How Can I Ensure We Don’t Slip on Our Way Down the Aisle Or On the Dance Floor?

Scoring your shoes is a must for both brides and grooms. And if your parents and bridal party are wearing new shoes to the wedding I suggest you show them how to score theirs too. It’s very easy: Take a scissor, ice pick or unserrated knife and draw a lot of lines in every direction on the soles. You should also make an “x” on the heel.

For your ceremony aisle consider skipping flower petals in the decor or limit them to the edge of the aisle because you can easily slip on them.

Remember that if you are wearing new shoes on your wedding day you should break them in in the weeks before the big day. In addition to avoiding any slips and falls you want to be conformable in them and avoid getting any blisters, especially if they’re too tight. There’s no superstition about the groom not seeing the bride’s shoes before the wedding so feel free to wear them around the house.

If No One Will See My Shoes Does It Matter What They Look Like? I Want to Be Comfortable.

There’s a scene in Father of the Bride (the Steve Martin one) where the bride, Annie, is ready to go to the church and she shows her dad her shoes underneath her full skirt -- they’re white sneakers with ribbons and bows. Her father owns a sneaker factory and had them made special for her.

You can wear any comfortable shoes you want -- ballet flats, flip-flops, decorative sneakers or even Crocs -- but remember that you’ll be dancing at your reception so you want to choose a pair of shoes that will stay on your feet as you twirl around the dancefloor.

It’s up to you if you want to wear a pair of stylish pumps for the purpose of a few photos for the album or wear comfy shoes all day and night.

If your wedding shoes will show because of the hem of your dress I would recommend choosing a stylish pair of comfortable shoes and forgoing the flip-flops or Crocs, except maybe if you’re getting married on the beach.

Is It Okay to Ask My Bridesmaids to Wear the Same Shoes?

You can ask them to do whatever you want but that doesn’t mean they’ll be able to do it. Not every shoe will fit each girl and the issue of the heel height is another variable that may not make your identical bridesmaids look possible.

If the dress you’ve chosen is long chances are the shoes they wear won’t be seen so does it really matter what they wear on their feet? (As long as the style coordinates with the formality of their dress, of course. ie; no sneakers)

For shorter dresses, where shoes will be seen, you can ask your bridesmaids to wear the same color but let them choose a style that’s comfortable for them, especially regarding heel height. Remember, they’ll be walking, standing and dancing for hours so they should be in comfortable (and complimentary) shoes.

This is why dyeable shoes were invented.

Shoesday

I know Shoesday posts are on Tuesdays and I'm not writing about a specific shoe but the idea of Shoesday in general.

Shoes are fun and they can be fabulous.  Let's face it, how many times have you swooned over a pair of shoes.  I even own a few pairs that I had to have even though they weren't comfortable or were a little too small or too big. (Yes, Dave I'm thinking of those fabulous bubble gum pink Christian Louboutins I had to have and wore maybe once.  They are so fabulous, just a little too small.  And they were on sale!)

Anyway, a lot of bridal salons carry bridal shoes in shades of white and ivory, but your wedding shoes can be in any color.  You're matching them to a white or ivory dress so feel free to add a splash of color to your wedding day look with a colorful pair of "bridal" shoes.  And with a colorful pair you're more likely to wear them again.  I've never worn my wedding day shoes after my wedding day,

I know off the top of my head that the blogs Santa Barbara Chic Blog and Merci New York both write Shoesday posts  but I'm sure there are many others.  Click on the "Shoesday" tags at the end of their most recent posts and you'll find all of their Shoesday content.  You're sure to find some amazing shoes for your wedding day or any day!

It's Important That Your Wedding Shoe Fits

I was a commentator at today's Wedding Central If the Shoe Fits contest where one lucky bride won an amazing prize package for her wedding.  The idea of the contest was 20 brides searching through 250 wrapped boxes to find a pair of designer wedding shoes that fit perfectly.

There were 11 pairs of designer shoes and when a bride found a pair that she tried on and thought fit she would bring it to the judges who would decide if the shoe indeed was a perfect fit.

As I watched each girl try on shoes I noticed that some tried to squeeze their foot into a shoe that was obviously too small or try to slide their foot back to keep it on.

When you're shopping for shoes for your wedding day make sure that you find a pair that truly fits you.  You don't want something too small or too big no matter how fabulous they are.  Remember that you'll be wearing them all day and night.  You'll be posing for photos in them.  You'll walk down the aisle in them.  And you'll dance the night away in them.

Once you find a pair that does fit don't forget to break them in in the weeks before your wedding.  Walk around the house in them to get used to them and remember to score the bottom of the soles and heels so you don't slip and fall on your big day.  You may want your groom to follow the same advice.

Heal Your Heels

I was at breakfast to day with Kelly Faetanini the designer of the Jewel by Priscilla of Boston this morning and she asked me what I blog about and as I was giving her some examples of my tips from everyday life the woman at the next table interrupted us.

She said that she had a wedding tip that she thought I should share:  She said that it's very hard for women to wear high heels to outdoor weddings where there is no floor and your heels sink into the ground - they also get damaged.

She didn't know why people didn't think they could were flats to outdoor weddings so they aren't constantly digging their shoes out of the grass or dirt or in rainy cases, mud.  Or why the bride and groom don't think of having a floor rented to help the situation.

I don't remember if I wrote about Sole Mates but they are clear or black plastic covers to protect your high heels.  I don't know how much they'll prevent you from sinking into the ground but they will help prevent damage to your choos.  Sorry shoes.   Sorry had to do it.

As for flooring.  If you are getting married outdoors it may be worth renting a floor, especially if the ground is uneven or extremely soft.

We went to an event in a tent where the only floor was the dance floor and it had rained the day before so the ground was soaking wet and muddy.  Of course I was wearing satin open toe heels and they were almost destroyed.  The heels kept sinking into the mud and the mud kept soaking up the front of the shoe too.  Luckily I have a great cobbler who saved them, but it was touch and go there for a few days.

Two Wedding Shoe Tips

So at dinner tonight I must have slipped, and caught myself, a dozen times at the restaurant we were at. Of course Dave wants me to throw at the shoes and I said never, I'll just be more careful.

To which he replied: Just score them before you wear them again, okay.

His favorite wedding planning tip:  Remember to score your shoes and your groom's before the big day so you don't slip down the aisle or on the dance floor.

And a related tip:  Dave bought new shoes this weekend and he called me yesterday to say that they were hurting him and he thought he would have to return them. But I reminded him that it takes time to break in shoes so wear them for the week and see if they feel better.

You and your groom should also break in your shoes before the wedding. You don't want to deal with sore feet and blisters on your wedding day. And it's a good idea to add extra band-aids to your wedding emergency kit in case your feet do hurt.

Shoe Rules

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!

Little Boy Shoes

When planning a wedding we always forget that there are men involved too. The groom, best man, father of the bride. But what about the little men who often steal the show with their partners in cuteness, the flower girl?

When selecting the perfect outfit for your ring bearer remember that he will need comfortable shoes. Like everyone else in the bridal party he has to walk down the aisle too.

Robeez has the most adorable line of shoes for boys and girls, from infants to toddler. These black penny loafers with intricate stitched detailing mimics the classic men's shoe, and is also available in brown.

Robeez has a wide selection of casual and formal shoes for you and moms to choose from. Their soft sole all leather shoes and booties will allow the littlest member of the wedding to wear them till he grows out of them.