: farahbean‘s baroque pearl necklace on leather with a Kyanite pendant, $150, farahbean.com.
Searching for bridesmaids gifts can be a headache. You want something memorable but not sappy. Precious but not too pricey. And definitely usable. The bespoke jewelry from farahbean, a two-woman label based in Minneapolis, might be perfect. We love the rustic-meets-refined style that informs each of their pieces, from super-wearable bead bracelets to necklaces that are casual enough to pair with a T-shirt and jeans, but special enough for a wedding.
Customize the pieces any way you like. Take their signature bead bracelets. Tell the designers your wedding colors, and they’ll send you photos of beads in those hues. Then choose extras: Add a tiny metal accent with the wedding date or the bridesmaid’s initials, weave in a silk ribbon, incorporate a family charm. All of the stones and pearls are real: semi-precious stones as well as bone, shell, coral, ostrich egg, coconut …
Farahbean‘s signature beaded bracelets (starting at $50) are boho-beautiful and can be made to match your wedding.
Destination-specific jewelry
Even more special, you can customize the bracelets, necklaces, and earrings to match the mood of your destination. We asked farahbean co-owners Kristi Parkinson and Stephanie Nelson for ideas on how to choose pieces that suit your site:
Beach: anything light and clean, including moonstone, natal druzy agate, white turquoise, chrysocolla (a stunning blue)
Mountains: in addition to the beach stones, add a rustic element—horn or bone—and African turquoise. Perhaps finish the pieces with suede tassels
Ranchland: More suede, bone, horn, turquoise, labradorite, tigereye
Wine country: matte garnet, ruby (red wine!), bloodstone (not a great name, but a beautiful stone)
And always, no matter what the destination, pearls.
Farahbean moonstone earrings, $125, are special enough for a wedding but also great worn with a simple sundress or a cashmere sweater.
Nitty gritty
Bracelets start at $50 and go up, depending on the type of stone and the addition of charms, ribbons, and pavé diamonds. The designers love to start talking to the bride a couple of months before the wedding, to ensure the perfect stones are in-house. As Kristi says, “We want the bride to be at ease and for her to think ‘these are the coolest bracelets/earrings/necklaces I’ve ever seen.’ We love being a part of the bride’s most important day.”
