There’s a reason shoes are the known as a girl’s best friend: They can take an outfit from a six to a ten in seconds, help us to run faster, or to look taller and slimmer. When it comes to wedding shoes there are a myriad options: Casual or glam, budget or bank busting, classic or wacky. At Visions of View, Essex wedding photographers we have you covered! Here are some useful things to consider when choosing bridal shoes… and some handy tips to boot!
Budget
While many ladies dream of Carrie Bradshaw’s shoe collection, others simply won’t or can’t justify spending a month’s rent on a pair of new Loubs for their wedding.
Some brides see their wedding shoes as an heirloom to treasure and hand down to their daughters. Others simply want a beautiful pair of bridal shoes for the day. Don’t fall into the trap of buying super expensive shoes if they aren’t really your thing. Ultimately brides want to feel comfortable and look great – in my experience this is achieved equally well with a £25 pair of shoes as a £2,500 pair.
Remember to factor shoes into your overall wedding budget. JJ’s house bridal range is a favourite with many brides as they are purse friendly and cater to a most tastes. Prefer to splash a little more cash? Net-a-Porter has it covered, carrying designers such as Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin, Aquazzura and Miu Miu.
Practicality
Could you run a marathon in 5 inch stilettos or are you more trainers and flats?
Is your wedding in a stately home or a field?
Remember that universal circumstances don’t change on the wedding day: If you don’t do heels in everyday life, you are unlikely to find them more comfortable on the big day. Similarly, if your wedding is in a field, slimmer heels will still sink into the mud etc. A chunky heel is a clever way of adding height without the dreaded pinching and sinking- perfect for those who don’t live in skyscraper heels. Ensure the shoes are fit for your own purpose – not just your Pinterest board!
The look
Will the shoes you ‘favourited’ online months ago compliment the dress you eventually chose? It sounds obvious, but many brides buy shoes without thinking about whether the style will suit the theme of the wedding or the all-important dress.
Why not experiment with colour and quirk! Some lean towards traditional wedding shoes, others add a sartorial edge to their wedding outfit. Nicholas Kirkwood is the king of understated quirky footwear, and these funky Topshop courts add fun to any summer wedding. This pair of metallic slip ons truly redefine the phrase “I’ll be there with bells on!”
Some of our top wedding shoe tips
Get the height right
Wedding dress alterations largely centre on the shoe height, so it’s important to make sure the height is both comfortable and flattering before any ‘can’t-turn-back’ changes are made to the dress.
Heel stoppers
For outdoor weddings, Clean Heels are a worthy investment. They discreetly pop onto heels to stop them sinking into mud and grass. Bonus points to those who provide them as favours!
Compeed
Worlds apart from any of their competitors, Compeed see to a long list of feet ailments. Their blister plaster range is immediately-comforting and long-lasting: a must-have for any new or uncomfortable shoes.
Good practice
Fail to prepare and all of that… wearing new shoes around the house will mould them for the big day, making them more comfortable. If you want to keep them looking brand new you can pop slipper socks over the top – just be careful not to slip!
A little tight?
If your shoes are little tight but the next size up is too large, try wearing them in with thick, wooly socks. Another trick is to cover a shoe shaper in a few pairs of thick socks to imitate a foot. Leave it in the shoe overnight to stretch out a little and help minimise the dreaded pinch!
We hope you found our tips useful! Do you have any top tips for wedding footwear? We’d love to hear them.
Please get in touch should you have any questions or if you are looking for a wedding photographer? I’m based in Chelmsford let’s talk?
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