Now that we’ve taken care of the undergarments, let’s focus on your feet. It is so important to buy comfortable shoes for your wedding day. That doesn’t mean unattractive, and there are ways to make fabulous but uncomfortable shoes more comfy. After all, you’ll be standing and dancing in them for over 6 hours so comfort should play a factor in your purchase.
I chatted with shoe expert Meghan Cleary to get some great tips and advice when it comes to wedding shoes. Here’s what she had to say:
First, let’s debunk some common myths:
NO – your shoes do not have to match your dress
NO – you do not have to wear white, satin shoes
NO – you do not have to wear heels
NO – you do not have to be in pain on your wedding day
Instead of thinking about colors and heel heights, think about what mood you want to be in for your wedding day. Elegant? Funky? Casual? Retro? Go with shoes that have something extra for your big day — an extra layer of elegance, a beautiful bauble or two, or a really fun color.
Once you’ve decided what shoes to wear, pick three days in a week where you will be at home doing some otherwise mundane task – vacuuming, reorganizing your closet, or kvetching at your fiancé, and don your wedding shoes. Not only will you put a little bounce in your step as you buzz around the house, and no doubt will also send you into a bridal reverie, you will simultaneously identify potential trouble spots, and break them in.
Comfort Tip 1
If you are wearing leather shoes, spritz your shoes down with a mist of water to get them a little damp before you put them on. Wear them until they are dry. This will activate leather’s natural organic give and let them form to your foot.
Comfort Tip 2
Tailor your shoes just like a suit. Identify any area that is the slightest bit painful or gives a rub – this will be a major source of pain after 6 hours of getting married, dining, dancing. So let’s prevent the pain shall we? For an area inside the shoes where it rubs, take a bit of Dr. Scholl’s For Her Rub Relief Strips and stick it to the inside of the shoe. This will head off any potential blistering. You can use Rub Relief strips for the back of the heel as well, and for the entire length of the shoe use DSFH open toe insoles—they have a soft velvety side and a massaging gel—you can use them in other shoes and they will not ruin the insides of your wedding day shoes.
Comfort Tip 3
If you are wearing ballet flats – please put an insole in – I know it seems like they should be totally comfortable but do not succumb to the ballet flat myth. Instead pop in a DSFH 16-hour insole. These are lavender and fabric and are very cushy.
Get more shoe advice and shopping tips on Meghan’s site: MissMeghan.com.
A note from me: Remember to score the soles of both your shoes and the groom's to prevent slipping. And one more thing: It’s okay for your groom to see your shoes before the wedding. He’s just not supposed to see your dress!
