There are many details to consider when it comes to a wedding day look, from the veil down to the footwear.
Now more than ever, shoes play an important role during your special day. Once held to the standards of tradition and convention, footwear during weddings has evolved into another way that brides show off their personal taste and style. Modernity brings a harmonized blend of something old and something new as for wedding shoes with everything from sneakers and flats to pumps and sandals accepted in the chapel these days.
That’s why we took the opportunity to speak with Leslie Voorhees Means, co-founder and CEO of customizable wedding dress brand Anomalie, to get the low-down on which shoe styles are worth investing in for a walk down the aisle.
Voorhees Means, who worked in product development for M.Gemi before launching her successful brand in 2016, closely follows apparel and footwear trends for brides, both on and off the runway. Her expertise gives her a unique insight into the industry, translating into expertise on all things wedding shoes.
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Below, she shares the bridal footwear styles that are set to take center stage this year.
Wedding Shoe Trends: Customizable Styles
Following the same idea that Anomalie was built upon, Voorhees Means emphasized that more brides will be customizing their wedding shoes with unique touches like embroidered dates and hand-painted motifs. The trend follows that of stars like Hailey Baldwin, who customized her Off-White veil with the words “‘Till Death Do Us Part” for her nuptials with Justin Bieber in September 2019, and designs from Vera Wang’s fall ’20 bridal collection, which featured trains adorned with words like “I Do” and “Love.”
“Given the emotions and importance of the day, and also the fact that it’s going to be photographed, it’s very important to pick something that feels really special and unique to the bride,” explained Voorhees Means. “This is why I think we’ve seen this movement towards customization and personalized touches.”
Whether you’re looking to stay comfortable in laid-back sneakers or want a heeled look, there is a way to make every shoe unique to you, starting with a blank slate as your canvas. After that, you can choose to do a DIY element of hand-painted soles or using fabric markers to incorporate personalized details or you can leave it to a professional. Artists on Etsy as well as other sites use their creative abilities to construct shoes to your liking for the big day. Check out Ellie Wren, RoyalBrides and SparklesbyCharlie amongst others for help with your custom wedding pairs.
Wedding Shoe Trends: Instagrammable Moments
Voorhees Means also said that within the growing age of technology and smartphones, we see more and more brides taking to Instagram to post special photos, both leading up to and during the big day. Think images of wedding day heels posed next to invitations and rings or sentimental moments on the dance floor, all accompanied by customized couple hashtags in captions. Even celebrities like Hilary Duff and Zoe Kravitz posted moments like these to commemorate their weddings in 2019.
To create a standout look, choose a shoe style that offers can’t-miss embellishments, colors or fabrics. For a no-fail option, go with a classic red-bottom heel or try Bottega Veneta’s celebrity-favorite mules. These footwear silhouettes will have every guest and follower begging to know where you got them.
Wedding Shoe Trends: New Takes on Classic Styles
While Voorhees Means says most brides will stick to traditional dress details like white and cream fabrics with lace accents, they’ll get a little more adventurous with their choice in footwear. Classic silhouettes like sleek pumps and streamlined sandals with modern twists are set to be all the rage, as proposed on fall ’20 runways. For example, Marchesa styled its gowns with structured lace sandals, while Danielle Frankel offered up tulle-accented heels and Lela Rose sent models down the catwalk in pointed-toe mules and strappy styles.
For your own wedding shoe trend, try incorporating classic white footwear with a twist, like wing-accented slingbacks or pumps that employ full lace uppers with a standout embellishment. The choice still offers a unique element to any look without venturing too far off the beaten path.
Wedding Shoe Trends: Pops of Color
“Ten years ago, it was probably unheard of to wear colored shoes under your dress, but that’s changing now,” Voorhees Means said. Pops of color can help show off your personality and are in line with current trends especially as summer bears its head and fall shades start to fall into place as well. It was hard to miss Oscar de la Renta’s baby blue bridal gown and the lavender and turquoise gloves Vera Wang used as accessories for her presentation.
Follow suit by opting for shoe styles in shades of purple and blue, or take a chance on 2020’s top seasonal colors, including hot pink and bright slime green. Though they may not be conventional, this wedding shoe trend will be a look and a pop that will make your special occasion all the more memorable for yourself and your guests.
All products featured have been independently selected and curated by our editorial team. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn commission and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
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