Picking out the perfect wedding shoes isn’t just about the look or the price. On your big day, you’re going to be spending a lot of time on your feet. If your shoes are uncomfortable, you’re going to get back a ton of candid photographs of you cringing!

Wedding shoe comfort is super-important, and luckily, it isn’t hard to find beautiful kicks that are easy on the feet. Comfort is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3!

Tip #1: Think outside the box when shoe shopping. You don’t have to just look at shoes made for bridal wear. After all, what is a wedding shoe? There are tons of stores that sell pretty white shoes, even if they don’t market them as “bridal.” Often, these shoes are more comfortable, and as an added benefit, you’ll find them more reasonably priced in many cases. Try ballet flats, or even wedding sneakers if you are all about comfort. You can even find bridal-themed flip flops, like the ones pictured at right by Tracey Asai Designs, if you really want to go for comfort!

Tip #2: Buy two pairs of shoes. You may want to wear high heels during the ceremony to look taller next to your groom and in the wedding photos. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to wear 5-inch stilettos all night! Bring along more comfortable shoes to wear at the reception, especially while you are sitting. (Just keep in mind that your dress will be hemmed to your ceremony shoes if you have a long skirt, so you’ll need to pick it up while you’re dancing! Unless, of course, you also change your dress for the reception.)

Tip #3: Get your shoes stretched the night before. This is an especially good tip if you have wide feet. Most tailoring shops provide a “stretching” service for shoes if you ask, and this can help your heels feel broken in for the wedding. If you can’t find anywhere that offers this service, do it yourself! Wear your shoes while you’re around the house for a few weeks prior to the wedding. Your feet may ache at home, but at least they’ll be comfortable on your wedding day!

Bonus tip: You can even get shoe cushions to make your big day more comfortable! Check them out for sale at My Glass Slipper for under $20.

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