With everything you have to think about ahead of your wedding day – the venue, the catering, the music, the suits – it’s no surprise that tasks like choosing your wedding shoes get left until the last minute. But your accessories, including the pocket square, tie, cufflinks, watch and shoes, all contribute to the finished look and can bring out the best in your suit.
Below, you can find our top wedding footwear tips for picking the best shoes for your wedding suit, looking at how you can match your shoes to your suit and why you should think about material, comfort and colour too when making your decision.
Matching Shoes to the Type of Suit
Not every type of shoe is going to match every type of suit, and there are so many suit styles you can pick, from white tie, black tie or a lounge suit to a morning, three-piece or tweed suit.
For very formal suits, such as black tie, white tie or a morning suit, the best wedding shoes for the groom are traditional black patent leather Oxfords. These generally have quite a shiny finish and are a classic shape, sometimes embellished with an embroidered pattern. If you want less of a shine, then polished leather may be a better option for you. Always wear black socks for such a formal finish.
If you’re wearing a lounge suit or a three-piecer on your big day, you have a little bit more flexibility when picking your wedding shoes. You don’t need to stick with black, and can choose dark brown leather Oxfords or even Derby shoes (which offer a more informal look). Whichever you pick, make sure they’re cleaned and polished the day before, with no obvious scuffs.
If you want your groom’s wedding shoes to be a bit more unique, have a look at loafers or even monk strap shoes.
The colour you pick will likely depend on the colour of your suit. We discuss colour a little bit further down the page, but as a general guide, black should be worn with black and grey suits and brown with blue suits.
Material Considerations: Leather, Suede, or Patent
When choosing the material of your wedding shoes, there are a few considerations to take into account, including whether you’re getting married in summer or winter and the style or material of your suit. Below, you can find more information about the most popular materials and their pros and cons.
First up, leather. This material is a timeless option and is continually popular for a reason. It’s one of the more formal materials (when do you ever wear leather shoes, unless with a suit?) that’s breathable and can mould to your feet for extra comfort. The only thing to consider is that leather shoes may need some wearing in to ensure they don’t rub, and they do need some additional maintenance, like polishing, to stay looking their best.
Next, we have suede. This material is a great option for semi-formal weddings and can create a softer appearance than leather. Suede shoes will be comfortable almost straight out of the box, with no need for wearing in, and it’s a lighter fabric that could make it more suited to a spring or summer wedding. It’s advised that you avoid suede shoes if rain is likely, as water damage can stain them and be tricky to remove. They should also be avoided at more formal, black tie occasions.
Finally, there’s patent shoes. Patent is a type of leather, but it’s typically much more shiny than polished leather (shiny enough to see your face in) and considered more formal too. This makes these groom’s wedding shoes ideal for black or white tie weddings, where a dressier feel is required. They require minimal upkeep, but keep in mind that scuffing is a potential hazard and they can be hard to break in, making them uncomfortable at first.
Comfort vs. Style: Finding the Right Balance
When choosing formal shoes for the groom, it’s easy to think about the colour and the look without really considering something else that’s equally important – comfort. These are shoes that you’re going to be wearing all day, possibly from 10-11am in the morning until 1am or even later the next day. That’s more than 14 hours of wear, so you don’t want to pick a shoe that looks great but has you hobbling by 3pm.
The first step is to try on your shoes before you buy them. Now, with the speed of online shopping, it’s easy to skip this step but you must check that the size and the fit is right and that they’re comfortable. If your wedding shoes are too tight, they’ll pinch and cause pain (most commonly around the heel or the little toe).
Before you make a purchase, you may also want to check the insole quality of the shoe. An insole is there to provide additional cushioning and support, an essential if you plan to dance the night away. Shoes that have poorly made insoles might feel a bit hard, but those with memory foam or gel inserts will feel much more comfortable. If the shoes don’t come with cushioned insoles, purchasing insoles designed for comfort can make a big difference.
Shoe Colours That Complement Your Suit
If you think you’ll just wear black shoes because they go with everything, then think again. There are certainly some dos and don’ts when it comes to picking the colour of your wedding shoes and selecting the right colour is essential.
For a black suit, the simplest and most traditional option is black shoes, or potentially dark grey shoes (unless the dress code is black tie). Colours to avoid include brown or tan, as they create too much contrast and can therefore look a bit mismatched.
If you’re planning to wear a navy suit, brown and tan usually goes the best, particularly with a brown belt, but black is also acceptable here too.
With a grey suit, either stick to a contrasting grey or black. If you’re wearing a tweed grey suit that has flecks of brown in, you could wear brown formal shoes.
For brown suits, the best match is usually brown shoes in a similar shade or in a slightly darker colour. Potentially avoid black shoes with a brown suit, as the contrast can look a little out of place.
Finishing Touches: Laces, Polishing, and Socks
The finishing touches can make all the difference and help you to achieve a clean and polished appearance, so be sure to spend some time getting those finishes right when it comes to the wedding shoes for the groom.
You might want to choose the style or colour of laces you want, and definitely think about your socks on the day too, instead of throwing on those bright green Hulk ones that just happened to be at the top of your drawer.
As a final flourish, spend some time polishing your shoes. It’s these small details that make all the difference, particularly on the photographs.
To correctly polish your shoes, first remove any dirt or dust with a fine brush or a soft cloth (unless your shoes have never been worn, in which case you can skip this step). Then, take a small amount of shoe polish by wiping it onto a cloth and use circular motions to cover the entire surface of the shoe, making sure it’s applied evenly. Let the polish sit for a few minutes before buffing the shoes with a clean cloth until you’re happy with the shine and repeat after use to keep your shoes in tip top condition.
While choosing your groom’s wedding shoes might seem like a small detail compared to other aspects of your big day, they do play a big part and can pull your entire ensemble together.
There are a few things to consider when it comes to your wedding shoes, including:
- Matching your shoes to the type of suit you’re wearing
- Choosing the right material
- Picking a pair that offer both style and comfort
- Considering insoles for additional comfort
- Selecting the right colour to go with your suit
- Thinking about the final touches, including your socks and laces
- Polishing your formal shoes to bring out the best finish.
With the right shoes, you can spend all night on the dancefloor and not have any regrets the next morning!
Shop the look now and book an appointment with one of our expert tailors who will help you look the part on your big day.
