Bridal Jewellery Event with Kiki McDonough and Nyetimber

Today we’re taking you through our brilliant night with Kiki McDonough & Nyetimber. A truly special event for future brides and mothers-of-the-bride (and grooms!), held in our iconic London showroom, celebrating the wedding and jewellery gift treasures that can be cherished forever.

Founded in London by fifth-generation jeweller, Kiki McDonough, the eponymous fine jewellery brand is renowned for showcasing vibrant gemstones in timeless and wearable designs. Kiki's stunning creations are made to complement modern life, so there's no surprise that generations around the world fell in love with the brand. Crafted with exceptional skill and a commitment to responsible sourcing, these colourful works of art bring joy and become cherished heirlooms, passed down for years to come.

Sharing the mutual passion for gifts that are loved and treasured forever, we were honoured to collaborate with Kiki McDonough on this event. What began as an ordinary Tuesday was transformed into a brilliant evening for future brides and mothers-of-the-bride (and grooms!), filled with drinks, canapés, and stunning jewellery.

The pièce de résistance? A captivating conversation with Kiki McDonough herself, hosted by the WPC bride and esteemed editor, Rosalyn Wikeley. 

Did you miss this special evening? Read on as Kiki shared her top jewellery tips and styling advice, including how to wear the iconic Kiki Tiara.

Rosalyn Wikeley: So, Kiki, first thing’s first, who is the Kiki McDonough bride?
Kiki McDonough: Well of course the most important thing about brides is that they like my jewellery – so we’ll start off with that! But the Kiki McDonough bride is not the kind interested in cutting edge, trendy pieces. What we do is beautiful jewellery that women are going to feel more confident in when they put it on. And it lasts.  

I always advise brides not to buy a pair of earrings that are only suitable for the day. It’s always best to consider when you will next wear these pieces - make sure you buy something for your lifestyle. If you buy something that’s trend-led, in a year’s time you might not want to wear it again. 

And how about the mother of the bride?

⁠What I find funny is that if mothers and daughters come into the store together, it’s always the daughters persuading the mothers to up their game!  

It’s really funny to watch particularly because it’s so different from when I got married for the first time in 1970, a long time ago, and back then my mother said, ‘why don’t you wear that and that’ and I said ‘ok!’. You didn’t have this amazing choice of jewellery; you just wore what you were told. 

So, take us through your new bridal edit, what was the inspiration behind it, especially for the pearls, are there any standout pieces? 

The new bridal edit celebrates the wonderfully distinctive, natural, iridescent sheen of precious pearls. I’ve always loved pearls, and think they exude effortless yet enduring style - and they have a radiant glow! The new collection features pendant necklaces and earrings, and the designs are modern classics which are intricate yet contemporary and can be passed down for generations. I also wanted to incorporate motifs, such as snowflakes for winter weddings and clovers for luck created using diamonds and have included blue topaz for the ‘something blue’ element! 

How lovely. The format for weddings in the last ten years has changed to be a day event followed by an evening party. Do you ever have brides coming to you for evening jewels, and if so, what are the kind of things they’re looking for?  

Well, if you are going to do that you either buy a pair of evening earrings and keep them on or buy our detachable earrings. The detachables consist of a diamond hoop to which a pearl can be attached for the ceremony and then swapped for something else in the evening. You’ll then have two completely different pairs of earrings but only one pair of hoops; a bit like a charm bracelet. I started the detachable collection 20 years ago now, so this year is the celebration of 20 years of detachables. 

I’d love to move on to the tiara you designed, can you tell us more about that? 

In the Power & Image tiara exhibition at Sotheby’s there were only two modern tiaras in the exhibition and mine was one of them, so I was very pleased about that! I think they’re fabulous and if they’re placed correctly and the hair is done right then you must get married in a tiara if you can get your hands on one! When you wear a tiara you walk in a different way, you move in a different way, and you hold your head up higher. Put the tiara on and suddenly you’re 6 inches taller. 

Photos by Wiktoria Maliszewska