The Must-Read Guide to Wedding Shoes
During bridal appointments and alteration fittings we receive a lot of questions on wedding shoes. Below are some of our most frequently asked questions. We will do our best to keep this page updated with links to all the shoes we are loving from each season. We hope you enjoy our wedding shoe guide!
All wedding shoes within our blog have been thoughtfully curated by The Bridal Finery Team. Some of the shoes include affiliate links. If you buy your wedding shoes through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.
For Bella Belle Shoes receive 10% off using Code: BR4LRFNR420
Closed-Toe or Open-toe Wedding Shoes?
With our boutiques being in Florida, this is one of our most commonly asked questions. Of course a closed-toe wedding shoe is recommended for cooler climates; however, for warmer wedding days, open-toe shoes are the norm. For black-tie weddings, closed-toe shoes are little more expected, but not a must. I recommend keeping an open mind on closed-toe and open-toe shoes. Comfort and overall style should way heavier on the decision. Before you go shoe shopping, take a look at your collection of dressy shoes in your closet. Do you tend to have more closed-toe shoes or open-toe? After your wedding dress is hemmed, it’s normal to only see the tips of your shoes just when you’re walking. We like to share this information for our brides that are worried about the style of their shoes or toes showing!
Block ivory shoes with bow
White wedding shoes with a bow strap
silk white satin wedding shoes
pointed toe heels with bow detail
Pearl bridal shoes with peep toe
Closed-toe wedding shoes
Satin Heel Shoes with Beaded Strap
Block heel sandal with bridal bow
What heel do you recommend for all day wear?
In my personal experience with shoes, it’s always been way more about the way the shoe is made than the actual heel height. I like my heels though. I’m 5’6” and wish I could be taller! For some brides, going for a flat wedding shoe is the best option. It will provide you with the most comfort. When I was shopping for my wedding shoes, I ruled out flats because I tend to stand with better posture in heels. I feel more dressed up and for the special occasion that was important to me. If you cannot stand to be in heels for hours, then I recommend wearing flats. Starting off with a tall wedding shoe and then dropping down to a lower wedding heel, will make the dress too long at the reception. It’s not possible to hem the dress for both heel heights.
lace pump with ankle strap
Dolce Vita Pearl wedding heels
White Bridal Mules with a block heel
Closed-toe Bridal Heel with Flower Detail
low slingback beaded heel
Off-White wedding shoe for brides
Bridal heel with pearls and rhinestones
Wedding heels with organza strap
Is it okay to wear flats to the wedding ceremony?
Yes, wear what you wish! There’s no rules with shoes! The way you hem your dress will be up to you. Traditionally, seamstresses will hem the dress to right above the floor. You won’t see your wedding shoes when you are standing at the altar; however, when you step forward you will see the toe of the shoe. Style wise, the toe of the shoe will matter way more than the heel of the shoe. Some of my brides prefer flats for comfort or because their fiancé’s height. In the past, wedding flats were not the cutest; therefore brides were hesitant to wear them. Throughout the years, the wedding flat shoe options have really improved and I’ve seen several of my brides go for a fun, comfortable flat. The choice will always be yours, and realistically, you can more than likely get away with wearing flats without anyone noticing.
We asked our Instagram fans if they prefer flats or heels for wedding day. Out of the 180 votes, 16% said flats and 84% said heels.
Ivory with Pearl wedding flats
Beaded bridal flat by Bella Belle
Blue Bridal Flats with Floral Embroidery
Closed-Toe Beaded bridal flats
Bridal Fashion Tip: Think of Your Wedding Shoes as an accessory!
When you think of your bridal look automatically you think of your dress. What next? Earrings, a crown, a bracelet and then maybe top the look off with a veil? Finding shoes for your wedding is no small feat. Don’t forget about them! Unless you change your shoes after your ceremony, they’re with you for the long haul, babe. Choose wisely. Do you love them? Are they comfy? Do they make the statement you want them to? Whether you go with a block heel, stilhetto or sensible flat make sure that your wedding shoe is an accessory you’re excited about!
Need to finish your wedding day look? Visit our online shop! We have robes, lingerie and bridal jewelry available!
If you live in Florida consider making an appointment to visit our Orlando Bridal Shop. Don’t live locally but want to be styled professionally? Book a virtual accessories appointment with one of our expert stylists.
Gucci wedding block heels
Ivory bridal shoes with bow and jewels
white Butterfly Pumps for Wedding
Wedding Heels with Butterflies
Should wedding shoes have lace, beading, or be clean?
Oh yes, one of my favorite questions. This is where the style advice comes in! You’ll probably hear a mixture of feedback on this even amongst the stylists at The Bridal Finery. We have different opinions and so it’s good to ask the team to receive other ideas as well. I love when the shoes match the hem! If the hem is sparkly, then go for a statement sparkly shoe. If the dress is a clean satin or crepe fabric, then consider a clean pump or open-toe or a soft lace. If the dress is lace, try out a lace shoe. If you can’t find a fabric that matches well with the dress, then your safest bet is to do a clean shoe. The only time to consider not doing a clean shoe is if you are outside for your ceremony and reception. The shoes may get super dirty; therefore, they may be a one time wear.
White open-toe bridal shoe with Ribbon
Open toe Bow Wedding Heels
Ivory Lace Wedding Heels with Pearl
Simple white wedding heels with Pearls
Closed-toe Kitten heel with Crystal detail
White Wedding shoes with Ruffle and Pearls
wedding pumps with Floral Embellishments
Pearl wedding platform Heels
What color wedding shoes should I wear to my wedding?
Maybe I’m basic, but I love a color matching shoe. If you are doing a color, consider a soft blue for your “something blue”. Something blue is one of the oldest wedding traditions and represents fidelity. I’m a sucker for a dove blue shoe! If you are wanting a trendy touch, take a look at the Pantone colors of the year to get wedding shoe color inspiration. Since the shoes are not super visible, this might be your time to incorporate that super trendy element to your wedding day. If you are color matching the shoes to your wedding dress, I recommend sticking with a bridal brand. A shoe brand that focuses heavily on weddings always have better shades of white, off white, and ivory. Check the return policy on the shoes and bring them into your first fitting to see if the color is right. Depending on the designer, we might be able to order a swatch of your dress so you can color match at home.
dusty blue wedding shoes with floral
Pink Satin Wedding Shoes with Bow
Pale Blue Open-Toed wedding heels
bridal heels with tulle bow at the ankle
Yellow wedding Heels with Bows
Light Pink satin wedding heels
Baby Blue wedding shoes with a bow
Emerald Green wedding heels
How Much Does an Average Bride Spend on Wedding Shoes?
Your price range is definitely something to consider when picking out your wedding shoes as designer bridal shoes can be well over $1,000 with other bridal shoe brands ranging from about $100-$300. Both ends of the price range have great options for every bride. I love the classic designer brands and have swooned over the designer shoes that our brides have chosen for their dresses as well as the more affordable shoes, too! If you are looking for a reason to splurge on your wedding shoes, a good excuse is that you can absolutely wear them more than once. If you can’t fathom bending your budget for wedding shoes that you feel like won’t be seen much or you’ll only wear once, we understand that too! Regardless, I recommend shopping around all brands, price ranges, and styles, and trying on different shoes at your dress fittings to decide which shoes look the best and are the most comfortable.
White Strap Wedding Platforms
Closed-Toe Lace Bridal Kitten Heels
Bridal Pumps with Crystal Ankle Strap
Lace Peep Toe Wedding Heels
New Wedding Shoe Trends
In true Pinterest fashion, what kind of guide would this be if we didn’t update and include all of the latest trends we’re seeing?!
Recently a lot of our brides have been in Badgley Mischika shoes. They have a wide variety of shoe types and heel height! We love the way the shoes look with the dress and our brides say they’re pretty comfy!
Satin wedding Stilettos with Bow
Wedding heels with beaded straps
wedding Block Heel with Tulle Bow
Bridal Stiletto with Crystal Bow
Another trend we’re loving is a twist on the classic reception shoe twist! It is not uncommon for brides to ditch their heels for sneakers or flats when its time to bust a move on the dance floor. Lately we’ve been seeing brides bring in Converse, Keds and Air Forces!
White Air force 1 Sneakers
Keds x Kate Spade bridal shoe
Leather Platform converse
Pearl wedding sneakers
What are the most popular shoe brands brides wear?
One of our most favorite shoe brands to recommend to our brides is Bella Belle. Remember we have the special code for our brides too! We love these shoes for all day comfort, price point, and colors. The Bella Belle team makes it easy to shop and they always ship out the shoes quickly. For a splurge shoe a bridal designer brand like Monique Lhuillier and Galia Lahav are certainly worth a look. Here are other shoe brands we see our brides wearing: Badgley Mischka, Jimmy Choo, Harriet Wilde, Christian Louboutin, and Stuart Weitzman. Brides spend $100 - $1,000 on their shoes.
Watch our YouTube Video about comfortable wedding shoes below!
Enjoy a discount code for Bella Belle Wedding Shoes!
Receive 10% off at Bella Belle Shoes with code: BR4LRFNR420
