You’re headed to a wedding with your LBD in tow – smart! Little black dresses come in clutch for many occasions, and wearing black to weddings (at least in the US) is a safe choice.
There are so many ways to dress an LBD up, and depending on the type of wedding you’re headed to, you can coordinate your accessories to fit the vibe. But what about the perfect pair of shoes? And which color is best?
Without further ado, let’s dive into our massive internet closet and get inspired!
Consider the Dress Code, if There Is One
Not sure what the vibe of the wedding is? Take a look at the invitation. You should be able to tell from the invite what type of celebration it’ll be, and if it’s a super ornate and formal event, there might even be a designated dress code.
The dress codes for Black Tie (or Black Tie Optional), Formal, Cocktail, or Dressy will typically require heels for women.
Does the invitation look simple and understated? It might be more of a casual thing. If the dress code says “Festive,” “Destination,” or “Tropical,” you can probably get away with making a bold statement with more vibrant color flats or sandals to go with your black outfit.
If there’s no listed dress code and no obvious clues, try your best to figure out what other people may be wearing. If you’re still confused… and you’re close enough to the soon-to-be-newlyweds, just ask!
Gold Seashell Sandals
These thong sandals are open slides, embellished with pearls, crystal beads, seashells, and corals all in shades of white!
These beachy beauties would be perfect for a themed beach wedding. With natural seashells across the top of the foot and a gold toe strap, you’ll be comfortable, cute, and feel great for nailing the theme!
Rhinestoned Champagne Pointy Flats
Classic chic satin pointy toe flats topped with sparkly embellished oversized appliqué.
Nude and champagne tones will always be a classic when it comes to wedding shoes. They go with any color dress, and look especially great with black dresses; you can jazz up your footwear by simply opting for more bling!
What About the Weather?
If the wedding is taking place in the middle of summer or winter, your shoe options are pretty straightforward. Show some toe when it’s warm, and if it’s cold, ankle booties or knee-high boots will serve you well!
It’s trickier with the spring wedding season. Spring, as lovely as it is (and how glad we are for the rain and the general thawing of winter) means the wedding weekend you were so looking forward to might have some sprinkles!
Typically, the couple who is planning to get hitched has most likely taken the weather into account. There may be a tented wedding with an indoor backup location in the event of rain. Choose your shoes wisely!
What Kind of Shoes to Wear for an Outdoor Wedding
Outdoor weddings can range from sandy beaches to mountainous woods and everything in between. So you have a couple of routes: go for cute boots, mules, or flats and the like, or commit to the heels (risky… but worth it because heels.)
Black dresses really can do it all. They look just as good with a pair of sandals as they do with something fancier!
Some things to consider if you know the wedding will be held outdoors: will it be on a farm, where you may run into some mud, dirt, or hay? Those can be shoe-destroyers for fancier heels, or shoes that are made with materials like satin.
Maybe it’s a wedding being held at a venue that requires a bit of a trek through a rocky or pebbly path. For a backup, you can toss a pair of flats in your bag to get to the venue, and then change into something nicer for the ceremony once you’re all settled.
Black Travel Ballet Flats
Top Rated by ShoePursuits, Silky Toes Foldable Flats are the go to shoes when your feet feel like they’re on fire.
I love these – roll-up travel flats have saved me many nights of aching feet from dancing at weddings in heels. Having a pair of these in my purse means I don’t have to sacrifice those cute new shoes to the outdoor elements!
Cute enough to wear all night, or just in a pinch, your future self will thank you for keeping a pair of these perfect shoes in your purse!
Leopard Pointy Toe Flats with Gold Chain
When in doubt about what color flats to go for, go for a printed flat! They’re much more fun than plain (unless they’re in a funky color).
These leopard-print shoes have just a little bit of bling in the form of a gold chain, and they look great with a black dress.
When you’re tromping around outdoors, you won’t be worrying about breaking a heel or being uncomfortable standing for long hours.
Leather and Pearl Beach Wedding Sandals
The minimal leather sandal displays a timeless quality, beautifully embellished with delicate rows of lustrous pearls for understated luxury.
Headed to a beach wedding with your breezy black maxi dress? Snag a pair of these delicately pearled sandals to show off your latest pedi.
These will make walking around in the sand super easy, and the dainty white detailing is super fitting for a beachy wedding celebration!
Black and Gold Wedge Boots
In addition to offering stability, our black leather shoes have cushioned footbed, so you'll get the height without the pain.
Think you’ll be tromping around at the winter wedding you were invited to? Take a peek at these sleek black suede leather booties.
Wedges are great if you anticipate long hours of standing or walking. And for winter weddings, you know your toes will be kept warm in the colder months. I love the boldness of the metallic gold too!
Listen, if you’re invited to an outdoor wedding, don’t fret! You don’t have to sacrifice those cute new heels to the mud and grass gods. Just grab a pair of heel protectors, which will prevent you from sinking into the earth.
Solemates Clear High Heel Protectors
These heel protectors help prevent heels from sinking into the grass, sidewalks, grates, decks, and cobblestones, making them perfect for weddings, outdoor parties, and everyday life.
These come in a range of sizes to fit all sorts of heels. They’ll guard you even from grates and gaps in decks, and because they’re clear, they aren’t super noticeable!
People will wonder how you, a statuesque goddess, aren’t sinking into the ground while partying the house down in heels! Is it witchcraft, or is it Amazon?
Does Any Color Look Good with Black?
I’m a firm believer that with confidence, you can pull off anything! Black dresses are one of those things that you can match so many colors with – and yes, that includes brown!
When it comes to shoes, wearing brown footwear with a black outfit used to be a severe no-no. Nowadays, it’s considered a more casual and borderline bohemian look; for example, someone wearing strappy brown sandal flats with a black maxi dress and a brown, wide-brimmed hat is a pretty common sight when you’re out to brunch!
You could wear white shoes, too, for extra contrast! The monochrome look is timeless, and a little dose of white at a wedding is alright as long as it is an accent color. To stay safe, stick with cream, nude, or any shade of off-white, instead of stark white.
Colorful heels are always a fun choice with a black dress – the brighter the better, in my opinion! And as far as materials go, satin or any other high-shine shoe may seem extra, but it’s a wedding, so go nuts!
Black Cutout Stilettos
Vamp material: Artificial Pu.Sole material: Plastic. Sole technology: Viscose shoes.
These stiletto heels bring in a dash of sexy red in the heel along with some cute, neutral gray. The overall look reminds me of “black and white” meets “stained glass.”
You could wear white shoes, too, for extra contrast! The monochrome look is timeless, and a little dose of white at a wedding is alright as long as it is an accent color. To stay safe, stick with cream, nude, or any shade of off-white, instead of stark white.
Ivory Flats with Satin Bow
Satin pointy toe flats with satin bow on vamp. Comfort with simplicity and perfect for fall or summer wedding, bridesmaids, flower girls, bridal parties, birthday, holiday parties, or any of your special events.
Ivory is a classic and romantic wedding color, and the oversized satin bow will add a feminine touch to your feet!
Colorful heels are always a fun choice with a black dress- the brighter the better, in my opinion! And as far as materials go, satin or any other high-shine shoe may seem extra, but it’s a wedding – go nuts!
Lilac Suede Heels
Turn heads and elevate your look to fierce new levels with these timelessly designed heels from Sultan Shoes.
I can see these at a spring wedding, can’t you? These gentle lilac block heels would be perfect for attending a garden wedding, too.
Should You Consider the Colors of Your Accessories?
Ah, we’ve spent this whole time talking about shoes… what about your other accessories? When it comes to jewelry, nowadays there are no real hard and fast rules.
People have been mixing and matching gold and silver pieces, which are arguably the most popular look when it comes to dressing up for weddings. A black dress will provide a neutral canvas for you to accessorize, so play around with your jewelry.
If your shoes have a bit of hardware (gold chain, silver rhinestones), a surefire way to have a cohesive look is to simply match your metals: accessories have more of an impact if they look streamlined.
Hunter Green Satin Heels with Rhinestones
Classy metallic block heel with rows of rhinestones on ankle strap and added floral rhinestones on upper strap.
This shade of hunter green is perfect for any wedding season, but I’m eyeing an autumn or winter celebration!
Check out these darling rhinestones across the toe; just a little bit of bling makes it easy to match similarly styled accessories!
Boho Cream Suede Leather Block Heels
If you don’t have a pair of nude strappy heels in your arsenal, what are you waiting for?
These cute heels are a must for literally any color dress, but for black dresses, in particular, pairing neutral color accessories is a great way to make your dress stand out, especially if it has a lot of detail.
These fashionable block heels also mean that your feet will get more support than, say, a stiletto. You can get way more dancing and mingling in if you’re comfortable- so these are a must for weddings!
Floral Print and Gold Stiletto Pumps
When it comes to pairing shoes with a black dress, you can’t go wrong with detail and color. These stilettos have both!
While I wouldn’t suggest wearing stilettos to a farm or barn wedding (maybe snag a pair of those heel protectors I mentioned above), these would be perfect for an indoor occasion.
Black Low Heel with Black and White Detail
This pair of Heels is handmade and is the perfect gift for women to attend certain events.
Shoes with prints are always a fun choice with black dresses. Even if you’re looking for black shoes, you can experiment with a pop of a pattern, like these pretty rug block shoes with a comfy low heel!
Almond Toe Red Block Heel with Pearl Ankle Strap and Bow
Choose from 3 different pearl combinations: all pearls, pearls & silver, or pearls & gold straps.
Red heels are another classic sure to garner a lot of compliments! Pair these with a red lip in a matching shade, and perhaps some pearl earrings to tie in the darling pearl ankle strap.
I love the feminine look of almond-toed heels, and there’s an extra dose of fun flirtiness with the bow on the back as well. Make a statement as the “lady with the cute red shoes!”
