After what seems like a lifetime of planning, it's finally the Big Day. Looking in the mirror, you couldn't be more pleased. Dressed in a one-of-a-kind silk organza gown with hand finished lace trim, the great parts of your figure are accentuated, the flaws hidden. Your veil is the perfect mix of tradition and sophisticated style. After painstaking test runs at three hair salons, you finally found a stylist to execute an up-do that will remain timeless. The makeup, just as you wanted: you, but better.
After two hours of photographs, the moment has finally arrived. The bridesmaids and groomsmen make their way down the aisle as anticipation builds. The music pauses -- a dramatic moment of silence. When the music starts again, you begin your journey down the aisle. With your father on one arm you begin to walk, or as a bride is supposed to do ... glide. But you don't feel like gliding. You don't even feel like walking. Instead of focusing on the room full of family and friends who love you, instead of looking to the end of the aisle at your fiancé, all you can think about is your damn shoes. The absolutely perfect wedding shoes that are at this moment, this very important moment, digging on the side of the little toe on your right food and rubbing on the heel of your left. Intense pain ... and you can't compensate by adjusting how you walk ... you need to glide like you are floating on air.
Do not underestimate the importance of having the perfect wedding shoes. And by perfect, I am not referring to how they look with your dress. That's a given. By the time a woman is getting married, she has generally mastered the art of selecting the perfect shoes to go with every outfit. By this point for many, shoes are an obsession. So here's what you don't know ... wedding shoes are different.
I was watching the Kardashian Wedding earlier this month, and two moments stood out to me. The first, when Kris says about Kim, something like "I hope she has comfortable shoes, it's going to be a very long day." For once, reality TV was realistic. It is a long day, and the comfort of your shoes plays a big part in it! The second, is of course when Kourtney stumbles down the aisle. I'm not suggesting that in this instance different shoes would have prevented the trip during her trip down the aisle. What I am saying is that you want to minimize your odds of having this happen!
Consider this: By the time you actually step down the aisle, you will have already worn your heels for several hours. If you don't take comfort into account as your number one priority, you will be miserable! If the shoes aren't completely comfortable in the store, don't even think about them. When you are on your feet all day, especially in heels, your feet can swell. On hot days, this problem is magnified. Did you ever notice that fabric shoes generally have little to no padding under the ball of your foot? Tip: When trying on shoes, consider getting them a half size bigger and bring a Dr. Scholl's or other shoe pad with you to give a little cushion and allow for comfortable movement.
Think about the surfaces you will be walking on. Is your aisle on grass or some other unstable surface? If you don't have a solid aisle, rethink how gracefully you can walk in a stiletto heel. Tip: A thicker heel is much easier to walk on, and generally it will be mostly covered by your dress anyway. If you must have the stiletto, consider getting a second pair of shoes just for going down the aisle, then change when you will be on hard surfaces for dancing.
When determining your heel height, consider your photographs. Are you much taller or shorter than your fiancé? The right size heel can bring you closer in height for photos! Think about how you will look together.
You will need to have your shoes before your final fitting. Be sure that you purchase them early enough to have your dress hemmed in them. If you are getting a second pair to change in to for additional comfort, make sure you have those early too so that your hem length works with both. Having your shoes early will also give you a chance to work them in and rough up the bottoms so that they are not slippery.
Finally, use your shoes to make a statement! Whether it's adding the lace from your dress, getting shoes covered in crystals, or perhaps they are your something blue...shoes are a great place to display your personal style. Oh ya, that's the part about shoes you already knew. So get a great pair of shoes, and get to your wedding, and step on it!