VIBI VENEZIA Velvet slippers

ViBi Venezia Friulane Velvet Slippers

Price: €95–€150 (depending on style)Made in: Venice, ItalyComfort: 10/10Break-in: NoneSizing: True to size

There's a moment at every wedding — usually around 10pm — when the bride kicks off her heels. I've photographed it hundreds of times. She's barefoot on the dance floor, which venues hate (broken glass, hygiene), and it photographs poorly. Bare feet on sticky parquet isn't the elegant exit anyone planned.

Italian brides figured this out centuries ago.

Friulane (pronounced free-oo-LAH-nay) are traditional Venetian velvet slippers, originally worn by gondoliers. The soles were made from recycled bicycle tires — grippy enough for wet boat decks, soft enough to protect the wood. Today, ViBi Venezia is the brand keeping that craft alive, handmaking each pair in their Venice workshop.

Why they work for weddings:

The velvet photographs beautifully — rich texture catches candlelight without flash glare. They're flat but unmistakably formal. No one mistakes these for house slippers. And because they're handmade with a rubber sole, they're surprisingly grippy on dance floors.

ViBi Venezia offers a dedicated bridal range ("Bianca" in white velvet) through their own store, though the classic ivory and champagne options available at Net-a-Porter work just as well.

The insider move: Buy your ceremony heels AND a pair of Friulane. Total investment around $1,000–1,500 for both. Result: elegant in every photo, comfortable all night, nothing barefoot or undone.

This is what Italian brides do. Now you know.

Best for: Reception dancing, late-night photos, cobblestone venues, anyone who refuses to go barefoot.