Like we say countless times here at S&P Weddings, we know the whole show of wedding fashion is all about the dress. Between the days when you decide what style you want along with the grandeur or detail of your skirt, to that euphoric feeling of gliding down the aisle having all eyes on you and the husband to be smiling ear to ear. However, we stand firmly by the belief that accessories are everything for a girl and her outfit, and that applies double to the wedding day.
Every masterpiece needs its finishing touch, and for the wedding dress, that finishing touch is the perfect pair of shoes. We all know how important shoes are to a girl on her wedding day, so it’s no surprise when we like to indulge a little and go for the most glamorous and stylish ones we can find. While it’s great to have shoe aspirations and good shoe goals (yes, that’s a thing) you also need to consider the more practical side to your wedding shoes. After all, we don’t need to remind you that there will be a lot of activities on the day, from standing up in the church to walking around greeting guests at reception and dancing into the early hours. All that strain on your feet is going to need to be met with comfortable shoes that you’ve put enough thought and preparation into. There are a few easy and straightforward steps that you can follow to ensure that you stay standing pain-free on your wedding day, and we’ve got you sorted.
Do know your exact size
There’s a whole range of differences and comfort between that size five and five and a half. You may have gone your whole life alternating between the two, from squeezing into a five boot to having snug trainers in a five and a half. You may have gotten away with it up until now, but this is your wedding day. If there’s any time when a girl should strut confidently in a perfect pair of fitted shoes, then it’s now. Any good shoe store will measure your feet correctly, and most shoes can be found and stocked in both full and half sizes. You’d be surprised how much of a significant difference that half size can make for your comfort.
Don't impulse buy
While impulse buying is a very real and frequent threat to even the savviest shopper, it can be ten times more enticing for a bride to give in to this bad habit. Amidst all the stress and planning that has already gone into your outfit, it can be tempting to go with the first nice pair of shoes you see. You pass a nice shop window, see them glittering and you throw caution to the wind and say what the hell. Trust us, you will regret this years down the line. When looking back on photos or even watching your daughter try them, don’t you want to be proud of that decision? Your wedding shoes will serve as a memento for years to come, and when people ask you about them, don’t you want to give them the result of a well thought out, researched purchase of a style you had been lusting after, rather than just something that caught your eye in the shop.
Do wear them in before the big day arrives
Most women will already have this tried and tested shoe trick under their belts by now. If you’re a girl who loves her high heels but equally loves her comfort, then the only smart thing to do is break your shoes in before the big night. Especially if your shoes have a slightly larger heel that what you’re used to, or if the material of the shoes are patent leather or in any way unforgiving or stiff, then they’ll need a bit of wearing in to ensure that they don’t pinch and kill your feet. This just calls for an extra bit of strutting around in the evening with the TV on, not waltzing around the local shopping centre of a Saturday morning. Each girl has her own individual method that works best for her, from cooking in heels to sleeping in them. Figure out which activity you can carry out when at home to familiarise yourself with your new wedding shoes, and have them fit perfectly when it’s time to walk down the aisle.
Don’t overestimate your height threshold
This is probably the biggest determining factor that all women come up against when choosing a pair of shoes: what heel height their comfortable in. You will no doubt already have a very firm idea of what you can or cannot walk in, be it a cigarette heel or a platform or a kitten heel. It’s always best to stick well within that comfort zone on your wedding day. Just because it’s one of the biggest and most important events of your life, it does not mean it will miraculously give you the ability to walk in skyscraper heels. Don’t try and push the boat out for your wedding day in order to look impressive on stilts, when it will only result in you sitting for the rest of the evening massaging some very sore feet.
Do indulge a little
This is your wedding day after all. While you may think those nude and beige strap heels are nice, why don’t you go for what your heart is after instead? This is perhaps one of those rare occasions in a girl’s life when she can completely overindulge in a little extravagance and luxury and no one will bat an eyelid for it. Choose the utmost glitzy and glamorous shoes you have ever imagined your feet encased in, and you will be smiling at them smugly for years to come. You already have the love of your life waiting to marry you, this is the time to chase after and secure the rest of your hearts desires.
Don't make them an afterthought
Shoes and the dress no doubt go hand in hand, and it’s an unspoken rule that the two should complement each other. While the dress should obviously come first and take priority, the shoes should also be weighed in with importance. If you focus entirely on the dress and its much needed fittings and different style requirements, then you will end up just picking the first pair of shoes that the boutique assistant holds out to you. It’s very important to consider the symmetry between both your shoes and dress, and make them as synchronised and flattering for each other.
Do have flats on standby
The only time a bride should be barefoot is if she’s standing on the beach. Otherwise, it’s always a better idea to bring back up flats just in case your feet can’t bear the burden under (or rather over) the size of your heels. We’re all only human after all. Going barefoot at your reception could open up a host of potential problems from broken glass to always wishing you brought flats when you look back on your wedding photos. No matter how determined or confident you are that you will last all night in your shoes, always be prepared. A small pair of foldable flats stowed away somewhere will serve you the world of good. Plus, you might decide to endulge in some pretty pumps as well as heels,
Don’t be afraid of colour
White on a wedding day is an ever-loved tradition. However, just because you like to stick to the upheld tradition of a pristine white gown doesn’t mean the shoes have to be. If you are dead set on keeping all bright colours away from the gown for the big day, then you can inject a little bit of personality and pop of colour with the shoes. Our all-time favourite here is the injection of blue shoes, the perfect way to incorporate your something blue on the big day and to further keep another tradition.
Do think practically
It’s all well and good buying a pair of skyscrapers that frame your legs and elongate your silhouette perfectly. But it’s another thing to try and walk those skyscrapers through turrets of sand or mud all day. The first thing you need to think about, after comfort, is will your shoes work for the actual walk down the aisle. They need to adjust perfectly to your terrain, from a sandy beach to a cobblestone garden. Whatever your surroundings are on the day, think logically and practically on how your shoes should and can serve you best. And always remember, heels on a church marble floor aisle will always have a distinct sound and echo, so many its best to put down an aisle runner if you’re thinking high heels and a church wedding.
Don’t assume they're just for one day
Your wedding shoes will no doubt make you smile every time you look down at your feet on your wedding day. However, that smile will continue to appear every time you look at them after the wedding too. There’s so many sentimental and touching additions you can use for your wedding shoes, like getting all your bridesmaids to sign the sole of the shoes with touching memories and messages for your day, to taking a photo of your daughter or flower girl in them on the day and gifting them to her for her own wedding. Whatever you choose to do with the shoes after the wedding has come and gone, know that you picked the perfect pair that worked best for you and will continue to serve you for years after.
- Roisin Curran
Image Credits: Bride tying strap: Oh Lovely Day | Assistant tying strap: Mod Wedding | Cross strap pointed toe heels: Mod Wedding | White Louboutins: Mod Wedding | Diamond strap shoes: Kasper Creations | Blue diamond shoes: Etsy | Diamond white shoes: Style Me Pretty | Ballerina bride: Rock My Wedding | Blue Manolo Blahniks: Destination Wedding | Bride with bouquet and sandals: The Knot | Shoes encased: Love My Dress