How to Wear In and Adjust Your Wedding Shoes

Your wedding shoes should feel secure and supportive, but they may feel slightly firmer when they are first made than ordinary shop-bought shoes.

Many commercially produced shoes are repeatedly handled, tried on and mechanically softened before they reach you. Your Becci’s Bridal Designs shoes are handmade to order and arrive unworn, so they may need a little time to soften and conform naturally to your feet.

Wearing your shoes in gradually can make a considerable difference to their comfort and help you feel confident wearing them throughout your wedding day.

When should I begin wearing in my shoes?

Ideally, begin approximately three to four weeks before your wedding. This allows plenty of time to wear them for several short sessions and identify whether you would benefit from any small fit adjustments or inserts.

Always wear your shoes indoors on a clean, dry and carpeted surface until you are completely certain you are keeping them. Avoid wearing them outdoors, as even brief wear can mark the soles and make the shoes ineligible for return.

How to wear in your wedding shoes

Start by wearing your shoes for around 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Wear the same type of tights, stockings or socks that you intend to wear on your wedding day, as these can affect the fit.

During each session:

• Walk naturally around your home on a clean carpeted surface.

• Practise standing, sitting and walking up and down a few steps.

• Gradually increase the wearing time as the shoes become more comfortable.

• Pay attention to any particular pressure points.

• Allow your feet and shoes to rest between sessions.

Build up gradually to wearing them for approximately one hour. Several short sessions are normally more effective—and kinder to your feet—than wearing new shoes for several hours at once.

Feet naturally become slightly larger during the day, particularly in warm weather. Try your shoes at different times, including later in the afternoon, to get a realistic idea of how they will feel during your wedding.

What changes as shoes are worn in?

With gentle wear, the lining, padding and upper materials begin to flex and settle around the shape of your feet. Areas that initially feel firm may become more comfortable as the shoe conforms to you.

However, wearing in shoes will not:

• Increase their length.

• Change a pointed toe into a wide or rounded fit.

• Correct shoes that are a full size too small.

• Create substantial additional width.

• Prevent discomfort caused by an unsuitable heel height.

A close, secure fit is normal, but your toes should not be painfully compressed or curled. Your heel should not hang over the back of the shoe, and you should be able to walk naturally without severe pressure or numbness.

Wearing in handmade shoes

All our shoes are 100% handmade. Because of this, they may feel tighter or more structured when you first try them on than mass-produced, machine-made shoes.

Machine-made shoes are normally mechanically stretched and softened during production. Handmade shoes cannot be pre-stretched in the same way before purchase, so they may need a little gentle wearing in to soften and conform to your feet.

To help ease a slightly tight area, put on a pair of clean socks and wear the shoes indoors. You can then gently apply warm air to the area that feels tight using a hairdryer on its lowest heat setting.

Keep the hairdryer at a safe distance, keep it moving and apply the heat only briefly. Gently move your feet while the fabric warms, then leave the shoes on while they cool so they can begin to conform to the shape of your feet.

Please do this carefully and gradually. Avoid high heat, prolonged heating or placing the hairdryer very close to the fabric, as excessive heat could damage delicate materials, adhesives or embellishments. Take particular care around crystals, lace, bows and other decorated areas.

This method is intended only to provide a very small amount of additional ease. It cannot increase the shoe’s length, alter its overall shape or make a shoe a full size wider.

Can wedding shoes be stretched?

Most shoes can be eased slightly across the width or at a particular pressure point, but stretching cannot increase the length of a shoe.

The amount of adjustment possible depends on the shoe’s construction, material and embellishment. Satin and other textile shoes do not stretch in quite the same way as leather. They may soften and conform with gentle wear, but any stretching must be gradual and conservative.

For a very small adjustment, you can use the clean-socks and low-heat method described above. A proper adjustable shoe stretcher may also help, but it should be increased only a little at a time and the fit checked regularly.

For lace, painted, glittered or heavily embellished shoes, we recommend contacting us for advice or asking a professional cobbler before attempting any adjustment.

Please avoid:

• Soaking or spraying the shoes with water.

• Using high or concentrated heat.

• Holding a hairdryer very close to the fabric.

• Heating crystals, lace, bows or other embellishments for prolonged periods.

• Using steam.

• Putting shoes in a freezer.

• Aggressively bending or twisting the shoes.

• Applying stretching sprays without confirming that they are suitable for the material.

• Placing excessive pressure beneath crystals, lace or other embellishments.

Incorrect or excessive stretching may stain satin, weaken adhesives, damage embellishments or permanently distort the shape of the shoe.

Choosing the right shoe inserts

The correct insert can improve comfort and fit, but using too many can make shoes feel cramped. Begin with the smallest adjustment and wear the shoes again before adding anything else.

Heel grips

Best for:

• Slight heel slipping.

• Preventing rubbing at the back of the heel.

• Making a shoe feel a little more secure.

Heel grips attach inside the back of the shoe. Choose a slim, soft style, as a thick grip can push the foot too far forward and create pressure around the toes.

Ball-of-foot cushions

Best for:

• Burning or pressure beneath the ball of the foot.

• Reducing forward movement in heeled shoes.

• Adding discreet cushioning without filling the whole shoe.

Position the cushion beneath the ball of the foot rather than directly under the toes. Test the placement before removing any adhesive backing.

Three-quarter insoles

Best for:

• Additional arch support.

• Cushioning the heel and middle of the foot.

• Shoes that feel slightly roomy without reducing toe space.

A three-quarter insole is often more suitable than a full-length insole for closed-toe wedding shoes because it does not take up valuable space around the toes.

Full-length insoles

Best for:

• Shoes that are generally a little too roomy.

• Adding cushioning across the whole foot.

• Replacing a removable original insole.

Full-length insoles take up more space and may make an already close-fitting shoe too tight. Check that your toes are still comfortable and that your heel remains securely inside the shoe.

Gel strips

Best for:

• Narrow areas of rubbing.

• Shoe edges or straps that feel firm.

• Protecting a particular pressure point.

Slim gel strips can be useful around straps or along an edge, but they should not interfere with buckles, fastenings or the natural movement of the shoe.

Toe fillers

Best for:

• Closed-toe shoes that are slightly too long.

• Preventing the foot from sliding forward.

• Helping between sizes when the width already feels comfortable.

Toe fillers are only appropriate where there is genuinely spare length. They should never compress or curl the toes.

Blister plasters and anti-friction products

Best for:

• Areas where you know you commonly experience rubbing.

• Protecting the skin during the first few wears.

• Carrying in your wedding-day emergency kit.

Apply blister-prevention products to clean, dry skin. Avoid placing creams or oily products directly against satin, as they may transfer onto the fabric.

What if one foot is smaller than the other?

It is very common for one foot to be slightly longer or wider than the other. Shoes should normally be chosen to fit the larger foot.

A slim heel grip, forefoot cushion or partial insole can then be used in the shoe on the smaller foot. Inserts do not have to be used in both shoes if only one side needs adjustment.

Adjusting straps and buckles

Straps should feel secure without digging into the skin. If your shoes have adjustable straps, test different settings while standing and walking rather than judging the fit while seated.

Fastening a strap too tightly can cause swelling and rubbing. If a strap is significantly too long, short or incorrectly positioned, contact us before making holes or alterations yourself.

Preparing for your wedding day

Once your shoes feel comfortable, keep them safely stored in their original box, away from moisture, direct sunlight and anything that could mark the fabric.

We recommend packing a small shoe comfort kit containing:

• Spare heel grips or gel cushions.

• Blister plasters.

• A small number of clear gel strips.

• Your chosen tights or stockings.

• A soft, clean cloth.

• A comfortable pair of evening shoes, if you plan to change later.

Do not introduce a new type of insert for the first time on your wedding morning. Test every adjustment while wearing your shoes beforehand.

When should I ask for advice?

Please contact us before stretching or altering your shoes if:

• Your toes feel painfully compressed.

• Your heel extends beyond the back of the shoe.

• The shoes feel significantly too short.

• You experience numbness or severe pressure.

• You are unsure which insert would be suitable.

• The shoes have delicate satin, lace or embellishment in the area requiring adjustment.

• You believe a made-to-measure shoe does not correspond with the measurements supplied.

If possible, include photographs of your feet inside the shoes while standing naturally, together with a description of where they feel tight or loose. This will help us give you the most appropriate advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should wedding shoes feel tight when they first arrive?

Handmade shoes can initially feel firmer and more structured than shop-bought shoes. A secure fit is normal, but the shoes should not cause severe pain, numbness or force the toes to curl.

Will satin stretch like leather?

No. Satin may soften and conform slightly with gentle wear, but it does not stretch in the same way as leather. Any mechanical adjustment should be small, gradual and preferably completed by a professional.

Can shoes be stretched by a full size?

No. Stretching may provide a small amount of additional width or ease a particular pressure point, but it cannot safely add a full size or increase the shoe’s length.

Can I wear thick socks to stretch my shoes?

This method is not recommended for delicate satin or embellished shoes. It can place excessive pressure on seams, decorations and the shoe’s structure. Gradual indoor wear or professional adjustment is safer.

Should I wear my shoes outside before the wedding?

We recommend keeping them indoors until the wedding day. Outdoor wear can mark the soles and fabric. Practise walking on clean carpet and protect the soles when transporting your shoes.

What if my feet swell during the day?

Wear your shoes in during the afternoon or early evening as well as in the morning. Choose adjustable straps where possible, avoid fastening them too tightly, and allow short seated breaks during the day.