How are you supposed to request your bridesmaids wear a certain shoe?

You just let them know, "hey they can be whatever you want but please have them be black"

I would just send out an email and tell them it's required!

If you require they wear a specific shoe you purchase it for them.

If you just want a certain color you tell them "I'd prefer you guys wear a black shoe"

You don't need to buy them shoes in order for them to wear black. The same way you asked them to wear a particular color for their dress, you let them know that they can wear whatever shoe is comfortable for them, as long as it's black. Leave it that and be done.

Just text them and be like "Hey please wear a nice pair of black heels. Can be ones you already own!"

The nice thing about "heels" is that there is such thing as a "kitten heel", so anyone who hates heels can opt for that. It's not much more than a flat with a small lift.

But yes, to echo PP, just request that they wear "any kind of black heel, height doesn't matter" and leave it at that.

I told all my girls as long as the shoes are black (no sneakers) I don't care what you wear. We have some girls who only wear heels and some who don't/can't wear heels. So I really don't care as long as the shoe is black (hell they can go get the $5 black flats from Wal-Mart for all I care.

Oh, Rachel.

Yep, if you're requiring a certain shoe, you pay for it. I would just ask them to wear a black shoe that they already own.

If you're requiring professional hair and makeup, you'll need to pay for that too. If it's optional, and they choose to do it, then they pay.

Yeah, I've been in a number of weddings here nude heels were requested (or black) otherwise we generally could pick our own. One even requested nude open-toed (I thought that was slightly too much). I think the picking one's own shoe is important because shoes have the possibility of being so darn uncomfortable with different foot shapes.

I said "please wear black shoes the day of the wedding.

I think black is a reasonable request. A heel may not be for some people though. Are they wearing floor length dresses or short dresses?

If long dresses, no one will even see the shoes, I definitely wouldn't ask for heels specifically but asking for black is fine.

If short dresses, maybe it's okay to say something like "Hey I would like if you guys all wear black shoes. I don't care what kind of but just black. If you all are comfortable with it, I would prefer some style of heel but if you don't want to wear heels, just black shoes please"

Or something similar to that but in your own words. I wouldn't push them on the heel thing but I think you can at least ask. But remember some people really aren't comfortable in heels. My sister has gained a lot of weight since having kids and she doesn't like wearing heels any more because her feet have swollen with the weight gain and I have another bridesmaid who is 5'10.5" and she doesn't really like wearing heels either because she's pretty tall. Other people are just plain uncomfortable in them.

Edit to add: that is actually their reasoning for not liking heels, not just me assuming. I told my bridesmaid I didn't care what shoes or even color shoes they wear because they're wearing long dresses and reminded them ceremony is in grass so if they want added height, wedges are probably better than heels. They both told me they don't like wearing heels for the reasons I listed so they'll wear flats.

Kitten heels are not the same as flats. I own both and only wear flats now.

Thank you everyone!! and no they are not required to wear a specific shoe just any dressy black heel (height of their choice). I appreciate all of the feedback.

You can't really require them to wear heels, though.

"any black shoe".

@AK yes somewhat..... I know some of them might try to wear booties with their dress and I definitely do not want booties worn. It would look awful with the guy's tuxedos.

Tell them you want them to wear black shoes. Chances are they'll be looking for some sort of direction from you on this. I would never assume that I could wear whatever shoes I wanted.... That's not being a bridezilla at all!

I'm asking my BMs to wear neutral or gold sandals. As long as they're formal looking I don't care what style they really are, they're wearing long dresses so no one would ever know if they're wearing heels. I'm literally just sending it out in a group text that we have set up for wedding stuff.

"Hey, id really like you guys to wear gold or neutral colored sandals with your dresses. Feel free to come in whatever you want to while getting ready. Just remember your sandals!!"

Just ask nicely, simple.

I simply just told my girls hey so I don't care what kind of shoe you get but I want it silver. They all said okay and no one was mad