Bridebook’s UK Wedding Report for 2017 revealed that brides will spend on average £1,329 on clothing and accessories for the day, which will include the wedding gown, a veil (if desired), lingerie, shoes and jewellery.
Some say that you should spend no more than 15% of the cost of your dress on wedding shoes, which would indicate that the average bride spends around £200 on her foot attire. Yet, you wouldn’t normally spend a couple of hundred pounds on shoes, would you? This is, therefore, all down to personal choice and, more importantly, budget.
So, the question you should be asking yourself is not “How much should I spend on my wedding shoes?”, but “How much can I spend on my wedding shoes?”.
Picking out the perfect pair
Open-toe, sling-back, closed-toe, sandals, sparkly, satin, high-heeled, flat… how important is footwear to you on your wedding day?
It may be that you have already selected a midi dress and need to find some shoes with the wow factor, or you may have come across your dream shoes first and want to base your entire outfit around them. Either way, you know what feels right, even if it goes against all the usual conventions!
For instance, there is absolutely nothing wrong with wearing a couture wedding gown and opting for some inexpensive heels to go with it in order to make savings, just as no one will judge you if you choose to splash out on some Jimmy Choos and team them with a high street bridal gown.
If you can afford it, however, then don’t hold back from buying a designer dress and shoes – it’s your big day and only you can decide what fits in with your budget and what doesn’t!
Stay local
Other things to consider when it comes to your footwear are:
-the length of your wedding dress: if you have worn a specific shoe to all your fittings, then don’t veer from this heel height as it could change the look of your outfit entirely or cause you to step on and potentially rip your seam.
-the height of your husband-to-be: as much as you’d like to wear a pair of killer heels on your wedding day, if you are the same height as or taller than your partner then you might to rethink your choice so as not to tower over him at the alter!
-how far you must walk: if you choose a venue with only pedestrian access or whereby you have to walk to a nearby church, then you may need to travel some distance by foot. Furthermore, if the location is rural, then there could be numerous surfaces that you’ll have to endure.
Should you go high or go low?
Cost aside, you may be wondering what style and heel height are appropriate for your day of nuptials. Once again, this is down to personal taste and how well you pull off a pair of stilettos!
If you are clumsy by nature or find high heels unbearable to walk in, then think twice about buying a pair of three-inch heels to get married in. Not only will you have to walk down the aisle in front of all your guests, you’ll also be standing around in them for hours and hours on end, plus you could wind up slipping over on the dancefloor like Bambi on ice!
If you aren’t too precious about showing off your glam shoes from dawn ‘til dusk though and are happy to slip on a pair of Converses or flip flops once the official proceedings are over, then you may not be as worried about the discomfort of unfamiliar heels.
Do It Yourself!
Last but not least, there are many other ways you can show your love for nature when planning a wedding.
Instead of wedding favours, why not make gifts from scratch or explain to guests that you have donated the money you would have spent to a worthwhile cause (this will have even more impact if it is to raise awareness of environmental matters)?
Come out unde-feet-ed by shoe dramas
Whether you spend £30 or £300 on your wedding shoes, it is important that you are comfortable with how much you spent, how they look and how they feel on!