T here’s more to your wedding look than the dress. Your footwear is one of the most essential elements of your bridal outfit. It’s the personalized pumps or head-turning heels that help you to strut your stuff down the aisle.
A great pair of custom wedding shoes are a statement, not just about who you are, but what your relationship is all about too. Choosing heels in the right color, style, and with a few meaningful extra touches, ensures you can step into your new life on the right foot.
So, where do you start with getting a custom-made wedding & bridal shoes that are just perfect for you?
We’re going to cover everything you need to know about creating the most important heels or flats you’ll ever wear.
The Struggle: Finding The Perfect Bridal Shoe
Women frequently talk about the challenges of shopping for the perfect wedding dress.
Saying “yes to the dress” is rarely something that happens in just one day. You spend weeks browsing through catalogues, clicking on pictures online, and checking out gowns in local boutiques before you have an idea of what you might want.
Unfortunately, there’s more to picking out the perfect wedding outfit than finding the right dress. An entire ensemble demands the right accessories too – and that includes the shoes that are going to carry you down the aisle.
After the dress, your shoes are the most essential part of your wedding day look.
The right shoes accentuate your curves, show off your figure, and help tie your outfit together. You can even match your footwear to other meaningful accessories for the day, like your bouquet, jewelry, or a captivating clutch.
Your shoes will carry you through the most critical moments of your wedding and the right pair can boost your confidence as you walk down the aisle to meet your grinning groom.
When you’re enjoying your first dance with your new husband, your heels will give you that extra dose of elegance. After they’ve given you all the support you could hope for on your big day, your shoes also become a meaningful momento of your wedding experience.
So, why settle for anything less than perfect?
Why Custom Wedding Shoes?
For some people, the thought of buying custom wedding shoes is stressful and overwhelming. All the options may seem daunting, and it may feel like another big task to add to everything else in your wedding planning.
Bespoke footwear, however, can actually make your life as a bride a lot easier. Rather than having to try on hundreds of shoes, going through hundreds of websites and shops just to find something that works with your dress, you can have your footwear made for you.
Custom wedding shoes are one of the best ways to add an extra dose of personality to your wedding. They showcase your unique style while also sending an important message about your relationship with your hubby.
A pair of custom-made wedding shoes can transform your wedding. Not just any shoe will do. You want a shoe that’s going to represent all of the things that are important to you and your partner.
Custom shoes are also better for the planet. When shoes are made-to-order, we minimize the number of shoes ending up in landfills, contributing to environmental waste.
What To Look For When Buying Custom Wedding Shoes
Before you start splashing the cash on your custom-made wedding shoes, you need to identify which features are important to you.
While everyone has a different idea of the perfect shoe for their big day, there are a few things that you can’t go without.
Comfort
There’s a reason comfort is our number 1 feature – it’s so important!
Imagine spending the best day of your life, wincing with sore feet and blisters. Or worse, what about stumbling through your first dance when you can barely stand up straight?
Know what kind of shoe is comfortable for you before you begin searching. What styles usually work for your foot shape? Is your foot narrow or wide? Think about how much support you need around the heel and toe and consider different materials and heel heights too. The perfect bridal shoes must be comfortable.
If you’re concerned that you’re not going to be able to wear your heels all day, you could always consider investing in a second pair of flats. Just like having 2 wedding dresses, having 2 pairs of shoes have become a trend amongst brides. Besides, extra shoes will come in handy when your feet get tired.
Check out these shoes that brides have sworn to be comfortable
Quality
Don’t try to cut corners to save some extra money – or you’ll end up regretting it on the day. Cheap shoes simply won’t do for your wedding day.
A pair of good quality wedding shoes is expensive because they are made of only the best components and materials. Quality materials are indispensable to making a premium shoe. Look for shoes that are lined with leather so your feet can breathe. Take note, that even leather come in different quality!
A well-made pair of shoes provides better support and padding. Look for handmade shoes when possible. Handmaking shoes demands certain patience for the shoe to be made. It can take between 68-390 different steps before a pair is completed.
Heel Height
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer for choosing the perfect heel height. Different people feel comfortable in different shoes – it’s about what works for you and what you’re used to.
If you wear heels daily and frequently walk around in stilettos, then you can probably handle a higher heel on your wedding day. If you’re more comfortable in flats – there’s no reason to choose a heel for your wedding.
Custom-made wedding shoes are available in all styles, from wedges that offer extra support to lower mid-heels for those who just want a small boost. You could consider getting platforms if you want the height without the balance issues. Other options include:
- Kitten heels (thin or block heel)
- 3-inch heels (perfect mid-level height)
- Wedges (ideal for extra balance)
Style
It’s hard to choose a wedding dress that’s perfect for your style if you’re going for a traditional look. Fortunately, you can add a touch of your personality into the mix with your wedding shoes.
There’s no limit to what you can do with custom wedding shoes, from experimenting with materials to playing with different colors and embellishments. Custom shoe companies offer multiple options on every aspect of your footwear’s style.
You might go for a cage-toe sandals with a bit of sparkle on the front, or a classic court shoe with a burst of color on the sole and heel.
Color
Bridal shoes don’t have to be white or ivory.
If you’re getting yourself a pair of custom shoes, then you have the freedom to choose whatever colors you like. While traditional brides might want to go with something more subtle, such as a soft ivory hue and some gold or silver, others will want something more dramatic.
Your footwear could be an excellent opportunity to add a pop of color and individuality to your look. Get creative and match your shoes to your bridal bouquet or add a color that goes perfectly with your groom’s tie. You may even design yourself a pair of shoes to tick off your something blue.
Season
The season you choose for your wedding will have a significant impact on the style of your wedding shoe. Depending on whether you decide to get married at home or somewhere with sun, the weather will change what kind of shoe you want to wear.
If you’re planning on getting married in the winter, then you might want a shoe that covers more of your foot to keep you warm. Alternatively, if you’re marrying your husband on a beach, you need a bulkier heel, so you don’t slide into the sand.
Check the weather conditions for your wedding date and have a back-up plan in place.
Venue
There are so many kinds of wedding venue available that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. What many people don’t realize is that the platform they choose will influence the kind of footwear that’s most comfortable for them.
Stiletto heels aren’t a good choice for a rustic farm venue or a beach wedding. Flat shoes might work well on a field, but they won’t feel as comfortable on a hard floor if you’re more comfortable wearing heels. Take your venue in consideration when choosing materials for your shoes too. Experts don’t recommend satin shoes for an outdoor wedding. Leather shoes will be a better choice. Visit your venue in different kinds of shoe to see which one you feel most comfortable in.
If you can’t spend a lot of time at the actual venue, find a place with a similar floor plan or terrain where you can test your shoes.
Where To Get Your Custom Shoes
Now you have a list of all the crucial things you’re going to look for in your custom wedding shoes; it’s time to start looking for the company that’s going to make them.
As custom made wedding shoes grow more popular, there are plenty of websites and marketplaces where you can go shopping. Unfortunately, not all of these designers are reputable.
Most of the time, buying a bespoke shoe from someone on Etsy or your Facebook marketplace means that you compromise on quality, style, and comfort. There’s a vast difference between a custom shoe made by a professional, and a heel that someone sticks diamantes on with superglue.
Look for local cobblers in your area. But the cost may be very expensive, the styles and materials offered may be limited and they sometimes take up to 6 months to get your shoes made. In addition to this wait, you will not be able to visualize the final look of your shoe until your shoes are made.
There is a growing number of custom shoe companies online, like Shoenvious. These companies offer an online platform that will allow you to customize your shoes on their website and view the shoe design you’ve created. If you’re someone who is familiar with the pricing of custom shoes, you will find that Shoenvious’ pricing is more affordable compared to local cobblers as they serve a larger number of customers and are able to take advantage of economies of scale.
Working with a professional custom shoe company means that you get exactly the shoe you want. Look for:
Quality: Professional wedding shoe company will test their products for 12-hour comfort and excellent support. Your shoes need to be proven to endure walking, standing, dancing, and partying too!
Durability: The right shoes, made with professional materials, will stand the test of time. This means that you can enjoy your footwear long after your wedding day!
Professionalism: Beautiful wedding shoes come from dedicated designers and artisan shoemakers. Speak to your custom shoe provider and make sure that they understand what you want from your shoe.
Ease of order: Great businesses make it easy for you to do business with them. You should be able to design your perfect shoe with ease. They might have a shoe designer application on their website or an email address where you can get in touch with questions.
Commitment: Amazing shoes aren’t factory-produced or thrown together in a few minutes. The right footwear demands hand-made precision and dedication. We’re talking about 390 steps to handmade a shoe!
Affordability: Just because you want a beautiful bespoke wedding shoe, doesn’t mean you should spend a fortune. Choose a company that will give you a fair price without feeling ripped off. Custom shoes can be more affordable than designer brands!
Guarantee: Professional brands have invested years and resources to ensure they’re delivering a pair of shoes that is made to the highest standards and that fits you. Look for a size guarantee.
Ways To Personalize Your Custom Wedding Shoes
A great bespoke wedding shoe company will make it easy for you to get the shoes of your dreams, without the complexity. Finding the right pair of shoes for your big day shouldn’t be a nightmare.
The right designer will also give you the freedom to customize your shoes in any way you choose. This might include adding sparkle, changing the color of the shoe and it’s sole, or even including a custom embellishment. Here are some ways to make your wedding shoes more you:
Bespoke Inscriptions: Nothing adds that special touch to a wedding shoe quite like a special message on the sole of your shoes. With custom wedding shoes, you can add the date of your wedding, an important message, or even the name of you and your husband to the button of your footwear.
Custom colors: Consider matching your shoes with your hubby’s tie, your bridesmaid’s dresses, or something else with a custom color. You can experiment with adding hues to the shoe material, the sole, or even the heel of your shoe.
Embellishments: Embellishments on a custom wedding shoe might include a sparkly broach on the front of the toe or some shiny diamantes on the heel. Your custom wedding shoe designer will give you an idea of what’s possible when you’re creating your footwear.
Materials: You’ll be able to choose the ideal wedding shoe in the materials that suit you. This might mean using satin and silk or experimenting with leather and other high-quality options. Who says you can’t mix and match satin and suede for a truly unique pair?
A lot of women with small or very large sized feet struggle to find beautiful footwear. Some custom-made wedding shoes also give you the freedom to experiment with more sizes than your typical off-the-shelf shoe.
If you’re not sure which size is right for you, reach out to your custom shoe designer for advice. Most professionals will be able to give you extra guidance.
Why Stick With Just One Shoe?
Going down the custom bridal shoe route gives you access to hundreds of styles and materials – and it will be difficult to choose “the shoe.” But there’s always the option to have multiple pairs of custom wedding shoes for your big day if you’re struggling to make a choice.
If you’re the kind of bride that might have trouble managing heels all day, then it would make sense to buy an extra pair of flats for when your feet start to hurt. Although the best custom shoes are more comfortable than the ones you’ll find in local shoes, it will do your feet some good if you switch up your footwear.
Changing into a second dress and need another pair to match? Getting a secondary pair of shoes for your wedding day also means that you can keep one pair locked away as a souvenir in your closet and use the other for nights on the town with your hubby. You might even wear one pair of your wedding shoes to your following anniversary celebrations and valentine’s day meals to make them more special!
Get inspired by these beautiful custom shoes to get you started.
