Krystal and Matt Ritter’s wedding last April at Hotel W Fort Lauderdale was an event favored by black ties, but shoes were optional for their bridal shower and 155 guests – at least on the dance floor.
The couple, who met at Florida State University and now live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, instead provided wedding socks for anyone looking to take off their uncomfortable heels or oxfords.
At the reception, near the dance floor, a wooden sign read: “A little treat for your dancing feet. Grab a pair and leave your excuses under the table. “A basket was filled with dark blue socks on which the text“ #ForRitterOrPoorer ”was colored white.
“I didn’t want it to be iron-on – I wanted it to be embedded in the sock. When it was washed, the hashtag didn’t go away,” said Ms. Knight, 29, who paid more than $ 800 for this bespoke party items.
She had a similarly themed sock for herself, only in white. The groomsmen wore argyle-patterned socks, while Mr. Ritter wore blue socks with the face of their six-pound, 8-year-old Yorkshire terrier Chloe, whom they wanted to attend on their special day.
“That was of course my wife’s idea too,” said the 30-year-old Ritter, Account Director at a PR company, about his special shoes. However, he was surprised at how many people took advantage of the socks. “There were more people using them than I thought,” he said. “We expected that mostly women would use them, and they were thrilled that they didn’t have to walk barefoot on the dance floor.”
Ms. Ritter, a seasoned marketing manager, said she envisioned including socks in her wedding even before she got engaged. It was inspired by a flip-flop giveaway at a New Years Eve reception. “Socks were one of the things I knew I wanted to do,” she said.
More and more couples seem to be doing the same thing.
Ivory & Mason Socks has sold 76,000 pairs of men’s socks since the beginning of the year, and according to Shervin Natan, the general manager, up to 70 percent of its business was driven by weddings. “When we started it was unique,” he said. “We quickly moved on to selling sock kits. Our customers were women and they ordered packs of eight and packs of twelve. They said, “It’s for our weddings”. “To be more precise, for the inner circles of their bridegrooms.
Los Angeles-based Ivory & Mason sells socks in bundles and pairs from $ 9 per pair. Custom labels cost an additional $ 5 per pair and come with a gift bag. The designs range from Americana and Argyle to animals (like monkeys and penguins) to sports themes.
“It adds a fun element to the wedding,” said Natan, whose business handled larger orders, including 300 couples for a wedding in Houston last March.
Other companies have dipped their toes in the marital sock pool. Chicago-based No Cold Feet specializes in men’s wedding socks and labels. ItsYourTurnSocks Etsy shop, based in Louisville, Kentucky, has options for the best man, uncles, brothers, and father of the bride. The Sock Drawer and John’s Crazy Socks also sell a variety of fun, less formal, and themed socks for brides, grooms, and other wedding guests.
When Andrew Glaser, 32, of Closter, New Jersey, married in September 2015, his groomsmen, father, and father-in-law were all outfitted with matching accessories on the wedding day, including socks.
“I gave everyone socks that were nautically themed,” said Mr. Glaser. “My wife wanted everyone to look fluid and similar.”
He said he understood the importance of this request: “It’s to make sure no one is wearing a ridiculous color sock and then make your pictures look weird.”
A best man declined, insisting that his tuxedo shoes looked better without the included white navy anchor studded socks. But the other eight were obliged.
“Everyone is used to it,” said Mr. Glaser. “I’ve done a few weddings where everyone wears the exact same tuxedo. It is ridiculous. Socks aren’t a big deal. “
And unlike some occasion-specific suits and many bridesmaid dresses, socks can usually be worn again.
Family and friends from California, Germany and New York traveled to the knight’s wedding. Many attendees used their party favors the next day. “I got pictures. People wore their hashtag socks on the plane, ”said Ms. Ritter.
“It was also a souvenir for us,” added Mr. Ritter, who initially thought the sock idea was stupid. “In addition to our wedding video, we can watch it anytime. It brings back some great memories. “