So many brides spend most of their premarital time focused on choosing the perfect wedding dress for their big day. Hours are spent trying on different styles, you dream about lace and tulle for months, and finally you pick the dress that you think will make the groom cry the most. You get to a week before the wedding, pull out that shoe box, and realize you hate the shoes you picked out for your wedding.

Maybe they kill your feet, or the heel is too high so now your dress looks weird, or it’s too low and you are tripping over your train. Whatever the reason, it happens all the time. Shoes are usually an impulse buy. “Oh, those are cute” and the credit card comes out. Brides spend an average of 2 to 5 months to pick out a wedding dress, and approximately 3 Google searches to pick their shoes (okay maybe I made up the last fact). After brides make this important wedding purchase, the shoes are forgotten, and not remembered again until very close to the wedding day. Hence, not in time to get a wedding dress altered to fit your shoes. Also, not enough time to get a new pair online, so you are left with limited options, sometimes at outrageous prices.

With all of that in mind, we have created six tips to help you pick out your perfect wedding shoes.

1. Start shopping for wedding shoes BEFORE your wedding dress and bring them with you each time you go to try on dresses. This makes alterations much easier because you already know your heel height and you probably won’t grow taller before your wedding. You will be able to see what the standard length of each wedding dress looks like with your shoes and won’t be surprised when you pair them together on your big day. It also helps with color matching.

2. Wear your shoes around inside for at least 4 hours. Wear them when you are active indoors, like cleaning or walking back and forth to do laundry, not when you are on the couch binge watching The Bachelor. Keep it indoors to protect against staining and scuffing, but really try to get a feel for what it will be like to wear your wedding shoes for an extended amount of time. You have a wedding and a reception to get through and dancing the night away with blistered heels isn’t fun for anyone.

3. Keep your venue in mind. If you are having an outdoor wedding, get wedding shoes with a thicker heal. Stilettos can sink into the ground very easily and this makes it very hard to walk down the aisle. If you are having a beach wedding, heels in general are probably not a great decision for the ceremony. Try some cute sandals, or even barefoot with some trendy barefoot sandals. If you are doing a combination indoor/outdoor, why not spring for 2 pairs of wedding shoes?

4. Buy the non-slip pads. You have no idea how difficult it is to get up after falling in a wedding dress, no matter what style dress, until it happens to you. Buy the non-slip pads that stick to the bottom of your shoes. Even shoes marked “non-slip”. This somewhat protects you from slipping in the event of rain, spilled drink, slippery tile, and even a drunken bridesmaid collision. It also helps when you are the bride that doesn’t walk in heels often. The extra traction helps prevent looking like a baby calf walking for the first time. It’s totally worth the few bucks.

5. Buy online. White heels are not found all over the mall, and big wedding chain stores usually charge inflated prices for wedding shoes. Which really seems ridiculous considering that if the shoes were any other color they would probably sell for one-third the price. But, they are white or ivory, maybe even have some bling, and are deemed bridal shoes, so be prepared to be overcharged. Online you have many more options, and shoes are not judged by color or occasion. You can usually order 3 pairs online for the price of 1 pair in store. Just be sure to account for shipping and processing. It is not advisable to wait until a week before your wedding to order your shoes. If ordering online, start shopping at least 4 months before the wedding day. This should provide plenty of time to replace shoes if you have a change of heart.

6. How tall is your Groom? You are marrying your future husband because you love and adore him…short or tall, doesn’t matter. Well, it might not matter in your relationship, but you may want to consider it when it comes to your wedding pictures. Some height differences can’t be helped, but if your guy is 3 inches taller than you and you go for those 5-inch heels you could regret it. Most guys don’t like looking smaller than their female counterparts, whether they admit it or not. In nature, several species exist where females are generally larger than males, humans are not one of those species. While the thought could be considered shallow and superficial, it is still worth taking time to consider how you and your groom feel about whatever height difference your heels create. These are pictures you will both look at for the rest of your life.

I hope that our tips have provided some good insight on how important wedding shoes are. They may not be a main focus of wedding fashion, but they do affect many aspects of your wedding and overall bridal look. They also can make or break your reception celebration involvement. We take shoes very seriously.

At Solid Charm, we believe every part of wedding fashion is important, from veils to shoes. We work hard to provide a great selection of wedding supplies and apparel, so we can continue being every brides one stop wedding shop.