What with all the excitement, and it being such a long day, it's most likely that on your wedding day your feet will swell up. Therefore it's a good idea to try on your wedding shoes towards the end of the day to replicate these conditions, as feet tend to swell up as the day goes on anyway.
No matter how much you fall in love with a pair of shoes at first sight, it's important not to impulse buy on such an important item of footwear. Before you buy, here are some of the aspects you need to think about:
Comfort is key
Although of course you want to look fabulous on your wedding day, you really don't want painful shoes to ruin your enjoyment. Make sure you find a pair that don't pinch or squash your toes - under no circumstances try to squeeze into the wrong size just because you love the style. If you're not sure of your width fitting it's really worth measuring yourself as it may be that you need wide fitting shoes. If so don't worry, there are some beautiful wide fitting bridal shoes available that will be sure to keep you comfy.
Find your style
There are so many different styles of bridal shoes available so it's really a matter of what best complements your dress and personal style. Court shoes and sandals are both popular, or for the best of both worlds you could choose a slingback that will give you the look of a closed-toe shoe with the adjustability of a sandal at the heel. If you have a traditional wedding dress, a lace up Victorian style boot is a quirky option that will keep your ankles supported on such a long day.
Get the height right
The height of your wedding shoes is so important as you will need to get your dress altered to the exact length to suit your shoes. Whilst a high heel is glamorous you need to consider how easy they are to walk in - you don't want to be stumbling down the aisle! Plus you'll find a large heel puts more and more pressure on your toes as the day goes on and you need to be ready for the evening's dancing. A medium heel or low kitten heel is a safe bet, but there's no reason why you can't wear a flat ballerina pump instead. If your husband-to-be is a little on the short side, wearing flat shoes will ensure you don't tower over him in your wedding photos.
Contrasting or complementary colour
It's traditional to match the colour of your shoes with your dress. If you go for this approach make sure you get an exact match, be it pure white, ivory, cream or any other variants on the classic bridal colour palette. However, if you're going for more of a contemporary look you could go for a colour from the wedding theme instead. As well as looking more funky, it may mean that you get to wear your shoes more often, rather than relegating them to the back of the wardrobe when your big day's done and dusted.
Fabulous fabrics
Silk or satin covered shoes are a traditional choice for brides, but white or cream leather wedding shoes are another versatile option. For brides on a budget there's no reason why you can't wear synthetic shoes as long as they're comfortable. [via]
No matter how much you fall in love with a pair of shoes at first sight, it's important not to impulse buy on such an important item of footwear. Before you buy, here are some of the aspects you need to think about:
Comfort is key
Although of course you want to look fabulous on your wedding day, you really don't want painful shoes to ruin your enjoyment. Make sure you find a pair that don't pinch or squash your toes - under no circumstances try to squeeze into the wrong size just because you love the style. If you're not sure of your width fitting it's really worth measuring yourself as it may be that you need wide fitting shoes. If so don't worry, there are some beautiful wide fitting bridal shoes available that will be sure to keep you comfy.
Find your style
There are so many different styles of bridal shoes available so it's really a matter of what best complements your dress and personal style. Court shoes and sandals are both popular, or for the best of both worlds you could choose a slingback that will give you the look of a closed-toe shoe with the adjustability of a sandal at the heel. If you have a traditional wedding dress, a lace up Victorian style boot is a quirky option that will keep your ankles supported on such a long day.
Get the height right
The height of your wedding shoes is so important as you will need to get your dress altered to the exact length to suit your shoes. Whilst a high heel is glamorous you need to consider how easy they are to walk in - you don't want to be stumbling down the aisle! Plus you'll find a large heel puts more and more pressure on your toes as the day goes on and you need to be ready for the evening's dancing. A medium heel or low kitten heel is a safe bet, but there's no reason why you can't wear a flat ballerina pump instead. If your husband-to-be is a little on the short side, wearing flat shoes will ensure you don't tower over him in your wedding photos.
Contrasting or complementary colour
It's traditional to match the colour of your shoes with your dress. If you go for this approach make sure you get an exact match, be it pure white, ivory, cream or any other variants on the classic bridal colour palette. However, if you're going for more of a contemporary look you could go for a colour from the wedding theme instead. As well as looking more funky, it may mean that you get to wear your shoes more often, rather than relegating them to the back of the wardrobe when your big day's done and dusted.
Fabulous fabrics
Silk or satin covered shoes are a traditional choice for brides, but white or cream leather wedding shoes are another versatile option. For brides on a budget there's no reason why you can't wear synthetic shoes as long as they're comfortable. [via]