Comfortable Wedding Shoes - That Are Gorgeous Too - Part 2

Here is Part 2 in our series of about your Comfortable Wedding Shoes. You do not have to give up the beauty and dazzle to have comfortable wedding shoes. Read on to find how you can have your dream wedding shoes and enjoy your wedding day without aching feet. Fairytales really do come true.

Here are 8 more tips for wearing comfortable wedding shoes:

Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute to Purchase Your Comfortable Wedding Shoes

In our first article, Perfect Wedding Shoes – 5 Tips for Selecting Yours – Part 1, we recommended that you purchase your dress before you purchase your bridal shoes. This does not mean to wait until the last minute

Buy your wedding shoes well before your wedding day. You really need to have them on hand before your first dress fitting. You can take the time to shop for the perfect pair but remember the style and height of your shoes will have a dramatic impact on how your dress will look so you must have them for your dress fittings.

You’ll also want to have time to make sure they are comfortable, non-slippery and all the other little shoe-worries you can avoid when you have your shoes in advance.

Break In Your Comfortable Wedding Shoes

No matter how comfortable your shoes are when you purchase them, you need to break them in. Give them the time to fit to your feet and and uncover any long-wear comfort issues well in advance of your wedding day. Worst case scenario is that you will find these are not your ideal shoes, or that you will need a second pair for the reception. You can address all this well in advance of your wedding when you purchase your shows early.

One of the best ways to break in your bridal shoes without damaging them is to wear them around the house or even at work if your environment is conducive to fancy shoes. Walk around in your wedding shoes for short, then longer periods of time. Walking in your wedding shoes for these short (and increasingly longer) spurts of time will help them become comfortable for a long wedding day. You really want to know how long you can walk in them and how your feet feel after hours of standing, walking and dancing.

Most brides are on their feet for as long as eight hours on their wedding day, and just a quick shoe try-on will not tell you how the shoes feel. Remember no bride is happy when her feet ache.

Bring A Spare Pair – Change into Comfortable Wedding Shoes

If you are looking for comfortable wedding shoes, we found them. You'll love the look and feel of these shoes. Multiple styles and colors. #wedding #bride #weddingshoes — Gorgeous Reception Shoes

Wearing your glamorous high heels for the entire wedding day is going to result to pain, no matter how comfortable you are in your wedding shoes. So, what is a bride to do?

Wear comfy bridal slippers while you are getting ready. Change into your princess heels only when you are about to enter your ceremony or if you are having pre-wedding pictures. This may seem like overkill, but your feet will thank you later.
Bring a spare pair of shoes to slip into for the reception. Lower heels will be so much more comfortable and elegant than walking around in your bare feet.

Lengthen Your Legs – Your Shoes Change Your Wedding Look

For the shorter bride, who wants to look taller, avoid shoes with an ankle strap or those that come up high on your foot. While this really will not have a significant impact with a floor length dress, brides’ shorter dress styles will see more impact on their overlook as guests will see your shoes. And let’s face it, every short bride dreams of having long legs.

For us shorter brides, remember it may be tempting to pick towering heels to gain a little extra height, but you’ll only end up with sore feet and risk an embarrassing fall.

Slippery Shoes – Disaster Waiting to Happen

Slippery shoes and wooden or highly polished floors are a bridal disaster waiting to happen. As an officiant, I have seen too many brides stumble as they walked down the aisle or entered. All because of slippery shoes. So, wh1t is a bride to do?

The quickest and most reliable way to have traction on your wedding shoes is adding SHOE GRIPS. They are an inexpensive option that I use on all my wedding officiant shoes. Never again will I suffer the embarrassment of stumbling as I enter the wedding ceremony, I add them to the bottom of all my leather soles, then practice walking with the on as the do change the feel of the shoe when I walk. They brought a entire new level of confidence for me in front of wedding guests.

Turn Any High Heels into Comfortable Wedding Shoes

I wish I could give credit for this awesome shoe tip on Pinterest. I have seen it hundreds of times on various boards but have not found the original post. If you know who it is, please email me so I can give proper credit.

Insert a piece of lightweight padding between your toes as shown. Gauze or a cotton ball work well.
2. Counting from but not including your big toe, use medical tape and tape your next two toes together to eliminate the pain caused from wearing high heels.

I know it sounds crazy, but I tried it several times, and it really does work. Scientists tell use it has something to do with a nerve that splits between these two toes which creates pain when you wear high heels. I don’t know if the science is true, but the pain relief is very real. Try it for daily wear too.

Comfortable Wedding Shoes Must Not Be Too Tight

If you find your bridal shoes are just a little snug, but you love them, try putting on a pair of heavy wool socks, then slip into your shoes. (It will be snug, but worth the temporary discomfort.) Now blow on your shoes with a hair dryer set on high for about two minutes. The shoes will stretch just little and be much more comfortable. Now this won’t increase shoes an entire size, but it will give you a little more wiggle room. You can even do a few times for better results.

If All Else Fails – Relief for When You Did Not Wear Comfortable Wedding Shoes

Green Tea:

If your best efforts to avoid foot pain fail, and you are seeking relief for your aching tootsies, try soaking your feet in green tea. It is an anti-inflammatory that reduces swelling and helps reduce blisters. Pack a couple of green tea bags in your travel bag, so you are ready – just in case. You’ll be amazed how quickly the pain disappears.

BONUS Tea Tip:

Did you know that mint tea has properties that are awesome for calming bridal nerves? It soothes indigestion, heartburn, gas, and stomach aches. Take the time when you are wedding planning to sit back and sip a cup with friends and family. This chocolate mint oolong tea is one of my favorites. I relax just thinking about it.

Just a Plastic Bag and Some Ice:

Another easy tip is to pack plastic bags in your travel bad – quart size zip bags work great. When your feet are aching at the end of a long wedding day, fill bags with ice, put on a pair of comfy socks and rest your feet on the ice bags for a few minutes. It is not nearly as comfortable as the warm tea bath but can give short term pain relief.

Conclusion:

So there you have it. Part 2 of our tips about buying your perfect comfortable wedding shoes. In Part 3 we’ll shore two simple action to avoid aching feet on your wedding day- before your buy your wedding shoes.

First we share a simple formula from British Podiatrist Emma Supple that will allow you to calculate your perfect heel height for your wedding shoe comfort. It takes only a couple of minutes and you will use the results for a lifetime.

We’ve already shared the number 1 way to avoid wedding foot pain caused by wearing heels in this article. (See that great Pinterest Tip on taping your toes.) In Part 3, we are sharing 6 things you need to know before your go shoe shopping. Read our tips on how to know if your heels will hurt when you buy a pair of shoes. You really can avoid the pain!

Thanks to all the brides who read our unique (and sometime quirky) ideas.

Do you have your own ideas you would like to share? We would love to hear from you. After all you are the real wedding expert. When we use your idea in a future article or book, we will give you credit for it.

Forward your ideas and comments either by posting them in the comments or sending me an email.