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Original poster

How to cope with a mile walk in heels?

51 replies

thecapitalsunited · 09/09/2019 10:17

I'm off to a wedding in a few weeks and my husband has just let it slip that we have to walk the best part of a mile to the ceremony from the hotel then another half a mile to the reception which is in the same grounds. You can get a taxi part of the way but cars aren't allowed in the grounds of the venue. He knows that while I'm ok in heels, I don't wear them often enough to attempt a mile walk in them and still be able to carry on all day in them.

I'm happy to do the fold up flat and carry heels at the end of the night but how do you do that at the beginning of the day and still look elegant? Should I attempt the walk and risk having to stay seated for the rest of the day? Take a massive ugly bag - I don't really use handbags so this would have to be purchased.

OP posts:
picklemepopcorn · 09/09/2019 10:25

Don't wear heels?

EvilPostbox · 09/09/2019 10:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thedevilinablackdress · 09/09/2019 10:28

I agree, wear shoes that you can walk in.

Bluntness100 · 09/09/2019 10:30

Just take fold uo flats and carry your heels. And change as you go to the ceremony. Put the flats in your bag.

Thegirlisnotright · 09/09/2019 10:46

It’s a little unfair to ask guests to walk so far in potentially bad autumn weather!
I would absolutely take other shoes or boots.

Phimma · 09/09/2019 10:51

I find it strange that guests are expected to walk a mile at a wedding. Most odd.

Lucked · 09/09/2019 10:52

Take fold up flats but have wellies with you (in your car at hotel) in case it is very wet.

Hopefully, because you can walk faster in flats, you will get to the venue quickly and have your pick of the canapés.

ErrolTheDragon · 09/09/2019 10:56

You'll look more elegant walking in shoes you can actually walk in rather than ones you can't walk easily in.

LizB62A · 09/09/2019 10:57

Fold up flats (or any flats) would be really painful for me.

Do you know if the walk is over level ground? You might be better off in proper shoes/boots/trainers for the walk (it doesn't really matter what they look like as long as they get you there, where you can change back into your heels)

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 09/09/2019 10:59

Bring a Segway.

DoctorAllcome · 09/09/2019 10:59

Personally, I would not wear heels.
They are just a misogynistic fashion fetish anyway. You can look elegant without heels.

LochJessMonster · 09/09/2019 11:04

Make sure the heels are block heels rather than stilettos or wedges. Much comfier and easier to walk in.

bluebluezoo · 09/09/2019 11:08

Fold up flats (or any flats) would be really painful for me

Do you wear heels all the time? In the house? Can you not even walk barefoot?

o/p wear comfortable shoes. I went to a similar wedding in flip-flops and a maxi dress over the summer and got a shit load of compliments (I can't wear heels or anything similar due to injury, and flip flops were the only thing that went with my dress). Lots of envy in the loos too where people were sitting massaging sore feet and plastering blisters!

Shesgotbeef · 09/09/2019 11:12

Second the Segway idea. Or possibly upstage the bride with a sedan chair and accompanying attendants.

Failing that just bring some tennis shoes and a decent sized bag your husband can carry.

pasmayalabeille · 09/09/2019 11:16

Wellington boots !

TwattingDog · 09/09/2019 11:16

Walk in anything at all. Flip flops, trainers, boots, whatever. Be comfortable, not elegant! Put your heels on for the ceremony and again at the reception. Take any bag you like - a bag for life would do!

Honestly, make it part of the fun of the day.

Our guests had to walk across the causeway to a tidal island the moment the sea went out and cleared the path, then climb a heck of a hill to the church. We made it really clear that people needed to be in sensible footwear, but that they could change at the church if they wanted! My wedding sandals were hideous, but needed to be practical.

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 09/09/2019 11:19

You could try some nice wedges. I always find them easier to walk in than heels.

Original poster
thecapitalsunited · 09/09/2019 11:29

I couldn't imagine walking a mile to the venue either until DH mentioned it. The venue is lovely and picturesque so the happy couple will have lots of beautiful photographs but it's in a tourist attraction which is why cars are banned. It's not in this country so weather will be better and I won't have to worry about rain.

I'd love not to worry about heels but I have the stumpy kind of legs which do need heels to look nice. If I don't feel that I look nice then I'm going to be miserable and uncomfortable all day anyway. I'm happy enough in my heels over short distances. I did an all day event in the same heels recently and was still wearing them at 1am when we left so its not that I'm going to be tottering around all day just that I can't walk for a mile in them.

I don't have any block heels that would match my dress and if I bought any now it would be too late to wear them in.

Apparently the path is paved all the way. I did think about trainers/more solid shoes but what am I supposed to do with them all day? I can't fit trainers in my clutch and I don't have a large formal bag because I only bother to dress in clothes other than jeans and a t-shirt if I'm going to an event of some kind. Do I make DH run back to the hotel with them and fetch them again in the evening? Grin

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 09/09/2019 11:33

I did think about trainers/more solid shoes but what am I supposed to do with them all day?

Put them in a carrier bag and leave in the cloakroom or a corner somewhere.

trackerc · 09/09/2019 11:35

I would get taxi to the entrance. Wear sparkle pretty flats all the way inside the paving entrance until the venue then put your heels on.
You can get a nice smallish gift bag that looks like you have the wedding gift in with tissue paper over the top of your shoes. Get your hubby to carry the gift bag. Done.

raisinseverywhere · 09/09/2019 11:35

I don’t understand why you can’t wear comfortable shoes just for the walk and change into heels for the ceremony and then at the reception. Buy a cheap but decent bag from somewhere like Primark. Shove it under your seat at the ceremony. Carry it to the reception (lots of women will be carrying bags of all sizes). Then at the reception leave it somewhere like the cloakroom, under your table, or if there’s nowhere to put it then ask if you can leave it behind the bar.

ErrolTheDragon · 09/09/2019 11:36

Or a nicer bag if you want. You don't have to carry them around all day or pretend they don't exist.

Original poster
thecapitalsunited · 09/09/2019 11:46

The gift bag is a great idea.

I hate cheap looking fashion bags - I’ve bought so many of them over the years and they do tend to look cheap. I have a pair of sequin tennis shoe type things which I can wear if I have a more substantial bag. And then I won’t have to worry about carrying my heels. And a gift bag won’t look out of place.

I’ll get DH to carry it as punishment for his friend choosing the worlds most inconvenient wedding venue.

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 09/09/2019 11:51

I'm not sure about the gift bag - it's liable to be misinterpreted as actually being a gift. I can imagine some helpful usher picking it up and then the couple returning from honeymoon to wonder why the OP has given them a pair of her comfy shoes.Grin