Show of hands, anyone here surprised that I hate bridal flip flops?
Anyone?
Good. I’d hate to think any of my beloved readers have recently suffered a head injury so traumatic that would result in confusing me with someone who would ever approve of the chlamydia of casual footwear.
I don’t like or trust flip flops in the best of situations and I certainly don’t care for them as bridal wear. However I do understand a bride’s desire to have some comfortable footwear on the day she screws me out of half a Kitchenaid mixer commits herself to wedded bliss.
What I don’t understand is why they would go for something so vulgar when for not much more in the way of pocket change when we’re talking wedding money ($79), they could have a darling little lyrical slipper like this, from ASH.
Because really, how sweet is that? It comes in several additional colors –a slate gray, pine, and black– but these are just so winsome without being twee.
Plus you won’t look back in 20 years and cringe at the sight of your white foam rubber platform flippies, and that is worth any price.
My brother and sister-in-law got married in flip-flops. Of course, they got married on a sandy beach in Hawaii, while wearing casual clothing, so the flip-flops seemed fairly appropriate.
Plus, they were supposed to print ‘just married’ in the sand as they walked, but didn’t, quite, so led to some hilarious after-ceremony photos of the bridge and groom leaping across the beach trying to make flat-footed flip-flop imprints in the sand.
Comment by Jacquilynne — June 15, 2010 @ 9:33 am
I don’t think they’d be in danger of being twee if they weren’t ballet pink. Thank goodness they come in three other colors. That green is quite delightful.
Also, I despise flip-flops, especially those of the thong variety, with the fiery passion of a thousand suns.
Comment by ChloeMireille — June 15, 2010 @ 9:37 am
I wear flip-flops in Hawaii where they are part of the official uniform. Otherwise, they don’t get much use, except to and from a pedicure.
Comment by Astra — June 15, 2010 @ 10:09 am
I wore my scarlet Scottish dancing ghillies as my wedding footwear. Not only were they comfortable, they didn’t cost me a dime since I already owned them. Plus I didn’t have to change my shoes when the band played some good country dance music at the reception.
Flip flops? Not for me. Not ever. Really not at my wedding.
Comment by Twistie — June 15, 2010 @ 11:08 am
We went camping and hiking the weekend before our wedding (which was last weekend!). I wore my awesome new hiking sandals and applied SPF 10000000 to my whole body… except the tops of my feet. By the time we got back from our trip, the tops of my feet were so blistered that the cute strappy purple 4″ heels I bought to wear with my wedding dress actually fused to my blisters when I wore them around the house for an hour. They caused massive damage to my skin where I had to peel the shoe/my foot apart.
I had less than a week (and family functions starting the next day – who goes camping the weekend before their wedding anyway?!) and very close to nothing to spend. I did have a back-up pair of 4″ white platform flip flops (had to be the same height as my strappy shoes so the dress didn’t drag on the floor) to wear at the reception if my feet started hurting – thankfully the placement of the band was in a spot I didn’t have sunburn. I ended up wearing them the entire time.
I’ve already seen some of the pictures (in one you can actually see the shoes!) and I am OK with the decision because I was able to enjoy myself without worrying about bleeding on my dress.
I don’t normally wear flip flops unless I am in a communal shower, they just aren’t supportive enough for me.
Comment by Rebecca V — June 15, 2010 @ 11:33 am
I admit that from April-November I’m pretty much constantly in flip flops (not when I need to be dressed up–but I’m a SAHM to a 2 year old. That doesn’t happen often), and have been that way since I was a teenager. BUT I refused to wear them to my wedding. The thought of wearing flip flops with my big fancy dress…:P
I am totally jealous of these cute shoes, however. They are way cuter than my plain ballet flats were. Alas, they don’t come in a 12 so it never could have been…
Comment by Catrina — June 15, 2010 @ 11:54 am
Usually, I’m all about the casual and comfortable. But for a wedding, not so much! These are a great alternative, I hope they take over from wedding flip-flops immediately!
Comment by avirr — June 15, 2010 @ 12:05 pm
@Twistie, I love ghillies!
Comment by Plumcake — June 15, 2010 @ 12:07 pm
I wish I had known about these slippers back in the day. When I was looking for shoes to match my polyester forest green “groomsmaid” dress for my brother’s committment ceremony, I tried on so many shoes. I first thought “OOH, strappy sandals!”. No such luck. Then, it was “OOH, pumps!”. It came down to “Ooh, cheap plastic navy Payless flats that actually fit.”. Oh well, at least my hair looked good!
When I was suffering through the fitting at David’s Bridal, I saw loads of those flip-flops. I think they were next to the “Daddy’s Little Girl” CDs and the glitzy t-shirts and sweatpants that had “Bride” and “Bridesmaid” on them. So many chicks were going nuts over those flip-flops (and the t-shirts, sweatpants and CDs as well).
I never want to (voluntarily) set foot in David’s Bridal again.
Comment by dcsurfergirl — June 15, 2010 @ 12:08 pm
@Dcsurfergirl: Hey, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, but yeah, sadly there is no end to bad taste when it comes to the wedding industry.
@Avirr, right? I mean wear flip flops the rest of the time if you must, but for a wedding where you’ve got the big dress and the whole nine yards? Come on.
@Catrina, I feel your pain. I’m riiight on the cusp of an 11/12 and have shed many a bitter tear about the lack of cute shoes that come in canoe sizes.
Comment by Plumcake — June 15, 2010 @ 1:45 pm
@Rebecca, I think that qualifies under “desperate times/desperate measures” YOWCH! (and every happiness to you and Mister Rebecca!)
Comment by Plumcake — June 15, 2010 @ 1:46 pm
God I love ballet flats. God I hate them on me. They just look awful on my cankles and make me feel like I’m walking uphill all the time. I just need a more substantial shoe. Actually that might make an interesting post, delicate shoes and The Big Girl, if I might be so bold. (runs away now)
Comment by Abby — June 15, 2010 @ 2:25 pm
There are bridal flip flops?!!!
Comment by Lisa — June 15, 2010 @ 3:03 pm
I am in flip flops pretty much all the time once the sun comes out on a regular basis. What can I say I’m Californian :-) However I will not be getting married in them. I will be wearing these: http://www.zappos.com/seychelles-araxi-ii-metallic
And while none of the sites that carry them say they have a 12, I lucked out when I bought mine. It is HARD to find pretty strappy sandals, especially flat sandals, in a 12.
Comment by AmazonPrincess — June 15, 2010 @ 3:50 pm
My poor feet are aching just looking at those flats! Something that flat with no padding or arch support would kill my feet almost as badly as the heels. As much as I loathe them (and believe me, I do…my only pairs are for questionable showers, emergency errands with wet toenail polish, and the beach) I can see the appeal of a squishy flip-flop after tottering around on heels all day.
Comment by Jana — June 15, 2010 @ 6:05 pm
Shoot. Submitted comment before done. Though I do agree there are plenty of other, lovely non flip-flop options.
Comment by Jana — June 15, 2010 @ 6:05 pm
When I got married, way back in the dark ages, there were a few places I put my foot down. The wedding would be purple, the cake chocolate, and I would not be wearing uncomfortable shoes – especially since they would hardly be seen.
Unfortunately, those being the dark days before the web existed, finding cute flats in a wide width was nearly impossible. (Not to mention having to pay return shipping on everything.)
Paging through a catalog one day, I saw the most adorable pair of ivory satin ballet flats, exactly what I was looking for. Except they weren’t exactly in the shoe section…they were in the bedroom slipper section. But they had little leather soles and soft padding inside and were delicately ivory…and I said the heck with it and bought them.
Except I didn’t actually end up getting married in bedroom slippers. We lived in CA, which at the time was undergoing a multi-year drought – which broke with a vengeance 5 days before our outdoor wedding. The wedding site was sloppy, even with tarps and rugs put down so we wouldn’t all sink into the mud pits. It was too wet even for my lovely slippers.
Fortunately, I’d bought a pair of cheap cotton canvas flats with rubber soles at Target. So I got married wearing a pair of $2 clearance shoes with warm socks. Those flats and socks were soaked and muddy by the time we were done, so they were quietly disposed of on the way to the reception which I spent in my darling little pseudo-flats. And no one knew the difference.
As for flip flops, it’s not the lack of support, it’s the lack of traction that gets me. I slide all over the place in them. I can’t imagine wearing them all day at a wedding without faceplanting at least once.
Comment by TropicalChrome — June 15, 2010 @ 6:25 pm
LOL! My brother and his life partner ended up having a fabulous day. Everyone was up on the dance floor showing off decades of disco experience! (It totally made up for the lousy shoes, my last-minute dress alteration drama AND the oily streaks in the folds of the dress (discovered en route to the reception).) They celebrate their fifth anniversary later this month.
I now know to RUN when someone asks me to be in a wedding :) !
Those are some seriously nice slippers, though.
Comment by dcsurfergirl — June 15, 2010 @ 9:25 pm
I broke two toes on my left foot last Friday (apparently I was sleepwalking and fell down the stairs.)
Anyways, I’ll be wearing either Reef flip-flops or Converse all-stars this weekend to my cousin’s wedding, as those are the only shoes that fit over my splint. Either way they’ll look rather interesting with my bridesmaid dress.
Luckily my cousin is having an “edgy, whimsical” wedding and she thinks it’s hilarious.
Comment by Julie — June 15, 2010 @ 11:33 pm
I am wearing these shoes
http://www.exoticsalsashoes.com/product_info.php?products_id=480
for my early September wedding. Flip flops are for the beach and flats don’t work for me (need more support). Also, there is wedding everything. It’s sort of gross.
Comment by Jane Jones — June 19, 2010 @ 9:45 am
I wore these shoes to my wedding and danced the night away without a thought of my feet. They look gorgous, the ivory matched my gown exactly and the heel was low and comfortable.
Comment by Adia R. Johnson — September 3, 2010 @ 4:37 pm