Choose a shoe style and fabric that complements your wedding dress, your personal style, and your overall look.

Your wedding setting and style are important in choosing the style of your wedding shoes. The basic style principle to follow is fancy shoes for simple wedding dresses and simple shoes for elaborate gowns. Simple wedding shoe styles can be worn with both elaborate and plain wedding dresses, however a simple wedding dress can be enhanced by more elaborate bridal shoes. An evening wedding and a glamorous gown call out for strappy evening sandals, a reception hall commands beaded mules and a non-traditional wedding dress will work best with non- traditional wedding shoes.

Silk or satin are the two most popular choices for wedding shoes, however your wedding dress and personal taste should have the greatest impact on the shoes you choose. The choice of fabric choice plays a major role in ‘look’ of your wedding shoes. Shoes made of fabrics such as lace, velvet, satin and silk are more delicate and feminine looking, whilst leather and suede fabrics appear more bold and off-beat. If you are planning an outdoor wedding, consider a more durable fabric as light fabrics such as silk and satin tend to stain and tear more easily.

Treatments and embellishments such as beads, sequins and embroidery add more drama to fabric wedding shoes. Rhinestones or crystals on your shoes are great with bejeweled or shiny, sequined dresses and beaded shoes are perfect for pearled dresses. If you decide to have both your wedding shoes and wedding dress to have embellishments, it is important that the details coordinate.

The bottom of your wedding dress is a good guide to help you decide which fabric to choose for your wedding shoes. Satin shoes work best with shiny fabrics and crepe shoes look great with wedding dresses with a matte sheen. If your wedding dress is lace, shoes with lace are the perfect choice.

Whilst your shoes should compliment your dress and the setting of your wedding, they should also reflect your personal style. A funky, trendy bride may choose wedding shoes with chunky heels-it’s your day, it’s your style!