Wearing high heel bridal shoes

High heel bridal shoes have always been a favourite choice for brides as they add instant glamour and elegance. Heels look great with wedding dresses as they elongate the leg and give the extra height needed for the full length gowns so here are a few tips for wearing high heel bridal shoes.

Take your shoes along to your dress fitting

The best way to be sure the length of your wedding dress will work with your chosen bridal high heels is taking the actual shoes you will wear on the big day to your dress fitting. This should prevent you getting your heel caught in the hem of your gown and tumbling head first down the aisle. If you haven’t purchased a pair already, try to take along shoes with a similar sized heel.

Get your feet and legs used to the heel height

When you buy your high heel bridal shoes, try to get a separate pair that is similar in style that you can wear to the office or on a few nights out. This will help to train your feet and legs to cope with the height of the heels, and will also show you whether you are likely to get sore toes or blisters on your wedding day. Wearing high heels requires a different way of walking and activates different muscles then when you are wearing flats.

Don’t overdo it with the heel height

Be practical about what you can wear, and remember your shoes will need to be comfortable enough to wear for the duration of the day. If you don’t wear high heels often, jumping straight into a pair of six inch stilettos is going to leave you limping by the end of the ceremony. If you have your dress altered to suit very high heels it will be too long for you to put on a pair of flats halfway through the reception.

Consider your partner’s height

It’s surprising how much height those heels can add, so if you and your fiancé are of similar height, make sure your bridal heels aren’t going to make you taller than him. It could be seen as old fashioned or even sexist, but most brides would rather not tower over their new husband in their wedding photos. On the other hand if you are petite and marrying a six foot tall husband, the bridal high heel was designed just for you!

On the dance floor

If you plan on a show stopping performance during your first dance with your new husband, make sure you practise the moves wearing your high heel wedding shoes. Dancing in high heels can feel very different to dancing in flat shoes or bare feet. Also, as your shoes will add extra height and your hold will be slightly different during the dance, it’s good for your partner to practise with the taller version of you.

Consider the surface you’ll be walking on

Think about the flooring of the venues where you’ll be holding your wedding and if necessary look for thicker heels or wedges for a larger surface area as well as extra comfort. If you are having an al fresco wedding reception you may well get yourself stuck in the lawn if your wear razor sharp stilettos. Similarly, you might make heel marks on a wooden dance floor.

Wearing the platform style shoe

There is a current trend for stacked platform bridal shoes, and these can give a lot of added height with a relative amount of comfort. They look fantastic with modern styled dresses, and on brides with medium to large frames.  However you might want to think twice if you are a very slim bride or you are wearing a delicate vintage gown as they can look too chunky and out of place.