Memories

Shoes were white leather, pointy toes, with a punched floral pattern.
Still have the dress, veil, hooped petticoat, headdress, bouquet and cake topper in a suitcase in the loft.
I didn't want real flowers as I hate seeing flowers dying quickly, so a friend made my headdress, bouquet and cake topper all to match, from silk. They were, and still are, beautiful!
Our photo was in the local paper twice, the first time they printed it backwards, spelled my first name wrongly, and worst of all, 'married' me to the best man instead of the groom
So, we appeared again the following week, along with a grovelling apology!

I have been married 3 times and I can remember all my shoes, just wish I could forget the past husbands (current one is lovely)
1974 - silver platforms with round toes and ankle strap
1982 - white and gold sandles with stiletto heels
1999 - cream leather court shoes

I knitted my first wedding dress/cap held into place with Alice Band and had to thread 96 yards of baby ribbon through the holes. Being knitted on the bus going to work, needed a good wash before the day. And comfy flat slip on shoes. Second wedding MIL made my and 3 small bridesmaids dresses with bought creamy white wide-brimmed hat. Was 7 months pregnant, but all fitted perfectly. Don't remember what I had on my feet!

I remember my wedding shoes. They crippled me! My going away outfit was an expensive yellow trouser suit. Years later my daughter used to dress up in it for a laugh. We honeymooned in Torquay, but spent the first night in a London hotel. I still have my wedding dress and veil bundled up in the back of the wardrobe. Maybe a future generation will want to wear it.

Annsixty
This is the 21 C but the term ' going away' outfit is still used by many and, surprise surprise ?? so is the throwing of the brides bouquet.
Many brides change from their wedding dress into something different should the wedding day extend into the evening. If they are going away on honeymoon many will also change to 'go away in' unless it was an informal wedding. funds maybe limited , or the brides outfit could be worn anytime.

Been married 53 years, the best thing that ever happened to me . Still have my wedding dress packed carefully away in tissue, a short dress as that was the in thing. My shoes were little satin printed ones with pointed toes and not very comfortable. Still have all the little cards that came with the gifts and telegrams (we had those then) and acceptance cards. All packed carefully away with my photos. Grandchildren love looking at them!

sarahellenwhitney I've been in the wedding industry for 47 years and haven't heard of going away outfits for around 30 of them.Maybe its just Scotland but the couple tend to have a room booked in the hotel where the reception is and they'll breakfast with the guests ...and sometimes carry the celebrations through with games on the lawn and a band etc

Back in 1983 - borrowed dress, did my own hair and make-up. Groom wore his only suit. Friends made cakes. Registry office wedding (first time for us both but we aren't members of a church). Reception was a buffet at home - entire cost of actual wedding was £40. BUT - I had a new pair of Clark sandals in white and they cost near £20!!! Lovely! Used them for years.... 34 years on, we're still together and still happy.... would marry him again in a heartbeat....

We married in 1973. I still have the dress,veil and shoes, all bundled in a box in the spare room. My shoes were nice comfy white satin, square toes and chunky heel. Never had a honeymoon as all our cash was spent on the house. For that reason, I thought I wouldn't bother with a going away outfit! Left the reception about 6pm still wearing all my finery and we were driven home by the best man. He took a photo of me being carried over the threshold of the house we had helped FIL to build. My bridesmaids and their respective OH's joined us later and we had a mini reception in our very sparsely furnished living room. It was 44 years ago. Doesn't time fly when you're having fun??

I got married in 1977, having arrived in the UK a week before. It was April and wet and windy, but I wore strappy sandals. I only remember that because when I dashed to the loo in the cold and rain I caught the hem of my dress on the heel and tore it.

(The reception was at the Rowley Mile racecourse in Newmarket, and the toilets were accessed via a short path outside the building.)

My wedding dress was white crepe, empire line with trumpet sleeves (1970). The shoes were white satin which was a big mistake since we risked getting married during the rainy season (Kenya). The weather was glorious on the day, but muddy underfoot. Those shoes were never seen again. My 'going away' dress was sort of peach polyester and made me look fat (or fatter) and that, too, was never seen again - at least, not on me.

I hired my dress and the bridesmaids dresses, a bit unusual late sixties, there was a reason for this I was moving here to Sweden the day after our Wedding, this was very practical to hire everything, my poor Mum had the job of taking everything back to the shop.I remember everything about my wedding, and the dresses etc, it was a super day.

I wore a pair of dark brown platforms that I could barely walk in, with a pale blue trouser suit. Registry office. 2 guests. Had lunch with them and then went to the cinema! Back to work on the Monday. It was what I wanted.

I have still got the whole outfit, how I got into the dress or staggered around in the shoes I have no idea now.

My dress was sleeveless long white satin with a long sleeved coat of white lace that had a small train. My younger daughter wore it for her wedding! Hard to believe I was ever that slim! Shoes were silver sling backs. My only regret was I didn’t have a full length veil.

I hired my dress, veil and headdress back in 1977 for around £25, and never regretted it. The dress was the first I tried on, I just loved it, and it fitted as if it had been made for me. White lace over crepe, empire line, with a train, high neck, bishop sleeves tight to the elbow then very full. As for shoes, DH and I are the same height, so he wore the platforms and I went for low heel strappy sandals in off-white satin. They weren't entirely practical on the wet, windy day we had, and I think I had to throw them out afterwards. The dress went back with a muddy hem, and the veil wasn't pristine either as it was blown across the churchyard at one point, so I'm glad I didn't have to pay the cleaning bill!

Thanks for all the lovely memories posted here. I have loved reading about them, and am so glad that I am not the only one to have forgotten things about their special day.

1. 1971. High neck long sleeve white floor length dress bought from wedding boutique at the end of my mil's road ...cost 19 guineas ! Veil shoes, petticoat from same place ..shoes white satin virtually flat. Bridesmaids dresses pink, made by my future sil ...little girls, so they had pink and silver sparkly shoes (their choice !) Going away 'outfit' white lace mini dress and white shoes (2 weeks full board in Llored de Mar ...£99 for two !

2. Long purple dress from Debenhams with Jasper Conran gold jacket . Shoes flat gold linen type stuff (don't know what its proper name is !) as husband was same height as me so no heels ! Still got those ones ....and the second dress but gave away the jacket ...too small now ! No going away outfit as new home was in Menorca so no need !

Paddyann
Times do change over 40 years in more ways than one !However there are still those when travelling to their honeymoon destination will wear what they call a 'going away' outfit . I have been a guest at two hotel weddings, in less than ten years, where a room had been reserved for the bride to get changed into clothes suitable for travelling to her honeymoon ie her going away clothes. .
I recall my own wedding and for me what I was going to travel in when 'going away' for my honeymoon was as equally important to me as my wedding dress, veil and bouquet. A case of whatever floats your boat?

Married 49 years - 14th February 1968. I still have my wedding shoes - gold leather, small heel, worn only once.
My husband died 6th June 2017 - we will not see our golden wedding. I weep.

My dress was deep cream too Anniebach and my shoes had to be dyed to match! We travelled all the way from Nuneaton to the Lake District for our honeymoon!

Aw, have a hug, Emelle! My husband died last year too, after 46 years of happy marriage, and just short of 50 years since we first met. Although there's a bittersweet flavour to it, I am enjoying reading all the descriptions and recollections of our weddings half a century ago.

Oh, how nice to have been married that long and even care about the wedding shoes. Me? I threw the wedding photos away.

DeeWBW We never even thought to take any photos.

My shoes were white satin sling back with a small heel.
My Aunt made made my dress it was white satin and lace and she even made a little hat of lace which was attached to my veil.
My going away outfit was a pink dress and coat and navy shoes and hand bag. The year was 1968. I still have my dress.