There are so many choices a bride must face when planning her big day, most of which are stress-inducing and overwhelming. And when it comes to footwear, the decision making can often feel more challenging than choosing the perfect dress.
But what if you chose not to wear shoes at all? We’re making a case for barefoot brides everywhere with a couple reasons why ditching your footwear could be the key to a stress-free day.
Mindfulness
Being barefoot creates a connection to the earth we don’t often experience in our day-to-day adult lives. In many religions worldwide, shoes are banned from inside scared spaces like churches, mosques, and temples. Removing one’s shoes before entering a holy place is thought to be sign of respect, preserving the cleanliness and sanctity of the space and its spiritual purpose.
Applying that same concept to your wedding ceremony, whether just for yourself, yourself and your partner, or by asking your guests to remove their shoes upon entering the venue as well, can enhance the feeling of solemness and reverence as you declare your marriage vows.
Comfort
Let’s face it: most formal footwear is downright uncomfortable. Who wants to deal with blisters and chafing on their wedding day? And while more relaxed brides and grooms opt for stylish sneakers with their wedding attire, removing shoes from the equation altogether can be freeing.
However, if you plan to go barefoot at your reception, consider limiting your drink ware to unbreakable, plastic cups and wine glasses, for the sake of safety. No matter how careful people are, an open bar combined with dancing and revelry almost always leads to a broken glass or two.
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Style
Chances are part of your wedding planning process includes honing in on your wedding style, and choosing your venue, flowers, decorations, music, attire—and everything else—to reflect that vision. If you’re going for a bohemian feel with an outdoor reception in a grassy field or forested area, opting for bare feet and a flowing gown will give you that ethereal, wood nymph vibe suited to your event. Likewise, a beach wedding absolutely calls the carefree feeling of digging your toes in the sand.
If you like the idea of going barefoot, but don’t want your feet to look so, well, bare, try accessorizing with a sparkly anklet or “barefoot sandals”— which are essentially a strand of jewels or lace that lay across the top of your foot and loop around your second toe and ankle. And don’t forget to book the perfect pedicure a day or two before showtime.
Jen Masseau
Jen Masseau is a Toronto-based lifestyle editor, writer and graphic designer. When she's not hunting for the latest trends and obsessing over typography, she's most likely cooking up a new recipe, tending to her ever-growing collection of houseplants, or teaching her dog a new trick.
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