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Look confident and feel comfortable on your wedding day

Look confident and feel comfortable on your wedding day


Alison Hargreaves Guides for Brides Bio
Alison Hargreaves Updated:
8th of March 2023

Every bride wants to look amazing on their wedding day. However, it's also important that you feel comfortable too! If you’re too busy tugging on your bra, worrying about a hair out of place, or feeling faint, you won’t be comfortable, which can impact your confidence. So, here are our top tips to staying comfy and confident all throughout your wedding day.

Hair and make-up

Vegan wedding makeup

When it comes to creating your hair and make-up look, make sure you do a test run. Try out everything you may like, then you can decide on exactly what you want for your special day. Don’t surprise yourself with something new. Wait until after the wedding is over to give things a go. The worst thing you can do is try out something for the first time and end up with a rash, a bob that looks terrible on your, or a new hair color that was never fit to be yours.

Prepare for the temperature 

If there’s even a chance of cooler temperatures, make sure you have something you can bundle up in. You don’t want to be cold during your pictures or at the end of the night. Bring along a wrap or a jacket to top off your wedding dress. On the other hand, if the weather is going to be warm, you'll need to be prepared. Wedding dresses can be really heavy and hotter than you think! Have a tiny fan to hand so you can blow air on you when you need it. Make sure you stay hydrated with water, not just champagne! Also, make sure you eat something before the ceremony, even if it's just a quick snack. The last thing you want is to feel faint during your vows!

Shoes

Wedding Shoes | The Perfect Wedding Shoes | Guides for Brides

Whatever shoes you choose to wear for your wedding, be sure that you've worn them in to avoid blisters and rubbing. This counts for everything from casual flats to sparkling skyscraper heels. We recommend putting on a pair of thick socks and walking around the house in your shoes long before the big day. If you're worried about damaging them, then a top tip is to pop a pair of stockings over the top to stop them getting scuffed. 

You might love your wedding heels but might not able to walk in them all day and night. Even if your shoes are comfortable, chances are your wedding dance floor will be wood, and as anyone who’s danced the night away on a wood floor in heels knows, your feel will soon hurt! So, we highly recommend bringing a pair of ballet flats or flat sandals with you. Not only is it a much better alternative to going barefoot on the dance floor, but it's also good to have backup shoes for walking on grass, especially for couple photos. 

Underwear

Wedding Lingerie

Another item of clothing you'll need to balance between aesthetics and comfort is your bridal lingerie. We've given you some top tips for getting the right lingerie here, but you'll need to get the balance right and potentially pack a change (or two) of underwear, depending on your circumstances.

Shapewear can be a great option if you want clean, smooth lines under a close-fitting dress, or you want a bit of a boost in confidence. However, if it's too tight, it can be highly uncomfortable. You might be able to suck yourself in a little bit more, but you’ll be hot, you won’t be able to eat as much, and you might even be too uncomfortable to dance. So, not always worth it!

Equally, there are plenty of beautiful and flattering bridal lingerie sets, but they may not be a good option to wear all throughout the day, especially if they involved corsetry or boning. You can always change into a set later in the evening, however - or just save it for your honeymoon! Whatever underwear you choose, be sure to have it sorted before your wedding dress fitting so that you can see exactly how the lingerie sits under your gown. 

Tights or stockings

It's up to you whether you choose to wear tights, stockings, hold-ups or bare legs under your wedding dress. Despite the classic image of the ivory stockings, suspenders and basque, there's no 'right' bridal lingerie. So, you should choose whatever you feel comfortable in. If you prefer to wear tights with your shoes, or think it may be more comfortable and prevent blisters, then a pair of nude tights may be a good addition to your bridal outfit. Other reasons to wear tights include prevent chafing or rubbing of the thighs (especially in hot weather) or to keep warm at winter weddings. Stockings or hold-ups can be a 'sexier' option if you don't like the idea of full tights, but be sure to try out your chosen lingerie well in advance so that you know you'll be comfortable on the day. 

Make sure you have everything you need with our handy wedding outfit checklist.

Alison Hargreaves Guides for Brides Bio

About the author


Alison Hargreaves

Alison has been advising brides, grooms and bridesmaids for more than 25 years. She has an unrivalled knowledge of the British wedding industry and frequently appears on podcasts and expert panels. She regularly attends international wedding conferences to keep the UK at the forefront of wedding planning trends.

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