7 Tips On Finding Your Perfect Wedding Shoes

7 Tips On Finding Your Perfect Wedding Shoes

When you mention choosing your wedding shoes to your partner, you may see the eye roll take place. It is a big deal – I get it!

So how do you narrow your shoe choice down for your wedding day?

As a UK wedding photographer, I have photographed wedding shoes all over the country (and world!) and they all come in a different size, type, and colour because of various reasons. I spend many weeks of the summer as a Gloucestershire wedding photographer, heading all over the Cotswolds and area meeting my couples and a lot of great shoes! So I thought it was time to share my thoughts…

You have so many options for shoes such as wedding shoes that are flat, block heel, ivory, wedding shoes to wear on grass, wedding shoes by Vivienne Westwood or Jimmy Choo, colour blocks, boots, pointing toe, open toe, buckles, no buckles, lace up, ankle tie. You name it you can literally find it and wear it. So here are my 7 tips on how to choose your wedding shoes (from the journal of a Gloucestershire wedding photographer)

1. Cost
2. Colour
3. Dress Length
4. Height
5. Weather
6. How About 2 Pairs!
7. Fall in Love

 

1) Cost

Ok – maybe its’ the dutch in me, but I always start with the big “B” word – B–U-D-G-E-T. What do you think your budget should be? How important are your shoes to you on the day? If they are a big part of your day and you want to keep them to use again in the future then maybe spend more and buy a classic pair that will last for years (I ALWAYS think of the beautiful Princess Diana and her gorgeous shoes… classic!)  I photograph bridal details because they are really important to me (and you) as you have taken the time to research and find them. Beautiful shoes such as Jimmy Choo or Ted Baker.

If your shoes are just seen as something you have to wear for the day and you aren’t fussed about what they look like then set your budget a little lower.  Head towards Dune or even clothing companies like Next and Primark have wedding shoe options. Another option is to look for a pre loved pair. Who doesn’t love Facebook marketplace; the hub for amazing deals without leaving the comfort of your couch. Many brides will buy two or three pairs of shoes “just in case” they don’t get on with their shoes on the day. So you can get some great deals on beautiful high end wedding shoes at a fraction of the cost of buying them straight from the stores. So let someone else pay the premium and you get to enjoy the joy!

 

2) Colour

Are you colour coordinating your bridal attire? Will you be coordinating with your bridesmaids dresses or are you being more relaxed on what the girls will be wearing?  Are you after a colour that matches with your dress? Many shoe companies such as The Perfect Bridal Company can dye your shoes to match your dress perfectly.  Or maybe you are after a pattern such as Sophie’s choice. Sophie decided to match her bridesmaids dresses with a printed shoe. It was simply stunning and a fun part of her wedding.

3) Dress Length 

The length of your dress can play a big part in choosing your shoes. If you are wearing a tea length wedding dress, you can top it up with a killer heel in a colour that POPS. Something like a blue heel to be your “something blue” on your wedding day. Your shoes will be a statement and the talk of your wedding guests. If you are wearing a long gown, you may wish to use your shoes as a way to hide the fact you want pure comfort. This might be a flat ballet shoe or even a pair of comfortable heels made specifically to long periods such as the beauties from Pink By Paradox. A cute kitten heel that will keep your feet happy for hours.

 

4) Height

Girls I get you. Height is a factor whether you are a beautiful 6ft tall or a 5 footer… I am tall and I had the issue of not wanting to be taller than my husband. It was actually something he mentioned. I ended wearing kitten heels for the first part of the day and then I went for ultimate comfort and wore my Birkenstocks (My husband couldn’t believe I brought my Birks… bit comfort is too important to me!)

There are others who will be trying to add height, so choosing your shoe height is important. I have many brides who will choose two pairs of shoes for the first part of the day and then a second pair for the evening when height loses over dancing power!

 

 

5) Weather

We can all wish for the perfect day. Sunshine and dry ground, but it just doesn’t happen. We can’t control the weather. I always suggest to my bride’s in the UK to, “BE PREPARED”. We live in a wet country where the weather is as predictable as Trump’s Twitter posts. So do yourself a favour and take your mum, girlfriends and go buy an awesome pair of Wellington boots. Hunters, Joules or even a pair from Tesco can do the trick. The fun thing is, if you have to wear them you make awesome memories that you get to remember every time you slide on those boots for years after your wedding. So please do – just buy the damn things… If you get the most perfect weather just be glad you were prepared.

6) How About 2 Pairs! 

Who said you had to have one pair of shoes!? Who goes through a normal day and wears the same pair of shoes all day? I am constantly switching up my shoes for the activities of the day. Yes, ok you are talking about your wedding day, but you might be walking down the aisle, then drinking champagne on the grass, playing lawn games, traipsing through the Cotswold fields with your UK wedding photographer creating magical pictures and then dancing the night away. I think that is clearly more than one pair of shoes! So be good to your feet and spoil yourself. They don’t have to both cost the earth, but you do have to walk tomorrow.

 

7) Fall in Love – WEAR THEM IN

I love shoes… I have wayyyy to many (don’t tell my husband I have admitted that!) But I can’t help it. I walk into a store and instantly fall head over heels with a pair of shoes. I have to have them. I just cannot walk away from them. So when you are choosing your wedding shoes, fall in love with them. Or fall in love with one pair. Don’t kill yourself over a pair of shoes.. I mean you need to make it down the aisle without swearing silently to your feet for being so angry at you… just love them.

I also highly, highly, highly  (have I got my point across!?) recommend that you break in your shoes. Honestly, tell your partner to break their shoes in too. Do you know how many couples are literally limping around their wedding by the time they get to the evening because they have raw heels and sore toes… don’t do it to yourself. You don’t have to wear them grocery shopping or anything, but just walking around the house a little in them and breaking those shoes in will give you a more comfortable experience on your actual wedding day. By the time I am taking a couple out for a few wedding portraits, I have had guys who are grumpy because their feet are broken. So just don’t do it to yourself.

Ok!

So there you go… I know everyone is different, but I see some many UK wedding bride’s loving or hating their choices I thought it would be wrong not to share my thoughts with you. I wish you all the best in choosing your wedding shoes. If you are still looking for a wedding photographer who gets shoes, you know where to find me (I am winking at you!) Come and say hi. I would love to speak to you in more detail about your wedding photography and of course your wedding shoes!