Choosing the Perfect Wedding Shoes

Pick Style and Comfort for the Perfect Wedding Shoe

Having photographed hundreds of weddings over the last 15 years, I’ve picked up a few hints and top tips with regards to choosing your wedding shoes. Below I have shared a few things to be aware of before you purchase those killer heels.

I’ve also asked some of my past brides to let me know they’re ‘Wedding Shoe Stories’, so carry on reading for some tips and ideas on finding the perfect bridal shoes…

Also, be sure to check out my tips on How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Dress and Should I Wear a Veil on my Wedding Day.

Comfort is King

Something I hear time and time again, the most important thing to remember when it comes to choosing the perfect wedding shoes for a bride on her big day is that they should be comfortable. You will be spending hours in them and you want your feet to stay happy!

I spent a lot of money on designer shoes for my wedding. My feet and purse felt the pinch by the end of it.

Gemma

Break in those new Wedding Shoes

In order to give yourself the best chance of all day comfort, break them in before your special day. A new pair of shoes can be painful on your feet and even give you blisters. Lots of brides suffer from swollen feet by the time they sit down for the wedding meal and there’s still a long way to go before the party.

It’s always a challenge to find a comfortable pair of bridal shoes that look great too. One solution is to make sure you have comfy shoes on hand for after the ceremony and reception. If you have a floor length wedding gown, nobody will know if you’ve slipped on a pair of trainers for the first dance!

My feet were ready to drop off by 6pm, so I swapped my wedding shoes for my trusty Converse and danced the night away. My dress covered them so nobody knew!

Dawn

Top tip: Wear your new wedding shoes around the house before your big day. This will give you a good feel for your new pair of shoes and help pad them in, so no nasty surprises like finding out they start to nip your toes after 20 minutes. Then when your special day finally arrives, all your feet need to do is stand.

I really wish I’d worn-in my shoes before the wedding day. My feet were throbbing by 7pm and I still had the first dance to get through…

Kath

Consider your Wedding Dress

If you have already been wedding dress shopping then hopefully you will have a good idea of your bridal style, you may even have bought your wedding dress already. When shopping for the right pair of shoes to wear on your wedding day, you’ll want to find a design that will complement your dress either in detailing or in colour. This is particularly important if you have a shorter dress where your perfect pair of shoes will be on show throughout your wedding day.

If you are wearing a dress with a more delicate design, pointy toes may not be the best idea. You will want to avoid any bridal shoes that have sharp or narrow toe shapes as they could potentially poke holes in your beautiful wedding gown!

Top tip: I recommend having some baby wipes on standby to give your bridal footwear a quick wipe over every few hours. This will keep them looking tip top all day (and night) long.

Top tip: When you have selected your perfect pair of wedding shoes, be sure to take them along to your wedding dress fittings so that your dress maker can get an accurate length of your bridal gown.

Hi, Heels

If you decide to wear high heels, when it comes to choosing the height bear in mind that on your special day you could be wearing your shoes for 12 hours, usually more. Ouch!

If you go high, be careful when walking in grass as they can sink into soft ground. You can prevent this by using clear heel stoppers. For a few pounds you can get several sets from Amazon or eBay, they keep your high heels above ground and make great gifts for bridesmaids too!

Top Tip: Make sure to remove any sticky labels that might be under your new wedding shoes before the big day. You don’t want to have to pick them off on the morning of your wedding, especially if you’ve just had your nails done.

I wore designer trainers for my wedding. Lot’s of bling, but more importantly, lot’s of comfort.

Nichola

If you’re getting ready on the morning of your wedding somewhere other than home, don’t forget to bring your shoes for the big day! Sounds obvious, right? Well I once photographed a wedding where the bride had been in such a rush she left them behind. Disaster! Cue the best man rushing to the brides home to get the shoes and only just managing to make it back in time for the ceremony!

Top tip: Make a list well before your wedding day of everything you will need to take with you, especially if you are having a destination wedding. Tick things off as you pack them away, right down to your lip balm. Trust me, something always gets left behind, don’t let it be your perfect wedding shoes.

What Colour Wedding Shoes?

With a lot of wedding planning these days, age old traditions are out of the window and you can design your big day how you like. That means that your wedding shoes do not have to be white or ivory. I’ve seen some stunning bright coloured shoes on brides recently and they look beautiful with modern wedding gowns.

Of course you can keep it traditional and just add a little of your own sparkle…

Top tip: It’s a great idea to have your wedding shoes match the colour theme of your big day. A floral bouquet that matches your shoes will look awesome.

I bought some bright blue wedding shoes that really stood out and looked amazing in the pictures. I was unsure when I first tried them on but I’m so glad I went with my instincts!

Stephanie

I hope you now have some information for deciding on what will be the perfect wedding shoes for your big day. Good luck with the rest of your planning and enjoy that magical moment when you finally put on your new shoes and walk down the aisle on your wedding day.

Final Top Tip: Don’t get half way down the aisle and realise you’ve still got your slippers on!

Be sure to check out my top 10 Wedding Tips