Weddingbee Blog

Aside from keeping my feet happy and having some style, I don’t have too many requirements for my shoes. Why would my wedding shoes be any different? I am not one to suffer for fashion. My high arches turn even sneakers into torture after a while. While I love my stilettos, they are not comfortable for all-day wear, especially when showing house after house or trekking across lawns. My favorite shoes are kitten heels and flats. They’re my go-to styles for sophisticated comfort that lasts all day. (I sound like an orthopedic-shoe ad…)

Penguins!

Before I even found my dress, I knew I’d wear flats. For so many reasons.

1. Every gown was the perfect length—no hemming required. If I wore heels, I’d have to order (i.e., pay for) extra length. Less alterations = less money = happy.
2. Comfort is king. The reception is five hours with three additional hours on each side of it. I do not want to nurse sore tootsies in the middle of our reception.
3. I’m tall. Taller than Mr. P (shhh!) by about half an inch. With heels, I’m over six feet tall. Neither of us cares about the height difference. In fact, Mr. P finds it sexy. And I love that he enjoys when I wear heels. I just don’t want to tower over him in our wedding photos.
4. Practicality. The “I dos” will be outside. On grass, flagstone paths, and patios.
5. I’m clumsy. Seriously, I trip up the stairs. It takes great concentration not to face-plant some days. Let’s not add heels and a long dress to the mix.
6. Comfort, because I’m stubborn.

Still, I found myself lusting after impractical footwear!

Prepster pleats

Very popular heart lovelies (hello blisters!)

Oh, Camille!

And then I saw these online. Instantly smitten!

Seychelles

Flats with personality and in a beautiful, neutral metallic with plenty of wear-again potential!? And!! The best part: they fit the style of my dress. I tracked them down, only to discover they were more than I wanted to spend. Yes, I know $80 is a pittance in wedding-shoe world. But it’s still a lot of money.

Source

Several months later, when the shoes were a distant memory, I had my shoe-kismet moment. A friend and I were on the prowl at DSW, scouring the aisles. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, but leather boots and flats with some support (near impossible, BTW) seemed like a good goal. As usual, the shoes I liked were gone in my giant, bug-squishing shoe size 10. So it was back to the clearance racks where the garish, hooker-ish, or otherwise odd shoes live. I think I let out a yelp when I slid open the Seychelles box to find my flats! In my size and color! Sixty percent off. Shoe serendipity!

So, until it’s time to break them in, they’ll stay tucked away just out of reach in my closet. (If you see me wearing them out, please scold me before I scuff them.)

I love a good shopping story! Please tell me how you found your wedding shoes. Did you have an odd assortment of criteria, too?