Jeff Bezos‘ and Lauren Sánchez’s wedding is taking place in Venice, Italy, much to the agitation of protesting locals, and celebrity guests like Oprah Winfrey and the Kardashian-Jenners clan have already arrived in the floating city.
As is well known, Venice’s defining feature is its canals, which serve as the primary mode of transportation, replacing regular roads. A uniquely watery setting like this one begs the question: What shoes do you wear to a wedding in Venice?
Khloe Kardashian walks to board a taxi boat at Venice Marco Polo airport on June 26.
ANDREA PATTARO / AFP
With plenty of boat rides and exposure to water, and all the walking involved given the lack of cars, you would generally want to air on the practical side for a trip to Venice, with popular footwear recommendations including sneakers and sandals and even waterproof versions of those styles. But how do you approach formal wedding style through the lens of practicality? FN consulted stylists Philippe Uter and Leon Gray to determine the cause of the matter.
“A wedding in Venice is all about combining elegance with practicality,” Uter said. “With all the boat rides and cobblestone paths, I’d avoid stilettos. For brides, a chic block heel works beautifully — it’s stylish but also secure. I also love the idea of a glamorous embellished flat, especially for dancing or boat transfers.”
Gray is also a supporter of flat footwear for this sort of occasion: “With Gondola hopping a given for any Venice wedding itinerary, a great flat is essential! Roberto Cavalli has done a beautiful printed fabric style which feels like an embodiment of the Italian summer…and by an Italian designer.”
Gray also brought up conservation, a pertinent topic in relation to the city, which is affected by climate change. “Venice and environmental conservation are intrinsically linked, a subtle way to nod to that is through planet-friendly style choice. O2 Monde are where sustainability meet Italian handmade craft…their vegan suede mules are a highlight.”
Le Pettegole slingback from Roberto Cavalli (left) and Eugenie heeled mule from O2 Monde (right).
Left: Roberto Cavalli. Right: O2 Monde
Gray sees wedding vibes in Aquazzura’s Papillon style as well, telling FN, “The Aquazurra butterfly heels are such an artistic shoe — they’re perfect for dancing through the night at a wedding reception that has an Italian Renaissance city as the back drop.”
Aquazzura Papillon sandal.
Aquazzura
Uter continued to emphasize the importance of security: “For guests, a low- or mid-heel sandal with ankle support is ideal. Loafers or luxe flats are also a great choice for daytime events or more casual settings.”
He summed it up: “It’s all about choosing a shoe that’s beautiful, functional, and won’t sink between the stones.”
George Clooney and his then-fiancée, Amal Alamuddin, at Venice’s Piazzale Roma in Venice on Sept. 26, 2014, on the eve of their wedding.
ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images
Potential Venice wedding guests can also look back at the fashion on display at George and Amal Clooney’s wedding, which took place in the floating city in 2014. Amal, for example, wore a black slingback style with a black and white striped dress on the eve of the big day.
Kim Kardashian arrives ahead of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Wedding on June 26 in Venice, Italy.
Luigi Iorio/GC Images
Amid their arrivals, the celebrity guests of Bezos and Sanchez have displayed a range of footwear. Tom Brady wore a pair of Travis Scott Jordans (the Jordan Jumpman Jack TR Bright Cactus sneaker); Queen Rania of Jordan wore quilted sandals from Prada; Oprah Winfrey went with a pair of white Chloé sneakers made with recycled materials; Kim Kardashian showcased Amina Muaddi’s snakeskin Barbara boot, and Khloé Kardashian stepped out in a brown version of the transparent Elle mule by Gianvito Rossi.
