Considering most girls consider shoe shopping part of our purposes in life, it’s surprising how little thought many brides give their wedding shoes. When we’re little, we dream of the dress, the groom, the cake and the church, but the majority of us do not even consider our shoes.
Compare that to how important shoes are to our everyday outfit selections and there is a stark contrast. So lets right that wrong and talk about shoes!
Many bridal boutiques sell shoes as well as dresses and will endeavour to provide one to suit the other. If they have a pair you like, then all is good with the world, if they do not, you have the perfect excuse for more shoe shopping. What girl could refuse such an invitation?
Six months before the wedding
By now, you should have a date, a ceremony venue, a dress, theme and reception venue. All essential elements in shoe selection. Now would be a good time to shortlist a type of shoe you would like to wear with the dress and a pair to wear during the reception.
They will need to be strong, comfortable and of course, stunningly beautiful. You do not have to have a second pair for the reception, but many brides tire of heels after a few hours so find a nice pair of flat’s ideal for dancing and circulating during the reception.
It’s your day so have it your way. If you’re comfortable on your feet in heels all day, you’re golden. If you want a standby pair, there is no better excuse!
Four months before the wedding
Now would be a good time to buy your shoes of choice. Consider where you will be walking, the photographs and whether they will be on grass, patios, gravel or pavement and make sure they will work. Also consider the fact you will be wearing them for anything up to 12-13 hours and will be on your feet for a large proportion of that.
With those considerations out of the way, it’s time to go shopping!
Arm yourself with a picture of you in the dress and your best friends and/or bridesmaids and hit the shops. If you have chosen your bridesmaids dresses, you could make this an epic shopping expedition and get all of them at once. What better excuse for a girl’s day out?
One month before the wedding
Now is a good time to begin wearing your shoes around the house to bed them in. Don’t be tempted to take them outside though, as we want to keep them looking fabulous. Wear them for as long as you can indoors and work up to several hours at a time if you can.
The more hours you put in beforehand, the more used to them you will be and the more comfortable they’ll be on the day. The less you have to think about your shoes on your wedding day, the happier you’ll be!
If you need a little extra grip or support, now is a good time to add it. You can bed those in and get used to the change in gait before the big day. You can add grippers to the bottom and pads to the inside to provide more comfort and support. You can also use insoles if practical too.
The day before the wedding
You will want to inspect everything you’re going to be using and wearing on your wedding day to ensure you do not have any nasty surprises. If you have more than one pair of wedding shoes, make sure you take both with you, make sure they are looking great and that they are packed safely if you’re travelling anywhere.
The wedding day itself
Pose your shoes somewhere and make sure your photographer gets some good shots of them before you put them on. Then make sure to get a couple of shots with you wearing them with the dress and so on. Your wedding shoes are extra special, so give them the attention they deserve!
If your feet ache during the day, take a break and sit down for a while. Your wedding day is a marathon, not a sprint. Rest accordingly or change your shoes for a while between formal parts of the day. Look after your feet, and they will look after you.
Choosing wedding shoes should be just as important as choosing the dress itself. The complete the look and can influence how good you feel just as much as anything else that happens on the day. So give them the consideration they deserve!
