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Shoes, shoes and more shoes!

Okay, this does not sound like a topic a guy should be writing about — mainly when we’re looking at the shoes a gal wears.

But, as a wedding photographer, I can tell you the shoes can play a SIGNIFICANT role of many wedding days.

You know, those super cute high heels. They are adorable! Gorgeous and often expensive.

And are the cause for many bride’s (and bride’s maids and mother of the bride/groom) source of pain and suffering on the wedding day.

You think I’m joking.

Bride wears her golden Ugg boots to keep warm and comfy.

Andrea shows off her golden UGG® boots, making sure she was comfy on her wedding day! Not the most usual choice of footwear, but her wedding was in late fall and she also wanted to be sure she kept warm.

Nope. Here’s a tale from a wedding where it was long enough ago the bride hopefully won’t recognize herself.

Needless to say, she was gorgeous. Stunning. She had an elegant gown, beautiful lacing. Her shoes were an exquisite shade of green, with shiny things (okay, I don’t wear shoes like this so I don’t know the technical terms.) She was very proud of them. I have to say, I intentionally did not show them in the photos here. I don’t she wants to be reminded of this.

So, the first hour rolled by as she finished getting ready and went down the aisle. Stood during her whole ceremony. Had a receiving line where she greeted all of her guests all during hour two. We entered the third hour of her wearing those gorgeous shoes.

Standing. On 3 inch heels. In agony, we later learned.

We tried to get her to take them off for the after-ceremony images.

One of the things we have long recommended was to be sure a bride had a comfy set of shoes to put on her feet if she got uncomfortable. And on any shoes, wear them for at least a few hours to break them in.

Maid of honor holds up bride's white shoes

The maid of honor holds Jennifer’s shoes for her wedding at White Pines in Oregon, Illinois

Nope, she said she could handle it. Now, there was a reason Krystal and I had attention on those shoes. She looked like she was in pain. We tried one more time, found the one detail she had not mentioned was that she had not brought any other shoes and could not change shoes. Oh, no. She had not worn the shoes to break them in either, she wanted them perfect for her wedding day.

She could not go barefoot for the photos as it would make her too short.

So, we shot. And she did her best. But . . . you probably can guess what happens.

When viewing her photos during her Premier Showing with us — mainly the ones with her family — she said she did not understand why she looked so strained through almost all of them. She did not like herself in those images at all. She said she looked like she was in pain.

A silence ensued. And I said, somewhat meekly, do you remember your shoes? Memories came flooding back in – and the images all looked better. There are amazing things that are possible with Photoshop and we took advantage of all the tools available. She loved her photos.

The moral is that we tell each and every bride (and groom) that they all need to carry a pair of comfortable shoes or more. No one can see under the gown.

And for the groom, you too! By reception time those rental shoes maybe killing you, have nice, dark dress shoes to take their place. Or even dark tennis shoes. Something comfortable.

Sarah's pretty blue shoes on her wedding dress.

Sarah’s pretty blue shoes on her wedding dress.

You can still wear pretty shoes — and we want you to do so! But then get your UGG® boots, your flip-flops, heck, your tennis shoes as your backups and have a fun, relaxing day.

So — break them in, wear them to work, walk around in them. Jump up and down in them. Break them in.

Don’t end up like our poor bride who was in pain for all her photos. It was sad.

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