The bridal outfit is most important part of any bride-to-be’s preparation for the big day; it’s all well and good having a beautiful location and the perfect reception planned, but for most women, it’s all about looking their best and wowing everyone in attendance.

A wedding dress is naturally top of any bride’s shopping list, but there are also accessories, hairstyles and shoes to think about. Shoes can sometimes be an afterthought, especially if your dress will cover them, but they are actually the crux of any good bridal outfit. A beautiful dress can be completely ruined by poorly matched shoes, whilst having the wrong style of shoes can lead to that gorgeous dress dragging through the mud!

Style

There are a vast range of styles of wedding shoes available, with a number of considerations to make regarding material and design. The style of your dress should inform the style of your shoes, so it’s a good idea to know what you want from a dress before looking for shoes.

The most popular materials for wedding shoes are lace and satin. Brides looking for a more vintage look should opt for lace shoes, with some gorgeous lace designs available from vintage wedding designers. Satin shoes are incredibly versatile and will complement most wedding dresses, making them a safe option should a bride have multiple dress options.

Pump-style wedding shoes have become increasingly popular with brides, as they offer a versatile shoe that complements a dress without drawing attention away from it. Brides looking to invoke the ‘fairytale princess’ should opt for a T-bar style shoe, whilst those feeling a bit brave can go for a bridal sandal! For a stunning shoe that offers something a little bit different, try out a brogue-style shoe – these shoes invoke classic English vintage whilst also offering a great deal of comfort.

Heel or Flat?

Flat shoes were once a big no-no for brides, with heels seen as the be-all and end-all in bridal glamour. However, with thousands of horror stories from brides who’ve been on their feet in towering stilettos for ten hours, flats have become massively popular amongst brides.

Whilst heels will still be the choice of many brides, don’t confuse flat shoes with a lack of glamour. There’s a great deal of stylish flats on offer, with some of the best coming from vintage ranges. A flat well-designed lace shoe offers as much as a well-stacked heel, whilst providing a world of comfort for the bride worried about sore feet!

When choosing between heels and flats, consider the length of your dress.

Buy your shoes well in advance of the big day so you can have any alterations made – the worst thing that can happen to a bride is having her beautiful dress ruined by dragging along the ground because of the wrong shoes. Similarly, high heels can lead to that dazzling flowing dress you tried on in the shop barely touching your ankles on the big day.

Colour

This seems like the most obvious choice – the answer is white, right? Well, yes, probably. But that doesn’t mean you should discount some of the more unique colour choices on offer, especially if you want to make a real shoe statement on the big day. Rachel Simpson’s ‘Marilyn’ red wedding shoes are a perfect example of a ‘statement’ wedding shoe, whilst there are a wealth of glittery and sequin-laden designs perfect for the bride looking for a bit of extravagance in their shoes!

Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of Queens & Bowl, retailers of wedding shoes and accessories

Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of Queens & Bowl (http://www.queensandbowl.com), retailers of wedding shoes and accessories

Author Bio: Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of Queens & Bowl, retailers of wedding shoes and accessories

Category: Marriage
Keywords: wedding shoes, wedding accessories