Choosing Your Wedding Day Shoes

At the top of your list of bridal accessories to choose is footwear. Whether this choice is an easy one, or one you’re not quite prepared to make, there are four things you should take into consideration before you fall in love with a pair of shoes for your wedding day.

• Comfort.

An obvious one, but one to be taken seriously nonetheless. You’ll be in your wedding day shoes for 12+ hours, so finding a pair you’ll want to keep on all day and night  is absolutely imperative. If heels are killer but you want to have them, consider adding cushion to the heels or soles and taking the height down from a six inch stiletto to a more comfortable three or four inches. Most importantly, no matter the type of shoes you choose, break them in ahead of time! Doing this before you put them on for your big day will save your feet a lot of pain.

Fashion.

Your shoes will peek out from under your dress throughout your wedding day, which is exactly what you want. Your shoes are just as important in representing your personal style as your dress, and the best accessory to your gorgeous gown. Don’t be afraid to choose the color and design that you love most. Girly, bright, studded, jeweled or pastel; there is no wrong style for your big day. You may even opt to customize shoes in your wedding colors for the whole wedding party as gifts, which is a double win for checking two things off your list at once! As long as you let your personal style reflect in your footwear, you’ll look and feel great all day.

Alterations.

Your shoes will be a factor to consider when altering your dress, so finding your dress first is a good way to guide your footwear decision. The length of your dress will need to be altered to work with your shoes. Will the shoes you have your eye on require alterations that are within your budget? If your dress has a lot of draping detail or delicate material such as lace or tulle, you’ll want to steer clear of any shoes that might catch on those details and cause disaster. Your dress is perfect for you and your shoes should compliment that perfect combination.

Movement.

It might be the understatement of the year to say that you’ll want to be able to move in your shoes. Consider where you’ll be walking. If the ceremony is outside with the potential for uneven ground and unexpected obstacles, skipping the stilettos for wedge heels or flats might just be the way to go. Another potential issue could arise while dancing. Soles that are too sticky could make your movements look clumsy. However, soles that are too slick could lead to disaster on the dance floor. No matter how cute the shoes are, if you can’t move freely in them they aren’t worth your time.

Bringing together comfort, consideration for outside factors and your personal style is the key to finding the perfect shoes for your perfect day.

For more helpful information leading up to your big day, please join us at The Longbranch on Sunday, March 22nd from 11:00am until 3:00pm in the Grand Ballroom for our Before The “I Do” Wedding Expo. This event is FREE to attend and will feature local vendors from the Cedar Rapids area ready to help you at any stage in your wedding planning. We can’t wait to see you there!