When it comes to wedding attire, most brides spend hours hobbling about on aching heels, only to ditch their stilettos for dusty bare feet or cushy plastic flip-flops.

But don’t worry, there is another option for those who want to look elegant and make it to the first dance without a blister patch: the bridal flat. Just as sophisticated as heels but without the hindrance and discomfort, flats are the perfect alternative to painful bridal footwear.

More and more of us are opting for smaller, intimate affairs over big blow-out extravaganzas, so it comes as no surprise that conventional wedding attire is also being updated. Refreshingly, bridalwear needn’t be bound by tradition and can be as personal and practical as you like. 

Walking down the aisle in a pair of white satin Chanel Mary Janes, Margaret Qualley tied the knot to Jack Antonoff earlier this week and joined a host of other actors and models changing the wedding shoe game. There’s Zoë Kravitz, Sandy Lang, Keira Knightley and Mandy Moore, all of whom have donned the humble flat for their nuptials.

And if that’s not enough of an indicator, consider Miu Miu’s spring/summer 2022 show for confirmation that women’s flats aren’t about to disappear anytime soon. Models padded the catwalk wearing buckled ballerina pumps with ankles tied in ribbons. See also Miuccia Prada’s origami pointed offerings, Alaïa’s heavily ornamented diamanté flats and the ‘non-shoe’ Ozzy slippers by The Row for more flat envy.

So to all the cool-girls brides-to-be reading, if you tend not to withstand high heels for prolonged periods, now may be the time to slip into a pair of pretty pearlescent pumps or dainty ankle strap shoes on your big day. 

Shop Stylist’s bridal flat edit below