Your wedding shoes may hide under your dress for most of the day, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not important!
Choose the right pair and you’ll be comfortable and confident all day, not to mention super stylish! So we asked wedding shoe designer extraordinaire Rachel Simpson for her top tips on choosing a style that’s perfect for your day, and here’s what she had to say…
The dress
What style is your dress, does it have an era? Whilst you can wear whichever shoes you like, wearing really modern statement shoes with an understated twenties dress could overshadow the dress, so a more elegant pair might be better suited.
Heel height
If you normally wear low heels, don’t think you should go for skyscrapers, even if your partner is much taller than you. If your partner is around the same height, there are some lovely low heels around, you don’t necessarily have to wear flats. Wear what you’re comfortable in, it’s a long day!
Time of year
Bear in mind the weather, who knows what it will be in good old Blighty? Closed toe courts or even little shoe boots look lovely for winter weddings, whereas strappy sandals work well in summer. Having said that, if you want to wear open toes in winter you can – just go for a peep toe with a smaller peep!
What’s your budget?
A very unsexy word but necessary! Have an idea what you would like to spend before you go shopping and blow the canapé budget on a pair of Jimmy Choos! However, budgeting doesn’t have to mean cheap – many wedding shoes can be worn again, so choose a versatile style to bring down that ‘cost per wear’.
Dance the night away
What will you be doing on the day? Will you be walking across a lot of grass? Are you doing a challenging first dance? If so make sure you feel safe in your shoes, go for styles with straps for added security to avoid shoes flying off on the dance floor!
Think fabrics
Traditionally wedding shoes were generally satin, which is beautiful but not the most practical option if your wedding will mainly be outside. Leather is more forgiving as it can be more easily cleaned, suede too- but use a protector spray before wear.
What about the detailing?
Have you decided on your jewellery yet? If you’re going for silver, look out for co-ordination detail on your shoes, such as metallic binding or pretty jewelled buckles. If you have a lace headpiece look at shoes with all over or lace details.
To sparkle or not to sparkle?
If you’ve always had your heart set on a pair of glittering heels, there are some amazing Swarovski bejewelled styles on the market. However you can achieve a more understated sparkle with a cute pair of shoe clips, giving you two looks- sparkle for the big day and afterwards a pair of shoes to wear with jeans!
Be unique
An important one this – remember it’s your day, and he’s marrying you, not a mood board! Wear shoes that are you, not what you think ‘a bride’ should wear. Because if you’re comfortable and confident in your shoes, you’ll walk that little bit taller on the day.
Enjoy it!
Finally, don’t stress about finding the perfect pair of wedding shoes – this is SHOE SHOPPING ladies! How often do you have the opportunity to buy your dream shoes? Enjoy it, have fun and be confident in the fact that you will look amazing!
Haven’t found the right shoes to match your dress yet? Read more advice from Rachel and finish your wedding look to perfection today!
