Unless you’ve planned for a beach wedding where you’ve got to be barefoot, this article is your go-to guide if you want to find the perfect shoe to wear with your wedding dress.
Choose a Shoe That Reflects Your Personality
The era of traditional white wedding shoes with high heels is over. Nowadays, you can wear any type of shoe to a wedding, including dress shoes, sneakers, cowboy boots, and sandals. The most important thing is that the shoe you choose matches your personality. So you want to find one that makes you feel completely at ease and happy. If you never wear heels, for example, you probably don’t want to wear them on your wedding day. You’ll most likely have difficulty walking in them, making you feel awkward and uncomfortable.
Alternatively, if you frequently wear vintage items, invest in the 40s or 50s-inspired shoe from a site like Modcloth. Similarly, if you’re the type of person who is always in workout gear, try a new pair of sneakers!
Choose Wedding Shoes That Complement Your Gown
You can go traditional and choose a color that matches your dress – which may necessitate bringing a swatch with you to ensure that your colors are identical – or you can think outside the box and choose a bright, eye-catching color. White, neutral, yellow, purple, gray, red, and black are the most popular bridal shoe colors. Choosing a jewel tone, such as emerald or ruby, on the other hand, is a great way to add some extra character to your gown and showcase your personality.
Keep in mind that most shoes can be dyed if you can’t find the color you want. You can also choose a color that contrasts with your dress but complements your accessories, such as silver or gold. Color can also be changed with embellishments such as pearls, beads, sequins, and rhinestones.
Choose the Fabric for Your Shoe
Because these are frequently the fabrics of the dress, raw silk, crepe, or satin shoes are popular choices. Deviating from the norm and choosing a different fabric from the dress, such as leather or metallic, can add a unique touch to the overall ensemble.
Keep in mind that vinyl or plastic shoes are more likely to pinch and rub awkwardly against your feet. They also don’t breathe well, causing your feet to swell even more.
Check That the Shoe Is Comfortable
Weddings are all-day affairs, and you don’t want to take your shoes off until the formal dancing is over. The reality is that comfort is a much more important factor to consider when choosing a shoe than looks, and you don’t want to discover this while cringing during the photo shoot. Heels should only be worn if you’re used to them; if you’re not, but you really want to, buy them well in advance to break them in and get used to them.
The shape of the shoe can also affect your level of comfort.
A shoe with an open or rounded toe, for example, is more likely to be comfortable than a shoe with a pointed toe.
In the days leading up to the wedding, wear your shoes around the house, at work, or while running errands.
Match Your Shoe Style to Your Dress and the Occasion
When choosing a wedding shoe, consider the formality of the wedding, the style of your dress, and the season. During the summer, for example, a satin, open-toe, off-white slipper would look great with an off-the-shoulder, open back, satin gown. During the fall and winter months, a plain raw silk closed shoe would complement a traditional raw silk, full-skirted gown. Ballet slippers or embellished sandals are appropriate for casual weddings.
Purchase in Advance
Though it may appear that you can save the shoes for last, you should have them before you begin your dress fittings. This is due to the fact that the hemline of your gown, as well as the train if you have one, are determined by the height of your shoes. If you are wearing high heels, for example, you will want some extra room at the bottom of your dress to cover them.