Your wedding dress is the centerpiece of your wedding look, but it is not the only element to consider. There’s your hair and makeup, whether to wear a veil or a pretty floral headpiece, and of course, your shoes. Your shoes can determine your comfort throughout the ceremony, as well as tie together your wedding look.
Often, your shoes and your wedding dress should be coordinated. But which comes first? Should you get the dress and then find the perfect dresses to pair with it or should you use your wedding shoes as inspiration for your wedding dress? Let’s break down a few things to consider.
Buying Ahead
It’s important to plan ahead when it comes to your wedding, something you probably know well by this point. Wedding dresses, in particular, have to be bought far ahead of time. Most experts recommend that you should start searching 10-12 months before your wedding and should have bought the dress within 6-9 months of the big day. Shoes are less urgent. It is recommended that you buy your wedding shoes before the big day so you have time to break them in, as you will be standing for much of your wedding. But a few weeks should be all you need. If you choose to buy your wedding shoes before your wedding dress, just make sure you don’t wear them out before the day.
Style Coordination
In some ways, you might need to see the wedding dress before you get the wedding shoes so you have an idea of visibility. For instance, if you have a floor-length gown, your shoes won’t be visible for the ceremony. In fact, some brides even opt to get married barefoot for comfort. If your skirt comes up higher, your shoes can serve as a flashy or attractive accent piece to the look as a whole. However, if you see a pair of shoes that you fall in love with before buying your wedding dress, you can do this in reverse — find a wedding dress that compliments the style of the shoes.
Comfort Compatibility
On the other hand, there is a benefit to bringing wedding shoes to the dress fitting. This will give you a sense of how comfortable it is to wear your dress and your shoes together. Do the heels get caught on the skirt? Do they leave your ankles a little chilly for what would be an outdoor autumn wedding? Sure, you can try on your shoes with your wedding dress, but it’s much easier to go to a wedding dress boutique with a pair of wedding shoes than it is to go to a shoe store in a wedding dress.
So what’s the right choice for you? Do you buy the shoes first or the wedding dress first? Whatever your choice, when you choose your dress, Fan C Designs has you covered. Check out our collection to find the perfect dress for you.