Weddings can mobilize this hyper-enthusiastic side of ourselves that we didn’t even know existed. Underneath the dazzling exterior of romance lies a foundation of months spent agonizing over the perfect person-to-passed-appetizer ratio. Then you have the show-stopping wedding dress and all its fixings to top off this multitiered, fondant-covered stress cake. Even small items, like footwear, can be maximally important. Even if your wedding day outfit covers your shoes, you’ll want a comfy and sturdy pair to glide you down the aisle without tripping, and that’ll end up morphing into your dancing shoes.
Your gut may be telling you to prioritize function over fashion, but don’t let it stop you from being enamored with all things feathered and embellished. How high is too high when it comes to heels — and price, for that matter — and should I go for a block, kitten, or ballet flats? Your indecisiveness pre-wedding woes may have climbed higher than the backs of a 100mm pair of stilettos, but rest assured. We’ve only picked the best. Ahead, discover the most comfortable wedding shoes for brides that’ll successfully allow you to strut, saunter, and waltz through your nuptials with feet that survive to tell the tale.
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Comfortable Wedding Heels
Don’t let the fear of a skinny heel scare you away from wearing a pair on your wedding day. There are plenty of styles with comfortable soles you can dance around in.
Kate Spade Happily Slingback Pumps, $, available at Kate Spade
Sam Edelman Jade Heel, $, available at Revolve
Badgley Mischka Collection Carter Beaded Pump, $, available at Nordstrom
Comfortable Block Heel Wedding Shoes
Block heels are those loyal friends who are up for a fun but safe night. These shoes give you the height you’re looking for and will never let you down.
Loeffler Randall Camellia Pleated Bow Heel with Ankle Strap, $, available at Shopbop
Sarah Flint Wedding Parker Sling 50, $, available at Sarah Flint
Vicenza Love Struck Heels, $, available at Free People
Comfortable Low Heel Wedding Shoes
Maybe heels are really not your thing but you still want to appear taller when standing up there in front of everyone. Comfortable low-heel wedding shoes are the way to go. Low-heel shoes are the perfect medium between flats and sky-high stilettos.
Seychelles Neve Heels, $, available at Anthropologie
Bella Belle Shoe Embroidered Lace Pointed Toe Pump, $, available at Nordstrom
Sam Edelman Philippa Kitten Heel, $, available at Sam Edelman
Comfortable Wedding Sandals
Lightweight and airy, sandals are designed for the energetic bride that will stay on the move — talking to families on both sides, dancing with friends, running up the stairs to fix any makeup, and bolting straight for the dessert table.
Nomasei Pompeii White ADORA Sandals, $, available at Nomasei
Dolce Vita Ivee Sandals, $, available at Dolce Vita
Aminah Abdul Jillil Soleil Flat Sandal, $, available at Aminah Abdul Jillil
Comfortable Wedding Mules
DJ, don’t let the music stop. Are you tired of blisters from jumping up and down in stiff shoes? Mules will guarantee no back strap digging into your ankle. There’s no time to stop and adjust your shoe for this dancing queen.
Reformation Shereen Ruched Block Heel Mule, $, available at Reformation
Charles & Keith Blythe Bead Embellished Satin Pumps, $, available at Charles & Keith
Marion Parke Carrie Twisted Napa Mule Sandals, $, available at Neiman Marcus
Comfortable Wedding Flats
Are you a bride who invests in timeless pieces you can wear throughout the years? Opt for a timeless pair of ballet flats. The satin finish and embellishments exude that classy flair, which is perfect for a wedding. Plus, you can pair it with any casual wear after the wedding for an elevated look.
Miu Miu Satin Ballet Flats, $, available at Saks Fifth Avenue
Be Mine Wide Fit Bridal Acadia Bow Front Flats, $, available at ASOS
Badgley Mischka Saga, $, available at Zappos
Wedding location: Dallas, TX
Date: Oct. 5, 2019
Shoe choice: Glittered leather sandals by Jimmy Choo
How important overall was the shoe selection process for you?
It was super important to me, which is why it makes absolutely NO sense that I waited until the very last minute to nail them down. My seamstress couldn’t even hem my bridal gown until eight days before my wedding… Don’t be like me!
How did you know when you had found the ones?
Comfort. Comfort. Comfort. I wanted them to be pretty and classic, but ultimately I needed something that was well made, well balanced (with a nice pitch between the heel and sole), and didn’t cause blisters. I brought three pairs to my final dress fitting and the right choice was clear. Not only did the Jimmy Choos complement my satin ball gown, but I could also stand still the entire fitting without shifting my weight or feeling my toes pinch, even after laps around the showroom and a practice dance session. This was more than I have ever spent on a shoe, but I saved up gift cards from Christmas and birthdays for years in anticipation of this purchase, which made it a little less painful.
Did you switch your shoes at any point in the evening?
I brought my favorite pair of comfy Topshop sandals and a second outfit to the reception, but I never found a moment to tear myself away to the back and change. Luckily, my feet stayed happy and light in my heels all night. I never had to sit down or take them off or use a blister guard. I did finally change into the sandals for the after-party, and stayed on my feet until 3 a.m.
If you could go back and change the shoes you ultimately chose, would you?
No, I love the shoes I wore and I love that I can wear them again. These babies are staying in my closet as a joyful and glittery reminder of the best night of my life.
Photo: Courtesy of A Sea Of Love.
Jimmy Choo Minny Ankle-Strap Glitter Leather Sandals, $, available at Saks Fifth Avenue
Blue by Betsey Johnson Sage Evening Sandals, $, available at Macy’s
Charles & Keith Embellished Block Heel Sandals, $, available at Charles & Keith
Wedding location: Paris, France
Date: Sept. 21, 2019
Shoe choice: Block-heel pumps by Karl Lagerfeld (in off-white)
How important overall was the shoe selection process for you?
Similar to dress shopping, I romanticized the process a bit too much. And I severely overestimated how much time I was actually going to have to look for shoes (and accessories for that matter). So my shoes ended up being somewhat of an afterthought. I’m a fashion writer — surely I’d do all this research and give it all this careful consideration and deliberation, right? In reality, I was frantically scouring sale racks a few weeks before my wedding because I’d been so consumed with other wedding decisions (and life in general).
So how did you end up with these?
Since my shoe search came down to the wire, I truly selected the first pair that felt right and spoke to me in some way. Comfort was, in theory, my main priority and I wanted to be able to walk along the cobblestone streets of Paris without tripping or wobbling. Stilettos were out of the question but I wasn’t leaning toward flats, either (my husband is 7 inches taller than me!). Plus I just wanted to feel really feminine, and heels do that for me.
Did you switch your shoes at any point in the evening?
Yes, because by the end of the night they were downright murdering my feet. I didn’t break them in or wear insoles. But the only backup shoes I had packed was another pair of heels (wedding brain is real), but if I’d given it more thought I would’ve brought along a pair of Allbirds Breezers to change into. Instead, I just kicked off my shoes and went barefoot on the dance floor!
So if you could go back and pick a different pair, would you?
My instinctual response is no. Even though I didn’t have the most thought-out strategy, I ended up finding a pair of shoes that worked for the occasion. Yes, they could’ve been more comfortable, but overall they were about as close to perfect as I was going to get given the circumstances.
Courtesy of Minh Ha Nguyen.
Karl Lagerfeld Paris Sabrina Pump, $, available at Nordstrom
Nic + Zoe Carmela Half d’Orsay Column Heel Pump, $, available at Nordstrom Rack
Allbirds Tree Breezers, $, available at Allbirds
Wedding location: Washington, D.C.
Date: Oct. 12, 2019
Shoe choice: Crystal-embellished mesh and glittered pumps by Christian Louboutin
Did you have a clear idea of what you wanted from the beginning?
I have a pretty intense shoe addiction, so my wedding shoes had to be fabulous. I am one of those women who had been planning her wedding well before getting engaged so I basically had a short list of shoes before I even had a ring on my finger. I also ended up buying my shoes before buying my dress — so to say the shoes were important is an understatement.
What attracted you to this particular pair?
I wanted to look back at all the things I chose for my wedding and still feel like I would wear them years later. I also wanted something that would fit the overall look of the entire event. I wore this pair because they were exactly what I was looking for in terms of classic elegance which a touch of over-the-top glam. Pumps are such a feminine and sexy, sophisticated shoe and I loved that about them.
If you could go back and change the shoes you ultimately chose, would you?
I wouldn’t change them for a second. I kept my shoes on all night! They went perfectly with both my dress and the jumpsuit I changed into, and I believe when you commit to a shoe you’ve got to keep them on all night. These were honestly the cherry on top to a perfect ensemble and a perfect day.
Photo: Courtesy of The Madious.
Christian Louboutin Foilles Strass Red Sole Pumps, $, available at Bergdorf Goodman
Badgley Mischka Felicity Heels, $, available at Zappos
Nina Buena Pumps, $, available at Zappos
Wedding location: Water Mill, New York
Date: Sept. 21, 2019
Shoe choice: Hand-made acrylic-heeled booties by Lucia Cornejo & Firfina
What was the most important thing you were looking for when it came to your shoes?
I mainly considered shoes from the standpoint of COMFORT. I knew I’d be up on my feet all day and I’m not a high-heels person generally, so I didn’t want to spend my wedding day in pain. I was most concerned with the overall style and wanted to wear something interesting, unique, and slightly different from what most people would consider a “standard wedding day heel.”
What made this particular pair so special?
These are custom, made-to-measure, acrylic-heeled booties hand-made from Argentina. They’re white with mesh that wraps around my foot perfectly, they’re open-toed, and they have a 2-inch acrylic heel (the heel is pretty thick as far as heels go, so I was 100% sturdy). The soles were engraved with our initials (L & M) and our wedding date (9.21). Midway through the reception, I did actually change into Keds x Kate Spade glitter sneakers so I could keeping dancing non-stop, and I also gave my bridesmaids different versions of the sneakers in rose gold, cream, copper, etc.
If you could go back and change the shoes you ultimately chose, would you?
I wouldn’t change them for the world. I love how different they were and how they kept my feet comfortable all day. I also love that they were customized… I never wear customized shoes and it made my wedding day even that much more special.
Photo: Courtesy of @roeyyohaistudios & @dan_rystudios.
Raye Aiden Heel, $, available at Revolve
Raye Bardot Heel, $, available at Revolve
Cult Gaia Jila Heel Slides, $, available at Shopbop
Keds x Kate Spade New York New York Champion Glitter, $, available at Keds
Wedding location: Besse, France
Date: Aug. 25, 2019
Shoe choice: Ballerina sandals by Solillas
Did you have a clear idea of what you wanted from the beginning?
I was just really passionate about wearing flat sandals. I’m not a heels person anyway but the garden where we had the reception is very grassy and all paths have been made with pebbles and stone so heels were not an option for me. I even warned guests!
How did you land on this particular pair?
I’ve had a pair of the originals for a while and they’re such a great holiday shoe. The ones I purchased for the wedding had a lovely suede ankle tie which made them feel different to my originals and they were very fitting for the day. I should mention also the price! Super cheap (originally $79 and currently on sale for $27) and in the midst of wedding lead up, any sort of money saving/small spends I could get were an absolute bonus. They were just divine!
Did you remove them at any point?
They were SO comfortable, but I actually took them off after the food and spent the evening running around the marquee and garden in bare feet — ha! But I think I just got really into the rustic vibe of the day so the shoes were off… very Sandie Shaw of me!
If you could go back and change the shoes you ultimately chose, would you?
No, I definitely wouldn’t change them, I was so delighted with them. Really comfy and so cute. After the wedding we went on to Paris for a few days and I wore them whilst exploring for hours.
Photo: Courtesy of Sadhbh O’Sullivan.
solillas Solillas Ballerina Sandals, $, available at Office
Soludos Cadiz Wave Sandals, $, available at Shopbop
Ruanyu Espadrille Platform Wedge Sandals, $, available at Amazon
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