The shoes that you choose for your wedding have to fulfill a lot of requirements. They need to be comfortable, beautiful, and work with your wedding gown. When high heels are not an option, some brides think that they will never be able to find cute flats; don’t fret, though, because there are actually some great styles out there.
There are plenty of reasons why a bride might decide to wear flat shoes for her wedding. She might be having her ceremony on grass or sand, and wants a shoe that won’t sink into the turf. If her fiance is not much taller than she is, many a bride feels like a low shoe is important for the sake of the wedding photos. Or perhaps you just want to be comfortable. In my case, one of my bridesmaids wisely pointed out that I didn’t know how to walk gracefully in heels, and my wedding day was certainly not the time to learn! (It was good advice – I went with the flats, a classic pair of Kenneth Cole white silk flats with a small tailored bow.)
Whatever your reason, there is going to be a pair of flat shoes that is perfect for your wedding. In most cases brides prefer to go with a bridal shoe in a fabric that matches the white or ivory of her gown; there is not rule, though, that you can’t be more playful with your wedding shoes. This is especially true if you are wearing a very full skirted gown, since your guests will really only be getting a glimpse of the shoes anyway. Go ahead and choose a flat in an elegant silver or gold silk, or really be bold and wear a bright red silk shoe (a peep-toe style could be adorable).
One option that many brides like is to wear ballet slippers. You know that you won’t have blisters on your feet by the end of the night if you choose this super comfy type of flat. Real ballet slippers (as opposed to a ballet slipper style of shoe) have very soft soles which over time will form to your feet. They actually are made in one shape – there is no right or left slipper – so you will want to wear them around the house to get them to conform to your feet (otherwise they look funny).
Not every bride embraces the idea of wearing a flat shoe for her wedding, especially those who are only doing it so that they will not tower over their new husband. Even if you are normally a stiletto lover, you can still find flats that are stylish and sophisticated. There are a few wedding shoes designers who specialize in low strappy shoes, like Stuart Weitman (also nice for the mother of the bride who wants a comfortable dressy shoe).
Plain shoes can also be customized to make them more special. If you find a pair of shoes that feels great but needs some pizazz, buy them, and plan to embellish them to coordinate with the rest of your wedding ensemble. Brides love sparkle, and many of them will add some crystal or rhinestone accents to their wedding shoes to go with their crystal bridal jewelry. All you do is pick out an element from your bridal jewelry that you really love, such as a small crystal flower, and stitch it to the toe of the shoe. This is a particularly great idea for brides who are wearing silk thongs for beach weddings. A little bit of sparkle will take the flip flop from casual to elegant.
Once you start looking, you will realize that there are lots of cute wedding flats available. They may not be as sexy as a pair of sky high heels, but when you are still dancing at the end of the night instead of limping like the bride who chose the stilettos, you will be glad you went with the flats!
