We’ve all felt the pull of wanting to buy and wear the most gorgeous shoes and realizing that they’re really not practical to wear. Finding the perfect compromise for stylish and comfortable footwear is hard enough on a regular day, but when planning one of the biggest days of your life, choosing the right wedding shoes comes down to several key considerations. You want to make the wedding day and walk down the aisle memorable for reasons that have nothing to do with aching feet, blisters or expense for shoes you will never wear again.
Photos: Aaron Delesie, Morlotti Studio, Michele Dell’Utri
With so many factors influencing your wedding choices, some having to do with what you wear and so many that don’t – and then trying to coordinate those choices to keep your color scheme and wedding theme aligned, something like finding just the right shoes in the right color, style, size can feel like one step too far in terms of frustration.
Photos: Aaron Delesie, Morlotti Studio, Michele Dell’Utri
Here’s a handy list, though, to consider while you shop for the shoes that will carry you down the aisle.
- Wearability: You actually have to wear these shoes, so they need to be comfortable. Unless you are planning wedding festivities that involve multiple costume and shoe changes, comfort needs to be your first consideration because you will have these shoes on from morning until the end of the night and in between will be walking, dancing, standing for long periods and possibly wearing a long and lacy or otherwise delicate dress that heels can easily catch and snag on. Avoid all this discomfort and accidents. Definitely invest in appropriate shoes – do not cut costs here. Be nice to your feet. Wedding shoes are generally designed with extra padding and with lower heels specifically with these considerations in mind.
- Cost: Cost considerations will have to be balanced with comfort. Comfort is the top consideration, but the most comfortable shoes might also be the most expensive. You also don’t want to sink incredible amounts of money into a pair of shoes you may never wear again, so it would be wise to select a pair that is something you could easily wear in other circumstances or could, with minor modifications, such as dyeing the shoes, repurpose for use in daily life. A rule of thumb here is preparing to pay about 10 to 15 percent the value of your dress for shoes. A pair of cheap, uncomfortable shoes will not only look out of place, but you will feel the pinch – literally.
- Sizing: An important thing to consider, as you do when you purchase all shoes, is size. Your normal size when you wake up in the morning is smaller than what you can wear in the afternoon. Your feet will swell during the day, so it is good to measure your feet and try on shoes late in the day. You will be up running around and active on your big day, so you don’t want to be held hostage to shoes that were comfortable when the day began but miserable when it ends. If planning well enough in advance, you can order your shoes to be custom fit – and then can also bring your shoes along to your dress fittings and alterations to make sure that the dress hem is the right length for you while wearing your shoes.
- Color: Shoe color is a no-brainer, and as mentioned before, you might consider getting a neutral colored shoe or a shoe that can be dyed to make them useful after the wedding. Also good to keep in mind is that there are many different shades of white, so if you wear a white dress and want matching shoes, you should definitely be taking a fabric sample or the shoe with you when shopping for the other to ensure that they actually match, if you are going for a very traditional, matching affair.
- Location, weather, situation: Shoes are not a one-size-fits-all affair, obviously. But that applies not just to shoe size but to situations and locations. If you’re getting married on a beach, silk high heels are not really appropriate or convenient. Select location and situation-appropriate footwear. If you plan to be inside in summer or outside in winter – or battling the elements – or any such considerations, think about these factors before selecting your shoes. It is also important to think a lot about what you plan to do in those shoes. If you plan to stand at the altar and then sit down the rest of the wedding and reception, then you can be a bit less conservative in your shoe choices. But if you plan to dance the night away, do a lot of walking and standing, choose the shoes that will best support what you are doing. These considerations will also dictate the height of the heel you choose – whether you like higher heels or practical flats. It is most important that you choose something you can wear comfortably, so it is advisable that if you always wear flats in your daily life, you don’t suddenly decide that three-inch heels are a good idea on the biggest day of your life!
- Breaking in: It is also advisable to wear your wedding shoes around your house on carpeting to “break them in” a bit before the big day. Practice walking in them to be sure you are a “gliding bride” and not just stumbling around. Do not choose your wedding day as the first day you wear these shoes. You will want them to feel somewhat well-worn and well-fitted with your foot. This will also ensure that there is no accident or wrong sizing going on – you can tell in advance whether these shoes will work for the big event.
- Mix it up: Don’t be afraid to mix things up and do something out of the ordinary. More people are choosing non-traditional weddings and costumes, and this can mean that you go off the beaten path with footwear too! Be creative – this always makes things more memorable!
Photos: Aaron Delesie, Morlotti Studio, Michele Dell’Utri
