The day Mathilde Cappelaere said yes to Dylan Deschamps, son of Didier Deschamps, the scene was set on the shores of Lake Como. On the arm of her husband, the Nice woman walked in an off-the-shoulder Zuhair Murad wedding dress, which she chose to enhance with a diamond tennis necklace by Orajolia.
This plunging river of diamonds, inspired by red carpet jewelry, catches the light and attracts almost as much attention as the dress. Behind this very pure line of stones hides an astonishing story, far from couture salons, which one would not guess when seeing it sparkle on a bride’s neck.
A wedding between Nice and Lake Como
Before Italy, the couple first got married in a civil union in Nice, at the end of August 2025, surrounded by their loved ones. Nine years after their meeting in the south of France, Mathilde Cappelaere opted that day for a white jumpsuit and a cape by Elie Saab, combined with a graphic bouquet of arums highlighted with pearls.
A few weeks later, head to Villa Pizzo, in Cernobbio, for a romantic ceremony on Lake Como. The bride wore a Zuhair Murad lace dress with a Bardot collar, which left the shoulders bare, combined with Gianvito Rossi pumps and a very soft beauty look to leave plenty of room for the lines of the neckline.
The Zuhair Murad dress and tennis necklace by Mathilde Cappelaere
On this very couture basis, the Orajolia tennis necklace becomes the centerpiece of the look. The river of diamonds, long and flowing, follows the curve of the neck before plunging into the center of the chest, extending the V of the bodice. The result remains refined, almost minimalist, but the sparkle of the stones structures the silhouette better than a very elaborate bustier.
For a bride, it is the good compromise between strong jewelry and discretion. On a Bardot collar or a straight bustier, a 40 to 45 cm necklace elongates the neck without compressing it if the line of diamonds remains fine, while sober earrings avoid overloading the face.
From the tennis court to couture weddings: the rise of the river necklace
If we call it tennis necklace, it is a nod to an episode that occurred at the 1978 US Open. In the middle of a match, the player Chris Evert lost her diamond bracelet, forcing the game to be interrupted while she found it. The anecdote went around the world and this type of continuous line of stones ended up taking the name of the sport.
In the 1990s, this river of diamonds left the courts for the red carpets, adopted by supermodels and actresses in column dresses. Today, we see it returning to the necks of brides who want luxury that is visible at first glance, but without ostentation. A simple row of white stones is enough to refresh an immaculate dress and complete the style of the big day.
