How to cope with a mile walk in heels?

[thecapitalsunited]

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.

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

Amazing that an adult asks such questions.
Numerous options. Wear fold up flats and carry your heels, put fold up flats in handbag at the venue. It’s only a mile, not to the moon and back, can’t imagine walking one mile in flats and potentially looking not as elegant for that mile will ruin the entire day. OR take other more substantial flats in a separate bag and put it out of the way in a corner/under chair/under table when not in use so you don’t need to carry it other than that one mile walk. OR many other options.

I do find a lot of cheaper flats uncomfortable because they lack support so I tend not to wear them if I know I have to walk. I can’t imagine that fold up flats are going to be better in that regard but I can see they are ok for a short distance to a car. Or for late night dancing when your heels have got too much.

I do tend to feel anxious about dressing up formally because I don’t do it very often and I want to get it right. I feel bad about the way I look because I’m obese and I don’t want my DH to feel like I’ve turned up to his friends wedding looking as scruffy as I usually do. My DH would never say anything to me but I don’t like to feel I’m letting him down.

Take your trainers

I bought some fold up flats and they came in a lovely, small, drawstring bag. You could easily get a bag like this in a matching colour to your outfit and it won't look out of place. Just put the drawstring ribbon around your wrist.
Something like this would do, just in a nicer colour

rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F392340952605

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

I can't wear heels at all these days, due to dodgy ankles.
And flats are uncomfortable due to my arches dropping so much while pregnant (went from shoe size 5.5 to 7 and stayed there....)
I wear trainers pretty much all the time except at home where I've got carpet with underlay. If I had hard floors at home, I'd have to stay in trainers....

Seasalt has some pretty jute and fabric bags, some quite small, which might work? People do actually buy them as gift bags. www.seasaltcornwall.co.uk/accessories/bags-purses

Get a pair of these. They're great to keep in a small bag.

rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F123470456634

*DoctorAllcome

Personally, I would not wear heels.
They are just a misogynistic fashion fetish anyway.*

Oh do jog on. I wear heels solely because I love to and they look fantastic.

OP if you aren't used to wearing heels you may want to think about a second more comfortable pair of shoes for the evening anyhow. You could wear that second pair on the walk

I'd wear (clean, newish) trainers for the walk and take a nice cloth bag to put them in and hang them in the cloakroom.

What's your outfit like? That might influence suggestions on shoes.
At a wedding where I knew I'd be on my feet most of the day, j wore wedges that was ok as it was summery/beachy so espadrilles worked great and went well with my dress.
Could you walk a mile in wedges and would they work with your outfit?

Put a pair of plimsoles in your husband's suit pockets.

Get DH to give you a piggy back? I love the Segway idea!!

Wedges wouldn’t really be right with my outfit. Plus this wedding is abroad and proper heels are expected for women in this country. I’m not worried about spending the day in heels - I’ve worn the same pair all day recently to a similar event walking over cobbles etc but only really walking into the ceremony from the car, the after ceremony socialising, back to the car to get to the party then the usual back and forth to the bar, toilet and round the table socialising. That was midday to 1am so all day and I was still in my heels - in fact some of the other women at the event complimented me on still being in them when they’d all resorted to flip flops.

I was expecting similar distances (DH booked the venue hotel so I had assumed it was close and as per previous posters I’ve never had to walk a mile to get to a wedding venue before) at this event so I was in a flap when I realised I was expected to walk much further than I know I’m capable of. Especially at the start of the day. I don’t mind ripping my shoes off in the evening but I didn’t want to get to the church with achy feet and spend the rest of the day in pain.

I’m going with trainers and a small bag to put them in which I’m going to make DH responsible for. I really dislike his friend and the friends bride to be and didn’t want to go to this wedding in the first place. This has probably added to the annoyance and flapping.

Thanks all for the suggestions.

My aunt was at a wedding recently that included a walk to the venue (impossible to get there by car). She got some trendy white trainers and wore with a maxidress. Very fashionable and practical.

Should you be going to the wedding OP if you don't even like the people!? Why not make your excuses and let DP go alone.

I'd either invest in a smart-ish bag for exactly this purpose (it comes up quite often, for me at least!) or if your fold-ups fit in your ordinary bag and it's just the heels that are the problem, you could use one of those cloth book bags/shopping bags that cost a couple of quid and can be folded up into DH's suit pocket when you get there.

It seems like the only thing you're worried about in changing shoes is keeping up appearances in front of people you despise. Why are you even attending?

There will be mutual friends who will be there. I’m looking forward to seeing them. And DH wanted me to go with him. He goes to events with me when he doesn’t want to go. I do try and not feel resentful when we compromise but I’m struggling this time.

Don’t buy a bag for this whatever you do

Take flats for the walk and change

Ask your dh to carry the gift bag

flip flops. Easy to shove in a bag

I’d wear white trainers for the walking (nice fresh ones, not a battered old pair), they will look smart and be comfy. I am sure many other guest will envy you. You might also be grateful for them later on in the day!

The gift bag and tissue idea is the single best idea I have ever read on MN. I will be doing this in future for all formal events. Well done @trackerc.

The gift bag and tissue idea is the single best idea I have ever read on MN.

Except for when ‘helpful’ venue staff spot it and take it over to join the other gifts on the gift table. You would spend the whole time keeping an eye on it. They won’t touch a bag that is obviously not a gift bag.

If I need to do this I always use a gift bag, no one has ever helpfully tried to take such bag from me for the gift table!