The eldest of Tyson and Paris Fury's seven children, Venezuela, tied the knot with Noah Price over the weekend (16 May) and opted for quite the fashion statement for her special day.
Not only did the 16-year-old don a stunning £40,000 dress complete with a 50-ft train, but she paired the look with a pair of white Crocs, a trend a number of Gen Z brides have been hopping on as of late.
While some absolutely love the look, both for its 'cool' vibe and practicality, others aren't so sure, with many taking to social media to debate the bridal trend.
One person confessed: "Honestly, I’d wear Crocs on my wedding day if I could."
"I love Crocs sm, making them my wedding shoes," a second agreed as a third gushed: "Venezuela Fury looked amazing for her wedding: sunglasses and white Crocs with a wedding gown. She should be a Vogue cover."
Venezuela Fury, 16, decided to wear a comfy pair of white Crocs to her wedding with Noah Price, 19 (TikTok/@venezuelaffury) And a fourth wrote: "If you are going to wear an outfit once and no one can see the shoes… wear whatever works!"
Venezuela echoed this point in a pre-wedding interview with The Sun, explaining: "I am wearing white Crocs. I’m already tall and you’re not going to see my feet anyway."
Many, however, couldn't have disagreed more.
"Wouldn’t even want to be buried wearing them…" slammed one critic as another added: "I agree, but their day and their choices."
And a final critic hit out: "Who the f*ck wears Crocs to a wedding?"
Mum Paris previously revealed that her daughter's choice in footwear came as a 'disappointment', as she would have loved to have seen Venezuela in a pair of heels, but she accepted that it was ultimately her decision.
"I have had to come to terms with this," she told the outlet. "I’ve let Venezuela do whatever she wants with her wedding."
Ahead of the wedding, Paris shared a snap of the Crocs to Instagram and joked in the overlay text: "Still can’t believe she wants to wear Crocs as her wedding shoes."
A number of other girls and women have shared their plans to wear a pair of Crocs on their special day too (TikTok/@venezuelaffury) So, why are so many young brides doing away with the stilettos and switching things up with a comfy pair of Crocs?
Well, Tyla exclusively spoke to Becky Read, wedding expert at The Wedding Travel Company, who shared her expertise on the divisive new fashion trend.
"Gen Z brides are much more comfortable treating wedding style as something personal rather than following a fixed set of traditional rules," she began.
"Venezuela Fury choosing white Crocs because her height meant she already felt she was tall enough without adding on heels, and her feet were hidden anyway, is a perfect example of this."
According to the expert, a lot of younger brides want to make practical choices 'without feeling like they’re losing any of their style or personality'.
"Crocs are a good example of that shift," Becky continued. "They are comfortable, instantly recognisable and unexpected, which makes them feel more like a personality choice than a traditional bridal shoe."
She added that we're seeing a lot more couples nowadays who 'think much more practically about the full wedding day'.
"If a dress is floor-length and covers your feet, brides are asking themselves, 'Why suffer in heels all day?' A bride might be standing, walking, dancing and posing for photos for hours, so comfort is becoming part of the styling decision from the start rather than something saved for the evening," Becky noted, adding that the trend is even more apparent with destination weddings.
Mum Paris even had reservations about her daughter's choice in footwear (Instagram/@paris.fury1) "If you are getting married abroad on a beach, a cliff-edge vineyard, or walking down historic, cobbled European streets, traditional stiletto heels are practically impossible. Comfortable, alternative footwear is essential for these locations, with many brides intentionally reaching for stylish flats, sandals, or Crocs right from the first fitting."
For Gen Z brides in particular, the expert concludes, there’s also the 'shareability factor'.
"A detail like Crocs creates a real talking point, photographs well and gives the wedding look a sense of humour," Becky said. "It shows that bridal style can still feel special without taking itself too seriously."
Makes sense!
Tyla has reached out to Crocs for comment.