Guidance on Choosing your Wedding Day Shoes

29/01/2021

Well I should probably start by saying Happy New Year! I hope you had a fab Christmas and kicked off 2021 in the best way you possibly could (you don't need me to elaborate).

January has always been and always will be a sluggish month and with the doom & gloom of lockdown no.3 added to the mix, it's important we try our best to remain positive. I decided it was time to get my wedding planner book (or two) back out, just to feel that warm fuzzy butterfly feeling to help rid of all the COVID vibes I'm sensing right now and I'm so glad I did. It soon occurred to me that I hadn't thought about wedding shoes yet. So here we are, it's time to talk stilettos, wedges, sandals ... here we go!

One of the most important challenges any bride faces is choosing her wedding outfit. The dress, the shoes, the accessories, it's a lot to handle. When it comes to finding the perfect pair of shoes, it's understandable to have various questions, so I hope you answer yours throughout.

In What Order Do I Choose my Wedding Shoes?

In my opinion, it's what feels right for you. Some brides have a particular theme, trinket or photograph that they use to design their wedding and dress. Others go for what 'feels right' when they try a dress on, which is absolutely fine. Or you might simply fall in love with a pair of shoes and end up building your wedding style around them. Some brides already have a dress they've fallen in love with, they're just trying to find the perfect matching shoes.

There's no right or wrong answer, you style your wedding outfit how you see fit - it's your big day!

How Many Inches is Too Many Inches? I'm Talking About Heel Height!

Oh this is such a classic question and the question that spun around my head for weeks. Without sounding trashy, the way I approached this one was: 'what would my go-to shoe be for a night out?' Do I think comfort is key, or am I wanting to dress to impress? (my fiancé obviously)

You need to ask yourself the first question; 'what shoes am I comfortable wearing?'.

You might wear a pair of stilettos every day for work or leisure, or you might be more of a flat shoe or boot wearer for the day-to-day. The fact is, if you go straight for a 9cm stiletto court shoe and you're not used to them, you'll definitely suffer and we all know what that feels like. Low heels of about 4cm or the very on-trend kitten heels might be the shoe for you. Sexy shoes don't just mean killer Victoria Beckham skyscrapers.

What I say is, grab your favourite, most worn pair of heels out of your wardrobe and use Google to best describe your perfect wedding shoe. And if you're a trainer girl, well, then you don't need any help, you're already ahead of the game!

Deciding on a Colour

You'll find that many retailers have ivory wedding shoes, especially dyeable ivory satin. Apparently the most popular wedding dresses are ivory, but don't think that means your shoes have to match. A contemporary bride may want a pair of blue shoes for their 'something blue', or just a vibrant shoe that they can wear again and again after their big day.

I didn't know this begore, but after scanning the internet (and Pinterest) it seems many brides buy their shoes in a dyeable fabric, so they can wear ivory on their big day and then have their shoes dyed afterwards. Genuis! Maybe that's a bit of you?

Should I Wear my Wedding Shoes In?

Silly question really! Wearing the shoes around the house will help you to determine if they are the perfect fit and if you'll be comfortable in them. Trying them on both carpet and hard floors is definitely something to keep in mind too, because if you're like me, heels on carpets can be a slippery one. Comfort lining in the shoe helps to support the main areas of the foot (big shout out to Scholl who saved my feet for pretty much all of my teenage years) especially for when you're hitting the dance floor until the early hours.

I say do it, just watch the hard floors if you've treated yourself to a pair of red soles.

Protecting Your Shoes from the Weather

In the UK, there is never really an answer when it comes to the weather, we all know it's unpredictable, but there are certainly ways in which we can protect our shoes from any kind of water damage. Sprays and solutions are a great idea to pop on the bridal party's shoes before heading to the venue. Whether it's a short outdoor walk from your bridal suite to the reception room, or a drive and drop-off at the church, its so worth keeping the shoes in pristine condition before walking the aisle. When in doubt, ask one of your lovely bridal party to pack a spare pair for your to wear to avoid any damage to your wedding shoes.

Worried Wedding Shoes Will Cost You?

The idea of spending lots of money on a wedding worries many brides and can cause a lot of unnecessary stress. There are shoes across the market at various prices, but remember to only spend what you know you can afford. You may not have seen, but I wrote all about setting a wedding day budget a few blogs ago, which really helps you manage all your spending from the venue and photographer, all the way to the cake and wedding bands, so it might be worth having a read if budgeting is something you're worried about.

Anyway...back to the shoes.

We are absolutely spoilt for choice with retailers, especially online when it comes to hunting for a last minute outfit for a few cocktails with the girls, and its most definitely the same for shoes. Asos, Very.co.uk, Missguided, Pretty Little Thing, Nasty Gal, the list goes on. We no longer have to visit a bridal shop or department store to find our perfect shoes, although if this is your preference, then that's totally fine too. There's no doubt you'll be able to find a pair of beautiful bridal shoes that have your name all over them, for the price you're willing to pay.

And no, I haven't yet found my dream wedding shoes, but I suppose it's because I haven't yet set a date. When I do, you'll be the first to know ;)

Happy Shoe Hunting I Say!!