What to Consider When Finding the Right Wedding Shoes

How to find the right wedding shoes

There are few days in your life that you’ll be traipsing around in fancy shoes for hours on end (unless, of course, you’re a celebrity, fashion model, or boutique sales person). But your wedding day is certainly the day for that! So the key to selecting the perfect pair of bridal shoes is finding that magic combination of style and comfort . Easier said than done, we know! That’s why we strongly advise that you start your shoe shopping months in advance of the big day. Better to try on tons of pairs until you find the right one, rather than be forced into a last-minute purchase and regret how they look, how they feel—or both! (*this post contains affiliate links)

What to Consider as You Shoe Shop:

Heel height – Are you accustomed to wearing heels? Then, you have a dazzling array of high-heeled wedding shoes to choose from—from designer labels to more modestly-priced ones. Here are some examples from sandals to stilettos:

High Heel Wedding Pumps

  1. Material Girl Blaire Two Piece Dress Sandals – via Macy’s
  2. I.N.C. Ankle Strap Sandals – via Macy’s
  3. Michael Kors Erika Platform Shoes – via Macy’s
  4. Badgley Mischka Marissa Embellished Evening Pumps – via Macy’s
  5. Badgley Mischka Nilla Peep Toe Evening Pumps – via Macy’s

Do keep in mind, though, the amount of walking and standing you’ll be doing from ceremony to reception. So you may want to think long and hard about going for sky-high stilettos! Besides, these may be risky if you’ll be dealing with uneven outdoor surfaces.

On the other hand, if you’ve never worn high heels in your life, obviously your wedding day is not the time to experiment! Opt for mid-high ones (perhaps 2 to 3 inches max) or what they call “kitten heels”—and practice walking in them several times before the wedding. Or to be really safe, you can always choose formal ballet flats like the ones below.

Ballet flats as wedding shoes.

  1. Salvatore Ferragamo Ballet Flats (Varina) – via Bloomingdale’s
  2. Ivory Bridal Shoe via Amazon
  3. Adrianna Papell Sage Lace Evening Flats via Macy’s
  4. Adrianna Papell Tiffany Pointed Toe Evening Flats via Macy’s
  5. Pointed Ivory Wedding Shoe with Ribbon via Amazon

Note: An important point about heel height, use your actual wedding shoes (or a pair with the exact same heel height) when you go for your bridal gown fitting. Flats are also a practical shoe to slip into during the reception when your high heels start becoming uncomfortable.

Shoe Color – Are white, ivory, and ecru your only shoe color choices? Not anymore! With bridal dress designs now permitting a peek at your shoes, you can go as sweet and dainty or as bold and bright as you wish with your shoe color. These could even provide your “something blue”! Or if you prefer to go with the traditional tones but want to be able to use your bridal shoes afterwards, there’s always the option of dyeing them.

Colored Wedding Shoes from Blue to Red

  1. High Heel Stilettos in Glittery Gold via Bloomingdale’s
  2. SJP Lucille Satin Bow Pointed Toe Pumps in Red via Bloomingdale’s
  3. SJP High Heel Pumps in Teal via Bloomingdale’s
  4. Charles David Pointed Toe Pumps in Purple Suede via Bloomingdale’s
  5. Blue High Heels Stilettos via Bloomingdale’s

Note: An important point about heel height, use your actual wedding shoes (or a pair with the exact same heel height) when you go for your bridal gown fitting. An increasing trend also shows that brides are now buying their shoes before their gowns, so this is something to consider!

Shoe Color – Are white, ivory, and ecru your only shoe color choices? Not anymore! With bridal dress designs now permitting a peek at your shoes, you can go as sweet and dainty or as bold and bright as you wish with your shoe color. These could even provide your “something blue”! Or if you prefer to go with the traditional tones but want to be able to use your bridal shoes afterwards, there’s always the option of dyeing them.

Embellishments – Bows, baubles, and bling are often used to adorn wedding shoes—and these definitely make an eye-catching sight! But take note of the style, length, and fabric of your bridal dress. You wouldn’t want to be worried about snags on delicate fabric, a skirt hem getting caught, or (horrors!) your tripping up as you walk down the aisle.

A style that’s “you” – In the final analysis, what shoes you choose to wear at your wedding should reflect who you are! Are you “a little bit country” or “a little bit rock n’ roll”? Are you a fashionista, or are you an easygoing, comfort-first kind of gal? Lucky for today’s brides, wedding shoe conventions have eased up and you can be yourself—albeit dressed up and prettified—on that momentous day!

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