Shoe offenses

I like going to weddings. I appreciate the limitless love and hope that they represent, and the food, music, dancing, and entertainment are a great bonus (as are the limitless Shirley Temples). And most weddings are easy--you just show up and go where you're supposed to, and you will probably have fun. The difficult part--deciding what to wear--comes before you even show up and usually begins before you even receive the wedding invitation.

My current sartorial strategy for weddings involves two outfits--one for the ceremony and another for the reception. This strategy only works with church weddings, which are usually 4+ hours before the reception. The upside to this plan is that you can wear something comfortable and modest to the church (I was not raised in a church-going family, but I still feel like I am going to be sent directly to hell--do not pass go, do not collect $200--if I show up at a church with bare shoulders) and wear a more formal frock (which itself might not be uncomfortable but which likely requires uncomfortable underthings, and is therefore not something I want to wear for 12+ hours) to the reception.

For this weekend's ceremony, I'm wearing my new size-10 pants (I'm considering cutting the "1" off the size tag and pretending that they're a 0) and new shoes (which, as it turns out, become uncomfortable after about 2 minutes--perhaps I can slip them off in the church between all of the kneeling without anyone noticing) with a fun Anthropologie top.

I have several hours between the ceremony and reception to transform myself into a frothy blue concoction. Several years ago, I bought the dress from Bebe (a store whose name I still no not know how to pronounce) on a whim, and it has earned its keep ever since, accompanying me to several weddings and events (it even came on our Caribbean cruise with us) and always earning praise from fellow attendees.

The only remaining dilemma involves my shoes. The silver flip flops that I used to wear with the dress have disintegrated and are on my "Bring to Italy and Don't Bring Back" list, so they are not wedding appropriate. The only other option is the pair of white shoes that I wore at my own wedding, but I am not sure if it's kosher to wear white shoes to a wedding. Everyone knows the "don't wear white" rule, but does it extend to shoes? Will I offend the bride with my footwear? Perhaps a more important question--is anyone even going to notice my feet at an evening reception when I'm wearing a mostly floor-length dress?

I don't have time to go shopping (or break in a new pair of shoes), so the white ones my only option. I just hope no one is offended.