Bridal shoes for your wedding dress – comfort, heel height and style

Everything about shoes: colour, heel, comfort and why they should be bought before hanging up the dress.

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What colour shoes should I wear with my white or ivory wedding dress?

Bridal shoes do not need to match the colour of the dress exactly. Nude and light beige are the safe choice, because they lengthen the leg and disappear under the dress. If you want colour, go all the way: blue shoes can be your something blue, and gold and silver suit both white and ivory. Under a long dress the shoes show most when you sit down. See our bridal shoes and accessories.

Can I wear nude shoes with my wedding dress?

Yes, nude shoes are the most popular choice for the wedding, and for good reason: a shoe in your own skin tone makes the leg longer and does not break the line from the dress to the floor. Choose a shade close to your skin, not a generic beige, otherwise the shoe looks like a pale lump. You can also wear nude shoes again to parties afterwards. Find them among our bridal shoes and accessories.

Can I wear gold or silver shoes with my wedding dress?

Yes, gold and silver shoes are easier to style than many think, because metallic suits both white and ivory without having to match. Gold adds warmth and flatters a champagne or ivory wedding dress, while silver is cooler and suits bright white. Metallic shoes peek out a little when you walk, and that is often exactly the point. We have metallic shoes in the showroom. See our bridal accessories.

Can my bridal shoes be my „something blue“ under the wedding dress?

Yes, your bridal shoes are the easiest way to get your something blue. A blue sole, a blue heel or an all-blue shoe under a white wedding dress fulfils the tradition without the dress itself needing a blue detail. Some brides also write a message under the sole in blue. We have blue shoes from time to time, so ask what we have right now. Read more in our questions about accessories.

How high a heel should I choose for my bridal shoes before the wedding dress is hemmed?

Choose the heel height you already wear to parties, not the one you wish you could walk in. Five to seven centimetres is enough to give you posture without ruining the evening. The dress is hemmed to exactly that heel, so the shoes must be bought first. If you have never worn stilettos, a block heel or wedge is a better place to start. Read about hemming the wedding dress.

Is a block heel better than stilettos under the wedding gown at a Danish wedding?

Yes, for a Danish wedding day block heels are usually the best choice. The block heel spreads the weight, does not sink into grass and lets you stand for many hours. A stiletto looks most beautiful in a close-up of the foot, but it is barely visible under a long dress. If you want both, wear block heels for the day and stilettos for the posed photos. See our bridal shoes and accessories.

Can I get married in flat shoes under my wedding dress?

Yes, flat shoes are a perfectly normal choice for the wedding. They are especially good if you are tall, if the ceremony is outdoors, or if you would like to still feel your feet at ten in the evening. Ballet flats, smart sandals and satin slippers all come in white and nude. The wedding dress must be hemmed to exactly those flat shoes, so bring them to our tailor.

As a bride, can I change into trainers under my wedding dress when the party and dancing begin?

Yes, many brides change into trainers when the dancing starts. White trainers under a long wedding dress are barely visible, and you will last all night. Choose a pair that is already worn in, and keep them clean white so they do not stand out in photos. We have bridal trainers in the showroom, so you can try them with the dress. See our accessories for the bride.

Can you wear ankle boots with a wedding dress, for example for an autumn wedding?

Yes, ankle boots go well with a wedding dress, especially for an autumn or winter wedding and with a boho dress. White or nude ankle boots look right under lace, and you have warm feet when you go out for photos. If the boots are to be seen, choose a shorter dress length, otherwise they disappear. Remember to have the dress hemmed to exactly those boots. See our bohemian wedding dresses.

Do sandals suit a beach wedding in a wedding dress, or should I go barefoot?

Yes, sandals suit a beach wedding and are the most practical thing to wear on sand. Choose flat sandals with a strap around the heel so they do not get stuck, and avoid leather, which darkens in water. Many brides go barefoot for the ceremony itself and put the sandals on for the photos. The wedding dress should be short enough not to drag in the sand. Read about hemming the length of the dress.

How do I find bridal shoes for my wedding dress that I can bear to walk in all day?

Look for bridal shoes with a wide heel, a padded sole and a strap or closed toe that holds the foot in place. Try them on late in the day, when your feet are at their largest, and walk more than three steps in them in the shop. Most brides end up with two pairs: one for the ceremony and a flat one for dancing. That is cheaper than an evening on a chair. Find both in our bridal accessories.

Should I bring an extra pair of shoes to the wedding reception, and should they suit the length of the wedding gown?

Yes, an extra pair of shoes for the party is some of the best money you can spend. A flat pair, trainers or slippers in your bag mean you dance instead of sitting down. If the dress is long, choose an extra pair of roughly the same height as the first, otherwise the dress drags. Buy them at the same time as the dress so the length can be measured to the highest pair. See our shoes and accessories for the bride.

When in the process should I buy my bridal shoes in relation to the wedding dress?

Buy your bridal shoes once you have chosen the wedding dress and before it is hemmed. The length is measured in exactly the shoes you are standing in, so the order matters. Ideally buy them two months before the wedding, so you have time to break them in. If you find your dress with us, you can try shoes at the same visit, and that is sorted in one day. Read more in our questions about fittings.

Do the shoes need to be bought before the wedding dress is hemmed by the tailor?

Yes, the shoes must be bought before the wedding dress is hemmed, and that is the most important rule of the whole alteration. The length is measured from shoulder to floor in the shoes you are wearing, so a different heel height later means the dress drags or is too short. Bring the shoes to every fitting with the tailor, not just the first. If you change shoes, the measurement must be retaken. See more about tailoring and alterations.

How do I break in my new bridal shoes before the wedding day so they are ready for the wedding dress?

Break in your bridal shoes by wearing them at home for half an hour at a time for about a week before the wedding, on a floor where they will not get scratched. Thick socks inside help the leather give. If the shoe rubs somewhere, put on a plaster or a gel pad before the day, not after. Bring them to the final wedding dress fitting so you know the length is right. New shoes taken out of the box for the first time that morning are the classic mistake. More advice is in our questions about accessories.

How do I avoid slipping in my bridal shoes on a smooth floor when the wedding dress is long?

Put non-slip pads made for the purpose under the sole, instead of scratching the sole with sandpaper. Smooth marble floors in churches and freshly sanded dance floors are the worst. If the heel is loose around the foot, a gel pad in the heel or an extra strap can solve the problem. Try the shoes on a smooth floor before you decide. See our bridal shoes and accessories.

How do I avoid blisters when I am standing in my wedding gown all day?

Break the shoes in beforehand, and put plasters on the spots that usually rub before you put the shoes on in the morning. Under a long wedding gown the plasters do not show, so it is better to add one too many. Keep more plasters in your bag. Gel pads under the ball of the foot take the pressure if you stand for a long time. Change into a flat pair once dinner is over. Blisters form in the first few hours, and that is when you can prevent them. See also our emergency tips for the wedding day itself.

Which bridal shoes can you walk on grass in at an outdoor wedding in a long wedding dress?

Block heels, wedges or flat shoes are best on grass. A stiletto sinks into the grass, so you get stuck every time you move, especially if it has rained, which it often does in Denmark. If your heart is set on stilettos, bring a flat pair for the photos outside, and change back indoors. It does not show under a long wedding dress. Read more about season and weather.

Do heel protectors work if I am wearing stilettos on grass in my wedding dress?

Heel protectors help a little, but they do not solve the problem. A heel protector makes the area under the heel bigger so you sink less into firm grass, but on wet or soft ground you still sink. The protectors can also come off when you lift your foot. If you are going to stand outside for a long time, a block heel or a flat pair is a safer solution. See our bridal shoes and accessories.

We are having our photos taken in central Copenhagen, so which shoes can I wear on cobblestones in a wedding dress?

Block heels or wedges with a strap around the heel are best on cobblestones. The cobbles in central Copenhagen are uneven, and a thin heel gets stuck between the stones or twists sideways. If you are being photographed in the streets, bring a flat pair to walk between locations, and change into the nice shoes when the photographer is ready. Lift the wedding dress slightly as you walk, so the hem does not pick up dirt from the street. Read more in our questions about wedding photographers.

Which shoes suit a winter wedding so my feet do not get cold in my wedding gown?

For a winter wedding, closed shoes or ankle boots with a sole that can handle pavement and grass are best. Open stilettos in December mean cold feet and photos where you are shifting from foot to foot. Keep a pair of ordinary shoes in the car for the walk from the car park to the door. Thin, light tights under the dress make a bigger difference than you think. See our wedding dresses with long sleeves for the cold months.

Should I buy my bridal shoes half a size larger than usual, and does it matter for the wedding dress?

Often yes, because your feet swell over a long wedding day, especially if it is hot or you are standing a lot. Half a size larger with an insole gives room without the shoe becoming loose. Try the shoes on late in the day, when your feet are at their largest, and with the tights or socks you plan to wear. Buy them before the wedding dress is hemmed, so the length suits the shoes you actually end up with. See also our size guide.

Can you have white bridal shoes dyed another colour once the wedding dress has been put away?

Yes, satin bridal shoes can be dyed by a cobbler, and that used to be common when the shoes were to be worn again afterwards. Today it is often cheaper to buy a pair in the colour you want than to have a white pair dyed. Dyeing also gives a slightly different result from the sample. Ask us which colours we have in right now. See our shoes and bridal accessories.

What if I end up taller than my husband when I wear heels under my wedding dress?

Then you are taller than him in the photos, and rarely does anyone but the two of you notice. If you would rather avoid it, there are pretty bridal shoes with a two to three centimetre heel that still give you posture. Talk about it together instead of choosing shoes based on a guess. Many couples find it does not matter at all. Find low styles among our bridal shoes and accessories.

Can you even see the bridal shoes under a long wedding dress?

Bridal shoes are only visible when you sit, when you lift the dress on stairs, and in the photos where the photographer asks for it. So it is rarely wise to spend the whole shoe budget on something you have to stand in for twelve hours. Choose for comfort first and colour second. If you want the shoes in the photos, tell the photographer. See our classic long wedding dresses.

Roughly how much does a pair of bridal shoes cost in Denmark compared with the wedding dress?

Nice bridal shoes can be had for a few hundred kroner, and you do not need to buy them in a bridal shop to get a white satin pair. Shoes, veil and underwear together typically add DKK 2,000-4,000 on top of the bridal outfit, and the shoes are the smallest item of the three. See what we have in the showroom when you try on the wedding dress. Read more in our questions about price and budget.

Where can I buy bridal shoes in Denmark, ideally in the same place as the wedding gown?

Bridal shoes can be bought in bridal shops, ordinary shoe shops and online. The advantage of buying them in the same place as the dress is that you can hold the colour up against the fabric and have the length measured the same day. White and ivory come in many shades, and they rarely match from a picture on a screen. We have shoes in the showroom in Hvidovre. See our bridal shoes and accessories.

I have wide feet, so where can I find bridal shoes in a wide fit for my wedding dress?

Look for bridal shoes with a strap across the foot or elastic at the side, as they give more than a closed court shoe, and choose a round toe over a pointed one. Half a size larger with an insole also works. Let us know when you arrive, and we will bring out the widest styles we have instead of you having to ask around, and you can try them with the wedding dress. See also our size guide.