Wedding Shoes
How to Select Stylish and Comfortable Wedding Shoes
There are so many glamorous choices for the modern bride-to-be when it comes to choosing wedding shoes. Wedding shoe styles range from heels to flats, pumps to sandals, and closed-toe to open-toe shoes.
While you want your shoes to be gorgeous, it is equally important to select comfortable wedding shoes. Shoes that aren’t comfortable, regardless of their beauty, can be painful and make your special day less than enjoyable. Choosing shoes that are stylish and comfortable should make you feel beautiful and keep you smiling from the ceremony through all of the wedding activities that follow and, ultimately, having a truly wonderful experience.
Here are some things to consider when selecting wedding shoes:
Heel Height: In general, you should only wear heels if you are used to wearing them. If you wear heels often and are comfortable wearing them for long periods while standing, by all means, wear them! If you rarely wear heels, your wedding day is certainly not the time to give them a try.
Wedding Venue: Your shoes should be compatible with your wedding venue. Silk or satin shoes are great for indoor weddings but will get grass or mud stains for an outdoor wedding. Avoid spiked heels if you will be walking on soft ground. Leather shoes and a block or platform heel are best suited for outdoor weddings. Flat shoes should be considered for beach weddings.
If you are indoors, consider the surface that you’ll be walking (and dancing) on. Will there be carpet or hard floors (or both)? Shoes that have traction are best for hard floors. If the soles of your shoes are smooth, you may want to consider scuffing them with sandpaper or by walking on pavement. Alternatively, you could have a shoe repair shop add a rubber outsole.
Wedding Dress: Your wedding shoes should be compatible with your dress. Closed toe shoes are very elegant with long dresses and open-toe shoes look great with shorter dresses. Consider the color of your shoes and decide if you want them to match your dress or possibly match color in your bouquet or gloves. If you select shoes that have embellishments, make sure that they do not clash with embellishments on your wedding dress (e.g., pearls vs. jewels vs. embroidery). If your dress is embellished, simple shoes will complement your dress. Or vice versa, embellished shoes will complement a simple dress.
Also, be sure to try on your dress and shoes together. This is important for dress alterations and also, if your shoes have beading or jewels, you want to be sure that your dress does not get caught on your shoes.
Climate: In general, sandals or open-toe pumps are best for Summer weddings while closed-toe pumps are best for Winter weddings. Comfort is key here. If the temperature is cold, avoid strappy sandals and opt for closed-toe pumps.
Shopping tips for finding stylish and comfortable wedding shoes:
- Expensive shoes are not necessarily the most stylish and comfortable wedding shoes. Avoid buying shoes only because they are on sale. It is far better to ensure that your shoes are suitable and fit your personality and style, than to buy a pair of trendy shoes that aren’t right.
- Whether you are shopping online or in stores, demand a perfect fit with no pinching or rubbing. Be sure to wear nylons when trying on shoes, if you are planning to wear them on your wedding day.
- Check out shoes that aren’t sold as “bridal shoes”. Often, the prices are much higher for “bridal shoes”. You’ll be surprised at the options available among non-bridal shoes! And, if you find a pair that you love, you’ll likely be able to wear your shoes to other special events after your wedding.
- Will dancing be a post-wedding ceremony activity? If so, consider dance shoes. Ballroom dance shoes can be beautiful and comfortable wedding shoes. Capezio and Bloch brands make stylish can comfortable styles that can be worn as wedding shoes.
- If you fall in love with shoes that will only be comfortable for a few hours, consider buying a pair of back-up shoes to change into later.
These tips should help you find sexy, comfortable weeding shoes that make you feel as good as you look. Remember, the perfect wedding shoes will be stylish and comfortable. It’s easy to shop for wedding shoes online. Most online shoe retailers, such as Zappos, have put wedding shoes into this category for convenient searching. Another online store is House of Brides. They specialize in wedding dresses and accessories, including a nice selection of shoes.
Many shoe designers who never made them before are starting to make ‘wedding shoes’. Some recommended shoe brands that make ‘wedding shoes’ include Stuart Weitzman, Liz Rene, Martinez Valero, Touch Ups, and Nina.
