Kelsey Tice Photography

Last week, one of my favorite photographers, Bobbi, posed the following question to brides: “If you could do your wedding over, would you have worn different shoes?” The reason that this question stuck out to me is because I DEFINITELY made the wrong shoe choice for my wedding day, and it was incredibly distracting! Yes, they were super fabulous, but they were super, SUPER painful. Presenting exhibit A:

image by Julie Cate

Now, I’m am 100% an advocate of unconventional/non-traditional wedding day shoes, and I did really love mine. However, I did make a few mistakes that ensured a very painful wedding day:

-ordered them a 1/2 size too small so they wouldn’t slip off
-didn’t bother to break them in
-wore them without some sort of gel insert, which would have made a world of difference

Because of all of this, I ended up with a toe that did not stop throbbing for our ENTIRE honeymoon… No exaggeration. This was especially frustrating because I had purchased a pair of flats to change into at the reception, but I was so busy with dinner, guests, and dancing that I didn’t get around to changing them until an hour before we left! What’s even worse is that the flats I had purchased were almost as uncomfortable as my 5.5 inch heels! Realllll smart, Kelsey. Brides, learn from my (and many other brides) mistakes! Don’t be scared to go bold & adventurous with your wedding day shoes, but be smart by taking comfort into account! Here are some of my tips:

-Buy the RIGHT SIZE! Don’t be dumb like me!
–Break your shoes in before the wedding day by wearing them for more than 10 minutes around the store.
-Consider buying a set of inserts for added cushion and comfort. Dr. Scholls has great options!
-If you are set on a pair of sky-high heels, consider buying a pair of flats to change into at the reception.
-Break your reception shoes in too!
-Assign someone to bring you your reception shoes, or you will get too busy to remember to change into them!
-If you need some height without the pain, wedges are a great option! In fact, I think my “wedge brides” are the smartest ones of them all! :)
-Make sure your shoes represent YOU! Sure, those dyeables might match your bridesmaids, but personality goes a lot further in photos!

Here are some of my favorite shoes that my brides have worn over the years!

A true southern bride is never without her cowgirl boots. :)

Heels with platforms are definitely the way to go if you want to add some height!

The perfect wedge from my first shoe love, Steve Madden… You’re quite brilliant, Devin. :)

Bethany’s shoes were vintage and totally fit her personality and style!

Ana wore an adorable pair of flats that complemented Joey’s stripped socks.

These heels had so much personality… Even the soles were hot pink!
This is probably the only good I’ve ever seen come from Paris Hilton.

And, of course, I can’t post about the perfect wedding day shoe without mentioning Toms! They really are the perfect balance between personality and comfort, and they even have their own wedding collection! If I could do it all again, these would be my pick!

Does anyone else have the extreme urge to go on a shoe shopping spree or is that just me? It’s probably a good thing I can’t drive in snow, or I’d be hitting up the mall right now!

Happy Wednesday!