A bride's custom commission that became the heart of her wedding aesthetic
Laura's first message told me everything I needed to know about what these earrings would mean.
She'd just gotten engaged and wanted something custom. Chandelier-style, silver, statement pieces. She sent inspiration photos, a picture of her venue, and then this:
"Me and my family have always sang the song 'Going to the Chapel' together when someone is getting married. I want unique earrings that if they could speak would sing me the song. Earrings that truly stand out and make a statement and no one else has and reminds me of my family tradition."
In all the commissions I've done, I don't think anyone has ever described what they wanted with more clarity, or more heart.
Getting started
Laura shared her inspiration: chandelier and stud styles, silver, budget between $300 and $600. She included venue photos so I could see the world these earrings would live in.
I could already see the design. The inspiration images had a lushness to them, texture, movement, and layers. I knew I wanted to incorporate chiffon flowers into the piece. Something that felt abundant and romantic without being traditional.
Because Laura and I hadn't worked together before, I asked for a $125 deposit to get started. It's something I do with new clients; it covers materials and signals that we're both committed to the process. She paid it the same day and asked what happened next.
I told her I'd start ordering supplies and get to work. Most of my custom clients trust my vision after we've gathered inspiration and discussed the details. Laura was one of those clients.
Building the earrings
I ordered materials that week and got to work. Laura checked in once while I was traveling, and I let her know things were coming along, I'd have them finished with plenty of time before her December date.
When the earrings were complete, I sent her photos and a link to view them. The final price came to $590, minus her $125 deposit. She placed her order immediately.
I shipped them with signature required. When you're sending the only pair in the world, you don't leave it on a doorstep.
Her response when she saw them: "They are gorgeous!"
When the earrings need to work harder
A few days later, Laura reached out with a concern that anyone who's ever worn statement earrings understands: "After trying them on with my wedding dress, I noticed my ears started to hurt. They feel a bit heavy for studs."
She was going to be wearing them for hours. She didn't want to take them off.
I'd anticipated this. I'd included a pair of large disk earring backs in her package, flat backs that distribute weight across a wider area, making heavy earrings more comfortable for long wear. Unfortunately, Laura had accidentally thrown them away with the packaging.
She ordered replacement disks on Amazon. I offered to send her my own, 11.56mm, larger than the standard 9mm disks on Amazon, because a bigger surface area means better weight distribution.
But the real moment came when Laura told me about meeting with her wedding coordinator: "I showed her my earrings, and we're definitely going with the opulent twilight theme inspired by the earrings! They're so beautiful, and I don't want to take anything away from them if possible."
The earrings didn't match the wedding theme. They became the wedding theme.
Life happens
Laura's wedding was originally set for December. Then her son was in a serious accident.
She wrote to tell me they'd postponed to June. She shared that he was recovering well. In that same message, she thanked me and said she'd send photos after the wedding.
There's no design principle for this moment. A client trusts you with something meaningful, and then life interrupts. You hold the space, you wish her son well, and you make sure the earrings are ready when she is.
Making them work
As the new date approached, Laura tried the earrings again with the disk backs, still too heavy for comfort over a full day. She asked if there was time to reduce the weight.
There was. I asked her to send them back to my Denver studio so I could remove material without losing what made them special. Because here's the thing about statement earrings for a wedding: they have to be wearable. A piece that's breathtaking in photos but painful after an hour isn't serving the bride.
The goal was always the same: earrings that could carry her family's tradition from ceremony through the last dance.
What Laura said
In one of her messages, Laura described the earrings in a way I'll never forget:
"They're opulent twilight wedding earrings that tell a story of love and music. Music has always been such an important part of my family, and these earrings beautifully capture that story and spirit."
That's what custom jewelry is for. Not to be pretty. Not to match a dress. To carry meaning that a mass-produced piece never could.
The piece: Custom chandelier earrings, sterling silver with chiffon flower elements. The timeline: Commission to wedding day, with a postponement and a comfort adjustment along the way. The occasion: Wedding day, and the piece that defined the wedding aesthetic
Every piece Andrea Li makes is one of a kind. If you're looking for wedding jewelry that carries your story, not just your outfit, get inspiration for your custom project or fill out the form below to start a conversation.