The most comfortable designer bridal shoes
Finding the perfect wedding shoes should be fun for the bride-to-be! Ultimately, the most important thing is that the bridal shoes are not only elegant but also comfortable. After all, you want to enjoy the day to the fullest and without pain on your feet. Bridal shoe specialist Vivikka shares 9 tips on how to narrow down your choices to find the perfect comfortable shoes for your wedding.
Tip 1: Choosing the right model and shoe shape.
In the first step, make sure you've bought the right size. The wedding shoe should not pinch anywhere when you put it on. However, if it does, you will probably need shoes that are one size larger or have a wider fit.
Shoes are made in a shoe shop on lasts that are shaped like a foot. This virtually determines at the time of production whether or not the particular model will fit your feet well. If shoes are made on narrow, pointed lasts, but you have rather wide feet, the shoe will not fit you even if you choose it one size larger. So, the shape of the shoes may simply not be a good fit for your individual foot shape. For example, avoid pointed pumps if you have rather wide feet, because otherwise your toes will be compressed.
Provided you order your bridal shoe online, you will increase your chances of finding a suitable model if you choose ones with an open toe and adjustable straps. If the shoes don't feel too big or too small and don't pinch anywhere, you'll have a well-fitting one.
Our tip: If the bridal shoes will be worn for a long period of time, open-toe sandals are the most comfortable option regardless of the shape of your feet. This is especially true in the summer when it's warm. After all, sandals with open toes do not constrict your feet and do not cause discomfort, even if your feet swell slightly during the day.
Tip 2: High-quality materials make the shoes more comfortable
The materials used for the upper contribute greatly to the comfort of the shoe. Leather and satin come in different levels of quality, so you should look carefully at what kind of leather or satin your shoes are made of.
Leather instead of polyurethane (PU)
Leather shoes are more comfortable in high heels in terms of breathability and elasticity of the material. The reason is simple: leather is a natural product that adapts to the shape of your feet over time. This is especially important for shoes that need to fit perfectly.
Suede
The softest type of leather is suede. Therefore, suede shoes usually don't need to be broken into and are very comfortable for your feet right away. Of course, this is only true if they are not made with a hard lining like PU.
Smooth leather
Smooth leather can be very hard or very soft, depending on the quality and type of leather. Shoes made of sheepskin and lambskin are the softest types of smooth leather. Usually, this type of leather is used only by luxury and premium brands, as it is quite expensive and more delicate to work with.
Patent or mirror leather
Although patent and mirror leather look fantastic, they are the toughest types of leather and therefore often very uncomfortable. On your big day, you better stay away from them!
Satin
Just because satin is a fabric doesn't automatically mean it has to be soft. Especially satins from low-wage countries are usually very stiff. Low-quality satin can be recognized by its flat and smooth appearance. A very high-quality satin that is used for beautiful bridal shoes is Duchess satin. This has a very even and shimmery pearlescent sheen. It feels very thick, luxurious and soft and is often used for haute couture gowns.
Tip 3: The right padding in a bridal shoe
The question of the right padding is not so easy to answer in a women's shoe. Since women want to have a good feel for the ground when wearing high heels, the padding should not be too strong. However, no or too little padding can make the balls of your feet hurt pretty quickly. The best cushioning is memory effect cushioning, as it conforms to your foot shape and is more comfortable than regular latex cushioning.
To determine if your shoes have enough padding, you can simply press on the bottom of the inside of the shoe. Be sure to press down on the area under the ball of your foot, as this is where most of your weight is concentrated in high-heeled shoes.
Tip 4: Choose stable heels
As a general rule, the higher the heel, the less stable it is. But if you choose a block heel bridal shoe, for example, you can have a good and comfortable appearance as a bride all day long with it as well.
Flat heels
The lower the heel, the less important it is what kind it is. Don't worry if you're not used to high heels in everyday life. Even high-heeled beginners should be able to walk in shoes with heels up to 6 cm high without any problems. Even razor-thin stiletto heels are manageable for most women in such relatively flat shoes.
Medium heels
Those who wear heels occasionally will, with practice, be able to walk in nice shoes with a moderate heel height of 7 cm or 8 cm at the wedding. Medium heels give the legs more shape than low heels without putting too much stress on the feet.
High heels.
If you want a higher height effect and are used to wearing high heels, then bridal shoes with a heel of up to 9 cm are a good choice. If you want something even higher, you should look for a model with a platform in the front of the shoe so that your feet are not too stressed by the steep arch.
While high heels or stilettos look sexy and elegant, high heels are often very unstable and put a lot of stress on your legs, back and knees. However, with block heels, you can achieve extra height without compromising on stability. So, provided you want to wear heavenly high heels on your wedding day, we recommend you choose a pair of bridal shoes with block heels.
Ultimately, your choice of heels comes down to what height you're comfortable with, which ones are comfortable, and perhaps how tall your future husband is.
Tip 5: Flexible footbed
Flexible soles allow your foot to move more naturally. They give you a better feel for the ground, which leads to better balance. If you plan on dancing all night at your wedding, this is definitely an important point to look for when choosing your wedding shoes.
Tip 6: Break in your wedding shoes
The easiest and fastest way to break in your wedding shoes is to blow dry them with hot air until the leather is warm and soft. Be careful not to use the blow dryer too close to the leather for more than 20 to 30 seconds, or you could damage it. If you have a satin upper, then heat the leather parts inside the shoe.
Then put the shoes on with a thick pair of hiking socks and walk around in them until the shoe cools down. The longer you wear the shoes, the better it will conform to the shape of your feet. The stiffer the leather, the more often you should repeat the warming and break-in process.
If you have open-toe wedding shoes, you usually only need to break them in briefly. In contrast, closed-toe shoes require a little more time for breaking in, especially since they are usually made of harder leather so that they retain their shape better. For example, cowhide is relatively thick and tough and therefore requires significantly more time to break in.
Tip 7: Widen bridal shoes
If your bridal shoes are too tight and there is no other fit, you can widen your shoes with a shoe tree and shoe stretching sprays. How much the shoes can be stretched with it depends on its material and texture.
Note: Polyurethanes (PU) do not stretch, so you should check the material composition of the shoe in advance. Especially inexpensive models have a PU lining, which limits the stretchability of the shoe, even if the upper is made of leather. The same applies to an inner lining made of fabric.
For shoes with high heels, you can only stretch the width, not the length. The bottom line is that the higher the quality of a shoe and fabric, the easier it is to stretch.
Tip 8: Avoid blisters on your feet
Even though your wedding shoes may fit well in principle, blisters can form in areas of high friction - such as the heel. Luckily, there are simple solutions to this common problem. If you have dry feet, just apply some moisturizer. In places where there is a lot of friction, you can either apply some petroleum jelly or deodorant to protect your skin. If you already have blisters, we recommend blister plasters such as Compeed for instant pain and pressure relief.
Tip 9: Comfortable wedding shoes from VIVIKKA
Don't buy shoes for your wedding party that don't fit you properly or that your feet don't feel comfortable in. Also, pay attention to the quality and materials. In the end, this will determine whether you will wear the pair of shoes on other occasions after the wedding or whether they will disappear forever in your shoe closet.
If you are still looking for comfortable and elegant bridal shoes that will perfectly match your wedding dress, we recommend the models of VIVIKKA in the colours Ivory, Cream or White. The wedding shoes for women from our online store are all made of soft leather and other comfortable materials, so you can enjoy your wedding day carefree.
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