White Jade Design Int'l

Finding The Right Shoes For Your Day

from July, 1999 Newsletter

People don't really think about it, but shoes are one of those wild card expenses in the bridal ensemble that can really make a difference on how you experience your wedding day! It's also something people put more attention to the appearance for and think less practically about. In other words, people usually forget that in a typical bridal gown, maybe only the tips of the feet are visible and go for glamour instead of thinking about the logistics of weddings: they involve several hours standing!

Perhaps because for most of us, weddings are experienced as a guest who sits most of the time before the dance, we forget that the bride and groom are busy as *** the whole day. There's the rush to the salon, the last minute forgotten errands and details, fussing over the site(s), the photography...you name it! A bride is ON HER FEET and on the go! It's amazing that people remember their wedding days at all, it's so busy!

Whereas most people realize that good work shoes are important and are practical for that, I don't see wedding parties doing the same. Or more precisely, the industry talks them into things that pragmatically are really not good choices in the name of being "bridal". Oh yes, we all know the marketing done to brides and wedding parties! Dyeable shoes to match the attendant gowns, satin and beads and lace and everything else that supposedly coordinates with the rest of the details on your wedding.

Sounds great, right?

Well...if you only have to wear those shoes for one hour the entire day, sure, that's fine. but didn't we just say that weddings aren't like that? In a typical wedding, after you get the gown ON, you have to spend 1 hour or so with your photographer doing the formals IN YOUR BRIDAL SHOES. After that, another half hour waiting, often on your feet while you check on that last minute something. Then your processional. Average an hour to two hours for your ceremony...you've now been in those shoes for about 3-5 hours and not gotten to the reception yet! Average reception is 3-5 hours.

JUST MINIMUM IN YOUR BRIDAL SHOES YOU'RE IN THEM ABOUT SIX TO TEN HOURS. listening to brides who have worn the "bridal" shoes, I found nearly all of them foot swollen and really not comfortable at the reception because their feet hurt so badly!

So what is a bride to do? Don't you have to getting bridal shoes for a bridal gown?

Well...no, not the "bridal" style. In fact the first thing to avoid is satin heels...for ANYONE in the party.

The reality check I see ignored is that on most bridal gowns the shoes aren't visible and to the extent they are, they are barely noticed!

Your discomfort in the wrong shoes is far more obvious.

The key to getting the right wedding shoes is to go for a happy medium. A lot of dress shoes are intended for professional wear...for the office. these feature flexible soles, wedge heels (don't want to break your ankle walking done the aisle), more reasonable and varied heights, and a wide range of comfort based features.

All you need for a white gown is a pair of white shoes! and most heels are also available in "bone" for the ivory dress.

For attendants, white works with anything jewel tone and lighter. black works with anything dark colored.

Perfect match is NOT the point. COMFORT IS.

And plain white shoes are an easy craft project to dress up! get a glue gun, 1/4th to 1/2 a yard of pearls, sequins, and/or edging lace per pair of shoes and have fun! There are lots of ways to dress up a simple pair of white or black shoes so the main shoe is comfortable pumps and the extras you glue on are perfect match to the gowns! Bows, sequin edging, roses, and outright covering a leather shoe with lace are all great ideas for turning your comfortable heels into bridal heels.

Also consider white or black patent finish on your heels! sometimes some luster is all you need to make your statement!

But the most important rule in wedding shoes is COMFORT.

REALIZE THAT YOU WILL SPEND THE WHOLE DAY ON YOUR FEET IN THESE SHOES. When you go shopping, make sure you feel so comfortable, you can imagine yourself doing exactly that.

GET THE RIGHT FIT.

And to avoid accidents, USE THOSE ANTI-SLIP PADS for the bottom of your shoes if it doesn't have much of a traction surface! Waxed floors can lead to falls otherwise!

As a model of my own work and one who spends hours in photoshoots wearing bridal gowns and bridal shoes, these tips WILL save your feet! I've had just too many days working where my feet were so bad I could barely stand for a day or two. IS THAT HOW YOU WANT TO SPEND YOUR HONEYMOON? I didn't think so!

COMFORT COMFORT COMFORT. And remember, any gown that's A line or fuller is going to conceal your shoes! Don't spend hundreds extra for shoes that won't be seen anyway!

And if heels are not comfortable enough, try casuals before tennis shoes, which I think WOULD be noticeable during a wedding.

One recommendation I'll give in this newsletter since comfortable shoes are hard to find and it's very hard if you have narrow or hard to fit feet. This is the company I've used for my size 8 AA foot for over ten years with good success and luckily they are on line now! I like them because they have the sort of comfortable dress shoes I think are best for weddings and are pretty reasonable in price too.

http://www.masonshoes.com

Check them out if you're having problems locating good shoes.