Ivory Bridal Heels: How to Choose, and the Pairs Worth Buying

Bridal heels are bought differently from any other shoe. They have to look right in photographs, stay comfortable through a ceremony, a dinner and a dance floor, and suit a dress you may not have finished choosing. Around 12,000 people a month search for bridal heels in the US, and almost as many again for ivory heels and slingbacks. This guide covers how to choose a pair and the designer ivory and white heels worth buying at Luxury Shoes , from Acler’s new Caro and Brinlee to Alaia, Bernadette, Magda Butrym and Scanlan Theodore.

Ivory, white and cream: matching the dress

Wedding dresses are rarely pure white. Most are ivory, a warm white, and the rest run through cream, champagne and blush. A pure white shoe under an ivory dress can look grey by comparison, and an ivory shoe under a bright white dress can look dirty. Hold a swatch of the dress against the shoe in daylight before you commit. If you cannot match exactly, choose a shoe that is clearly different, such as a clear Perspex heel, rather than one that nearly matches.

For styling white heels beyond the wedding day, see our guide to how to wear white heels.

Choosing the shape

Slingbacks

A slingback leaves the heel open, which keeps the foot cooler and lets you adjust the fit through the day. It is the most searched heel shape of the year, and for a wedding it is the best balance of formality and comfort.

Pointed pumps

A closed pointed pump is the most formal option and the one that lengthens the leg most under a short dress. It is also the least forgiving, so wear it in before the day.

Strappy sandals

A strappy sandal reads light under a long dress and suits a summer wedding outdoors. A block heel, a sculpted heel and a Perspex heel all stay on top of a lawn where a stiletto sinks.

Heel height for a wedding

Most brides end up between 7 cm and 10 cm. Anything higher is hard to stand in through a ceremony; anything lower can make a long dress drag. Try the shoes with the dress at your fittings, since the hem is cut to the height of the heel. If you want a lower shoe for the reception, buy it at the same time and have the hem set to the higher one.

The best ivory and white bridal heels at Luxury Shoes

Acler Caro Heel in Ivory

The Acler Caro Heel in Ivory is a pointed pump in soft cut leather on a 10 cm flared heel that widens toward the base for balance. It has no hardware at all, so the line is clean under a fitted dress. EU 36 to EU 42.

Acler Brinlee Heel in Ivory

The Acler Brinlee Heel in Ivory is a strappy leather sandal on a sculpted 7 cm Perspex heel, with a buckle at the ankle. The clear heel is the answer if you cannot match your dress exactly, and the lower height makes it the most comfortable shoe in this edit.

Alaia Le Coeur Slingbacks in Optical White

Alaia’s Le Coeur Slingbacks 90 in Optical White are patent leather slingbacks with Alaia’s heart detail, in a pure bright white for a white dress. The 55 mm version is the lower alternative.

Bernadette Bowtie Pump in Ivory

The Bernadette Bowtie Lacquered High Heel Pump in Ivory adds a bow at the toe, the most romantic shoe here.

Magda Butrym Almond Pumps with Pearl Detail

The Magda Butrym Almond Pumps with Pearl Detail in Cream Satin are the choice for a cream dress, with pearls that pick up bridal jewellery. The label’s Slingback Crochet Heels in Cream suit a bohemian dress.

Scanlan Theodore Bow Slingback Sandal in Crema

The Scanlan Theodore Bow Slingback Sandal in Crema is a soft cream slingback with a bow, from the Australian label, a good match for a warm ivory.

Simkhai Sylvie Slingback Kitten Heel

For a low option, the Simkhai Sylvie Slingback Kitten Heel in Sand is a neutral kitten heel for a civil ceremony and the reception change.

Bridal heels for the rest of the wedding

Most brides wear more than one pair. A practical plan: the formal shoe for the ceremony, a lower strappy sandal for the reception, and something for the events before. For the rehearsal dinner and engagement party, see the dresses in our white Acler dresses guide. Bridesmaids and guests can use the same logic in colour: the Acler Leeroy Heel in Soft Flamingo is a pale pink slingback that suits a bridal party.

Making bridal heels comfortable

• Wear them at home for a few evenings before the wedding, with socks if they are tight.
• Scuff the soles lightly with sandpaper so they grip on a polished floor.
• Choose a slingback with an adjustable buckle, since feet swell through the day.
• Keep a lower pair at the venue.

Ivory bridal heels: common questions

Should bridal shoes be ivory?

Match the shoe to the dress. Most wedding dresses are ivory, so ivory shoes are the safer choice; choose pure white only if your dress is bright white.

What heel height is best for a wedding?

Between 7 cm and 10 cm suits most brides. The Acler Brinlee is 7 cm and the Acler Caro is 10 cm.

Are slingbacks good for a wedding?

Yes. An open heel with an adjustable strap is comfortable over a long day and looks formal under both long and short dresses.

What shoes go with a long wedding dress?

A strappy sandal on a block heel, which reads light under the hem and stays steady on grass. The Acler Brinlee, on a 7 cm Perspex heel, is a good example.