What flat shoes to wear as a wedding guest to avoid heels
If you’re attending a wedding this summer, you may have experienced the instant dread of having to wear uncomfortable high heels for hours, with an inevitable dose of standing for long periods and dancing. But being a wedding guest doesn’t have to be a painful experience. Forgo those uncomfortable high heels, don a pair of sensible flats and focus on celebrating your loved one’s special day.
You might think that wearing flat shoes as a wedding guest is not as elegant or formal and detracts from your outfit, but this is a dire misconception. Flat shoes are perfectly acceptable footwear to wear as a wedding guest. For one, they are more comfortable for a long day of celebrating and look smart and refined for the formal occasion. So, discover our collection of flat shoes for wedding guests and prepare for the wedding season with Cheaney Shoes.
Table of contents:
- What shoes to wear to a wedding
- Can you wear boots to a wedding?
- Can you wear white shoes to a wedding?
What shoes to wear to a wedding
Whether you want a pair of flat wedding guest shoes to change into later in the evening for dancing or forgo high heels completely, there are so many flat wedding guest shoe options available. Here are our top recommendations for flat wedding guest shoes.
Oxfords
Oxfords are THE classic formal shoe. It’s the choice for most men at a wedding, and there is no reason why women can’t wear them either. Their sleek design perfectly complements any formal wedding setting, for example, one with a black tie dress code. It goes well with a smart wedding trouser suit.
Brogues and Semi-brogues
Similarly, women’s brogues and semi-brogues are perfectly acceptable alternatives to high heels. The additional perforation decorations add charm to your wedding guest attire and go well with trousers, skirts, or dresses.
Loafers
Loafers are a fantastic option for flat wedding guest shoes. Their slight build means you can slip them into a bag and change into them later in the evening. Their slightly more casual styles mean they are great for outdoor weddings. But they’re also formal enough for wedding guest attire. These stylish slip-ons pair well with formal jumpsuits, skirts or dresses.
Monk shoes
Monk shoes are also great shoes for a wedding. Their dressy style means they go well at more formal weddings, and the unusual double buckle design will add intrigue to your wedding outfit. Monk shoes go best with a formal trouser suit and jumpsuits.
Mary Janes
Mary Jane shoes are having a resurgence in popularity. You will find many celebrities sporting them in their formal and street styles; we’ve also seen them feature heavily on the SS24 catwalks, meaning they will make the perfect flat shoes for a wedding guest.
The classic single or double crossbar or T-bar designs add a whimsical, feminine quality to any wedding guest outfit, meaning they go well with dresses and skirts. Why not check out the Abigail style, which has a slight heel, if you’re still looking for a bit of height for your wedding guest ensemble but don’t want to compromise your comfort?
Mules
Mules are a fantastic option for a more laid-back casual wedding while remaining guest-appropriate. The effortless slip-on design provides a more relaxed style, which pairs well with skirts, dresses, jumpsuits and trouser suits.
Can you wear boots to a wedding?
If you’re planning on attending a winter wedding and don’t want your toes freezing off in heels or loafers, flat shoe options remain open for you. Leather boots, especially if they’re good quality, are a fantastic alternative to heeled shoes for wedding guests. They’re comfortable enough to wear all day and perfect if you’re planning on dancing the night away, keeping your feet warm at any winter wedding.
However, we recomend only choosing the most formal styles to remain wedding-appropriate.
Chelsea boots
Chelsea boots are fantastic shoes for formal occasions, like weddings. Their sleek silhouette offers enough formality for wedding attire. Wear them with tights and a skirt or dress or under a woollen trouser suit; these are the best options for wearing boots to a winter wedding.
Balmoral boots
As the “Oxford-style” of the boot world, Balmoral boots are not without their formality and elegant style. Originally worn by the upper classes at evening events during the Victorian era, these boots have not lost their timeless charm, and if you want to add this to your wedding guest attire, they’re the perfect option for winter wedding guest boots. These pair well with tights and skirts or dresses.
Jodhpur boots
The Cheaney Jodhpur boots are your best option if you’re looking for semi-formal ankle boots with a higher ankle for a particularly cold wedding day. Their sleek and sophisticated silhouette will pair beautifully with dresses or skirts with tights and are formal enough to wear at a wedding.
Can you wear white shoes to a wedding?
Everyone should know that wearing a white outfit to a wedding is a BIG no-no. So, avoid white at all costs to avoid a fashion faux pas. But what about shoes?
We think wearing white shoes to a wedding is perfectly acceptable in certain circumstances. For example, if you wear a colourful wedding guest outfit with white accents, you will want shoes that complement this palette.
You should be ok as long as you don’t wear any particularly bridal shoes, for example, that have a lot of lace or pearls.
If you’re in any doubt, stick to black or brown wedding shoes. Or, if you need a lighter colour, especially for a summer wedding, you can choose off-white, beige or neutral nude colours.
But, if you’re worried, you can always ask the bride if she is ok with you wearing white shoes to be on the safe side; it is her big day, after all.
Women’s flat wedding guest shoes at Cheaney Shoes
To summarise, there is no reason to put your feet through immense suffering during your friend or family member’s wedding. Opting for flat shoes is a perfectly acceptable way of getting all-day comfort while remaining smart and stylish.
Of course, like any wedding shoe, the choice of flat wedding shoe will depend on the weather, season, wedding formality and your outfit, so keep these things in mind when choosing your wedding guest shoes.
If you haven’t found what you’re looking for, browse our complete range of women’s formal flat shoes here at Cheaney and find the ultimate blend of style, sophistication and comfort at Cheaney Shoes. Or, if you also need to find the perfect wedding shoes for men, read our Wedding shoe guide.
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