Rule No. 1 for bridal footwear: It’s the comfort, stupid

Published 4:38 pm Friday, May 30, 2008

It seems like a no-brainer to advise brides to get shoes that are comfortable.

But it’s a tip Mindy Weiss finds herself repeating to her clients.

Weiss, a celebrity wedding planner and author of “The Wedding Book,” says brides are overly eager to compromise comfort for fashion. Here are her tips:

Go-to shape: Choose a strappy sandal or a pump. Mule and slingbacks can be hard to keep on your feet and they make a clopping sound.

Wedding thong: Flip-flops are fine if the wedding isn’t formal.

Pick shoes first: Buy the shoes before your first gown fitting. Wear them to each fitting to make sure the hem is right.

Which white: Don’t wear white shoes with an ivory gown or ivory shoes with a white one.

Color is cool: It’s OK to wear a color like blue if you feel like it.

All that glitters: Watch out for rhinestones; they can snag the dress. If you really love sparkly shoes, run a piece of delicate fabric over them to see if they cause snags.

Avoid the nosedive: Scuff the bottom of the shoes with sandpaper before wearing them.

Au naturel: Bare feet are for the beach.

Samantha Critchell, Associated Press