Actress Margaret Qualley tied the knot comfortably in a white Mary Jane.WavyPeter/ SplashNews.com
It is notable that the mother-of-the-bride in question was Andie MacDowell (in jewelled thong sandals) and that the guests included the supermodel Cara Delevingne (in polished brogues). As for Qualley,her bridal shoes were neat white Mary Janes – she practically skipped through the streets of New Jersey,beaming as she held hands with her new husband. Well you would,wouldn’t you,if your shoes were so comfy that you felt you were walking on air?
Flats,particularly for summer weddings,make a lot of sense. These are long days with hot sun (if you’re lucky),conditions that can make high heels feel particularly uncomfortable,at a faster rate than usual. Is wearing flats to a wedding (especially your own) a sign that you haven’t made an effort,or misread the dress code as “casual”?
It’s certainly chicer to arrive and last in a pair of fancy flats,than to be the person who wilts before the reception starts. Why kill a perfectly curated outfit by limping sadly across to the basket of complimentary flip flops?
“I didn’t want to be wobbling down the aisle,” says Tessa Vermeulen,founder of the London-based fashion brand Hai,who married gallerist Gennaro Leone in July. The couple celebrated in the gardens at Bosco Capodimonte in Naples,and ran through the fields as their friends and family doused them in confetti.
“I love heels,but I simply can’t walk in them properly,” she explains. “I tried on a few pairs of heels at the Chanel store but I felt very much like myself wearing flats as I’m in loafers or Mary Janes most days.”
Princess Rajwa Al Saif ditched the heels when getting married to Jordanian Crown Prince Hussein in June.Getty Images
Even in a kitten heel,at a wedding last weekend I found myself dancing barefoot – the bride in that case had also ditched her skyscraper show shoes for trainers at the soonest opportunity (à laLine Of Duty star Vicky McClure,who was back in her Nikes swiftly after saying I Do last week). I observed guests who had brought their own flats to put on for dancing – including one who had slipped a pair of Hermès sliders into her handbag ready to make the change without losing any designer kudos.
Bringing a pre-planned shoe swap is one way to go about it. But – revolutionary thought – what if we all had already picked shoes that we actually could endure and enjoy wearing?
As a bride,your choice of flats can say a lot about your personal style,and personality. Keira Knightley wore ballet shoes with her tulle dress in 2013. Serena Williams wore bedazzled Nike trainers in 2017. Yoko Ono’s wedding plimsolls matched John Lennon’s. Elizabeth Taylor’s pointed pumps were the “prim” foil to her canary yellow dress when she first married Richard Burton.
Heels are still the overriding choice for Western weddings – at Jimmy Choo,93 bridal shoe styles are currently on offer,yet only two of those are totally flat. But demand is on the up,and brands such as Emmy London,Malone Souliers and Loeffler Randall are expanding their collections.
“There is a real trend for wedding flats right now,” says the shoe designer Camilla Elphick,whose jewelled Alicia flats have been a bestseller for both brides and guests this year. That particular shape,she says,appeals because “of the pointed toe which is leg lengthening and makes you feel elegant.”
“Our wedding flats include design details like metallic champagne gold toe caps,oversized pearl buckles,crystals and glitter for extra glitz,” she explains. “Wedding flats must have a point of difference to an everyday flat as you want to feel incredibly special on your big day.”
Elphick says that her styles have been so popular this year,she’s designed more for her range for 2024.
“Our bridal and wedding guest customers have told us how wonderful they felt,as they actually were comfortable and really enjoyed themselves,” she adds. “Comfortable isn’t usually a term that is associated with elegance. But I think this is the perfect example – being comfortable makes the look more chic.”
The Telegraph,London
Make the most of your health,relationships,fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. every Monday.