When it comes to wedding shoes, you don’t have to sacrifice comfort for style.

WITHOUT a doubt, bridal shoes often play second fiddle to the gown.

Unless it’s a beach wedding, a bride cannot simply go barefoot and needs to slip on something stylish for her big day.

Many women often choose a pair as an after-thought, but selecting suitable shoes go a long way to keep both feet and bride happy throughout the day.

Strappy heels with Swarovski crystals by Valerie Fan Wedding Gallery.

There are various factors to consider when getting the perfect pair, such as comfort, design and the height of the heel.

Most women would not want to tower over their husbands-to-be, hence tall women may opt for low heels or flats.

However, there is nothing to stop these women from wearing elegant 10cm heels if the man she is marrying is a confident one.

The shoe design also needs to complement, and not overshadow, the gown. An elaborate gown goes well with a simple pair of shoes. Gone are the days when one’s footwear and gown are made from the same material.

Comfort is of prime importance, although some women are willing to forgo that for vanity.

All brides would want to look stunning from head to toe and enjoy their ceremony, minus the agony of having blisters at the end of the day.

Pearly white: Wedding gown and bridal shoe designer Valerie Fan, holding one of her favourite designs at her boutique Valerie Fan Wedding Gallery.

Therefore, it’s crucial to get a comfortable pair of shoes and to break them in before the wedding.

A few brides in the Philippines have been known to ditch tradition and wear FitFlop sandals at their garden or beach weddings.

The brand, known for comfortable flip-flops that apparently yield toning and exercise benefits, has a special collection featuring glittery and floral patterns.

If your curiosity is piqued, check out its Electra, Pietra, Frou or Floretta designs, which are priced from RM269 to RM399. There is also the Swarovski-crystal embellished Walkstar Rockstar limited edition priced at RM1,889.

If sandals – no matter how bling bling – is just not your cup of tea, other shoe labels may appeal to your needs. For instance, Lewré Couture’s latest wedding collection offers glamorous shoes for brides and bridesmaids alike.

Themed Underwater World, designs come in the form of double platform satin stilettos. There are various colours, from ocean blue, ivory oyster, coral fuschia to silver shells. Styles include slingbacks and ankle strap heels embellished with Swarovski Elements crystals in mono or multi-tones.

These days, it is also a common trend to custom-make bridal shoes along with wedding gowns.

The ocean blue double platform satin stiletto slingback with Swarovski Elements crystals from Lewré Couture.

“Nice white or off-white shoes are difficult to find. There are brides who spend more time searching for shoes than the gown itself!

“However, some brides are more fashion-forward and wear coloured shoes, which are easier to find,” shares Hoi Lai Leng, general manager of Designer Bridal Room (DBR), a designer wedding gown boutique in Kuala Lumpur. DBR currently represents nine labels such as Christian Lacroix, Annasul Y, Elie by Elie Saab, Manuel Mota, Pronovias, Reem Acra, Rosa Clara, St Patrick and Lusan Mandongus.

“I’ve seen one of our brides wear red heels with her wedding gown. I’ve also seen blue (to represent) ‘something blue’. Other popular colours are gold and silver,” says Hoi.

The bride who wore red heels is Shelley Wong, who got married last year. Wong, 30, had a garden wedding followed by a reception in a hotel ballroom. She wore a pair of striking red, ankle strap peep-toe stilettos with bow details.

Wong bought the heels from a popular shoe store chain in Australia.

“I chose red because it’s my favourite colour and I wanted something a bit quirky to go with our Alice in Wonderland theme,” says Wong, via e-mail. Wong is currently based in Perth, Australia and manages a couple of Japanese restaurants there.

“It had a satin finish and the height was around 7cm. It was a bit high but I am short so I needed the height!”

Not many guests noticed her shoes until they saw her wedding photographs.

“A lot of people thought it was a strange choice!” she shares.

Double platform satin stilettos with Swarovski Elements crystals from Lewré Couture.

Indeed, white, off-white, silver and gold are still the popular colours for bridal shoes.

“I don’t really suggest a strong colour contrast between the gown and the shoes,” says wedding gown and bridal shoe designer Beatrice Looi, whose boutique is in Kuala Lumpur.

Looi uses materials like satin, lace, leather and PVC (polyvinyl chloride) for her footwear and enhance them with pearls, French lace, stones or beads.

“For my gowns, I like to use lace but if the entire gown is lace then the shoe should have a clean look, or maybe (embellished) with some pearls,” she adds.

Personally, she prefers peep-toe pumps or slingbacks as bridal footwear.

“Strappy heels don’t go very well with certain gowns, unless the dress has a simple design and is shorter in front,” says Looi, whose shoe designs are priced from RM250.

Wedding shoe trends have not seen much evolvement over the years, Looi observes.

“I think the only changes are in the shoe shape and materials used; for example, we have better quality satin or patterned heels nowadays.

“Pointed shoes are considered old-fashioned now. Two years ago, peep-toes were also a no-no but now, a little peep-toe is great, as is a ballerina shape,” adds Looi.

Taking an extra piece of your gown material to create your bridal shoes is not exactly in vogue either. “That might be creating a complete look but too perfect is not trendy.”

The designer advises women to custom-make their wedding shoes because many people have uneven feet size. In addition, a number of women find it difficult to wear thin and high heels.

“We usually suggest that brides wear wedges or a front platform pair if they want really high heels. A lot of women cannot balance well on 10cm heels, so adding a hidden platform in front will help,” she says.

“In our soles, we also insert an extra sponge to provide a cushion (effect). The comfort of the shoes comes first, not design.”

Wedding gown and shoe designer Valerie Fan shares the same thinking.

“Many Malaysian women have broad feet and we usually suggest a peep-toe with a wider front for more comfort,” says Fan, whose boutique Valerie Fan Wedding Gallery is located in Petaling Jaya.

“Higher heels are definitely more elegant but the height of shoes affects the bride’s posture. For my 10cm heels, I will add a front platform to make it more comfortable to wear,” she adds.

Fan likes to keep her designs simple yet classic so that women can wear them again after their wedding.

Many of her designs feature Swarovski crystals and materials like Duchess satin. For garden or beach weddings, she designs sandals with diamanté detailing. Her shoes start from RM259 for off-the-rack designs while custom-made ones are priced from RM359.

Current popular designs, says Fan, are peep-toes with either lace or Swarovski crystal embellishment.

In terms of colour, she feels most brides still prefer all white or off-white colours for their gowns and shoes.

“If brides have a colour theme for their wedding, some may wear blue or pink shoes with their gowns,” she concludes.

Vanessa Minnillo learned a thing or two about wedding planning before she and Nick Lachey said “I do” earlier this month!

From USMagazine.com

Celebrity Wedding News

Saturday night, Lachey, 37, and Minnillo, 30, shared their wedding planning experience — and allowed viewers to see their Necker Island nuptials — in their TLC specialNick & Vanessa’s Dream Wedding.

PHOTOS: Nick and Vanessa’s cutest moments

The Wipeout host — who confirmed her engagement to Lachey in Nov. 2010 — shared her top ten wedding planning tips on Twitter:

1. Try on different styles of dresses. Even if you know what you want, it may surprise you. Go for it all and be girly! Most importantly, HAVE FUN!

2. I love a little splash of color! I had a beautiful bouquet, BUT I didn’t put my matron of honor in a fuchsia dress.

3. Listen to your groom and have elements of what he wants in the wedding. After all, it’s both of your day. Nick had great suggestions.

VIDEO: Nick and Vanessa explain why they wrote their own wedding vows

4. A welcome bag with personalized goodies is always nice! We did beach towels with [our guests'] names embroidered and [included] all the beach essentials.

5. Make sure to take time before the wedding and spend it with your fiance. A night with a glass of wine, or a weekend away! Quality time.

6. To save money: Use the venue’s place settings and glassware, but we brought in our personalized linens and chargers for a more custom feel.

7. If you can, have multiple photographers. We loved Yitzhak Dalal, and he brought two other [photographers] with him. There’s always more than one angle you’ll want!

VIDEO: Even more details on Nick and Vanessa’s big day

8. Consider weather when planning an outdoor ceremony. The ONE thing I regret is we didn’t have fans or air-conditioning at the ceremony.

9. Do something special for your fiance before the ceremony – [give them] a gift, and/or a hand-written card. Let them know how you feel and that you love them!

10. HAVE FUN! Once it’s the day of, try your hardest not to let ANYTHING get in the way. You’ll regret it if you obsess about small stuff!

Tell Us: What do you think of Vanessa’s wedding planning tips?

Spring Themed Wedding In White

Pink is not the only color theme to use for a spring wedding.

For most of us, spring means the start of new life. Flowers bloom, and the earth wakes up from a long hibernation. If you live in a warmish climate, the perfect place for your spring wedding might be outdoors in a garden that’s bursting with fresh flowers.

As the weather begins to heat up and gardens start to bloom, many brides find the perfect setting for their special day among the greenery and budding flowers. There are so many ways to set off an outdoor wedding in springtime!

Spring is a popular season for weddings. Rightfully so since everything about spring is fresh and new. This is the same for your wedding day. You are embarking on a new journey as husband and wife. A new chapter in the book of your lives. The great thing about spring, is that there are not only plenty of flowers to choose from for everything from your bouquet to the wedding reception centerpieces. Even the cake can reflect your spring theme by having a cake with colored icing instead of white.  Perhaps having a spring themed wedding might possibly be of right for you. Here is a great way to have a spring themed wedding in 3 easy steps.

The 1st step to be taken is to book a church or ceremony site as close to Easter as you can. You’ll also need to get the reception location booked as well because it this is such a popular time for weddings.

The second step will be to make the colors something that would remind people of spring, like pink and green. Shades of blue work well for a springtime wedding color scheme. Try  Chocolate and pink or blue wedding color scheme. How about orange and hot pink for your wedding color scheme? Even purple works well for a spring wedding. Just be mindful to avoid here are colors that do not promote your theme.

The third step is to design the reception menu to include food of spring like fresh fruits and vegetables. This will be significant because it will make the spring feeling come to life in your reception. The most important thing to avoid is having anything in your wedding or reception that does not resemble spring.

Think of unique ways to make your wedding have that spring look and feel. One way is to have a candy buffet or desert table that compliment your color theme. You can also bring the spring wedding theme alive by selecting linens for the tables with beautiful sheer overlays to accentuate your color scheme.

There are several weddings where I have setup a ribbon tree as part of the decor which adds to that touch of spring.

There are so many ways to compliment your spring wedding theme from place cards to table settings. Let you imagination and creativity take hold and design a special spring type element for your wedding day.

Let me know what you came up with.

Special Moments Right Before The Wedding Ceremony

It is normal to feel nervous and anxious on your wedding day.

Be sure to give yourself at least 5 minutes before walking down the aisle. Every moment has been spoken for on your wedding day. This is the moment you have planned for and worked for to finally see your dream come true. Now, take 5 and relax before you set out down the aisle. It will make such a difference in allowing you a chance to prepare and settle yourself. You have had so many people around you and now you just need to center yourself and focus. Afterall, you will soon be joining your groom for that first glimpse of you. Being a special moment in itself, it is important that you can take it all in. Relax, take 5, and enjoy that walk down the aisle.

This is a defining moment for you and your groom. Make the moment last as long as you can. Take in all the details, the family and friends that are joining in your celebration. Notice each and every detail. You will be glad you did. Most importantly walk with the assurance and confidence that all is in place and complete. No more endless lists of “To Dos”. Everything is taken care of.  Now is your moment to shine and fulfill your wedding dream and know at the same time that today is the special day to celebrate your love and commitment to each other. Today you marry your best friend.

Your wedding day is finally here and all eyes are on you. Good Luck. I wish you love and happiness.

Red roses will make your black and white wedding cake stand out.

Let Them Eat Cake At Your Wedding.

Don’t forget to decorate the cake table at your wedding reception. Use rose petals, votive candles to make the cake table stand out.  You will want you cake elevated to show it off and set it apart from the other tables at the reception. Add a special element like glass or a custom cake stand to give it that elegant look. It will actually make your cake look larger and stand out in a ballroom or wedding venue. Make your wedding cake stand out with a bright accent color. Use the opposite linen color from your wedding color scheme to make it stand out. You can also use a sheer overlay that is a shade lighter or darker than the linens you will use for the guests. Have the cake table compliment your sweetheart table or head table if sitting with your bridal party. Find a cake topper that sets the cake off or use fresh flowers as in this picture. There are so many ways to make your cake table stand out. My favorite is to use a combination by elevating the cake, putting it on a great custom cake stand , using votives – lots, and swagging the sheer fabric with a small bouquet at each swag. No matter what, think about the cake table as an opportunity to let your sense of style shine at your wedding. Come up with something unusual that stands out and makes your cake table look classic and elegant.

Step one to be taken is to get together with a florist and put together a theme of spring flowers. You are going to need to get this because it will set the mood at your ceremony for vibrant colors and interests of the country club crowd. You need to carefully avoid delaying the meeting with the florist as some of these flowers will quickly go out of season.

You will need to do this first step promptly, correctly and completely. If you don’t complete it correctly, then you will not have the look you want for your wedding.

The 2nd step will be to find the casual attire for the wedding party. Items that you will need to avoid here are dresses and tuxedos that are too formal.

The third step is to reserve a space on the country club like a ballroom or one of the more scenic greens on the golf course. This will be significant because it will really drive home the feeling of the country club theme. What is important to avoid is a setting that is too formal like a church.

We all have certain things that we would wish to do or have or perhaps be. Maybe you have some curiosity about how to have a winter themed wedding. Many others are interested in the same thing. There is lots of beneficial info you could potentially access if you ever wanted to. If you want to learn how to have a winter themed wedding then this article can help you. To improve your understanding, continue reading. Discover how you can have a winter themed wedding in 3 easy steps!

The first step is to reserve a spot in a national park or the woods to have the ceremony. This is a good idea because it uses our natural elements to show your love for one another.

Your second step is to get wildflowers or daisies to be prominent in the colors and floral arrangements. What you should avoid here are flowers that can be found in wonderful man-made gardens. This wedding is about celebrating nature and all its glory.

The third step is using as many organic foods in the reception and recyclable products overall. This will be significant because it will show you are serious about your love for nature and its preservation. The most important thing to avoid is disrespecting the very nature feel and look that you love.

Just stick to the steps as specified and you should not have any difficulties with how to have a nature wedding. Simply do the things specified and steer clear of the traps and problems as explained. Then experience the fruits and great things about having have a nature wedding that you will have earned by your time and efforts.

1. Make sure you set ground rules for what photos are and are not to be taken at the wedding.  If you don’t like to be pictured while kissing, make sure this is known.  If you don’t want photos of emotional friends and family make sure this is clearly stated as well.
2. Get together with your photographer and make a list of photos that you definitely know you want before the wedding day arrives.  Separate the list in to what can be done before the ceremony and after to save time and get to the reception even faster.
3. Inform your photographer of certain photos you want taken before the ceremony of things that are not people.  For example, the bride’s bouquet or a table of food, cake or pictures needs to be pointed out if it is not the traditional photograph.

Follow these rules and your wedding photos are sure to be exactly as you want them!

1. The “Ex”:  If you know for sure that your fiancé(e) is ok with your ex being at the wedding and there are no hard feelings this may be ok.  Some people do have good relationship with ex’s and this is ok if it doesn’t affect someone, but if it does it can ruin a wedding day.
2. The “Party Drinker”:  Sure this person may be fun at the occasional get-together at a friends house because they get ridiculous when drunk, but who wants that at their wedding?  If you are going to have alcohol served at your reception you should consider each and every person you invite before sending invitations.  Nothing makes things go downhill faster than alcohol.
3. The “Coworker”:  You should decide early on if everyone at work is invited to your wedding or if nobody from work is invited.  You should really consider only these two options unless you have a friend that can keep their attendance quiet.  This can kill work relationships very quickly if you don’t consider the repercussions.

Make sure you thank your guests for their wedding gift!

Saying Thank You means your guests matte long after your wedding!

You will receive more gifts and money for your wedding than most of your birthdays in your life combined, for good reason.  However, you shouldn’t take this gifts or people who gave them to you for granted, they may have given you something that took great effort to get.  For this reason you should consider a few things when sending out “Thank You” cards.

1. Don’t wait more than three months to make out and send out your thank you cards to everyone who brought you a gift.  Remember that the more time you take the less thankful and gracious you seem to be and you don’t want to give that impression to anyone.
2. Make sure you address everyone from the family that attended the wedding in the card that you send.  Remember, most women are the ones that actually go out and purchase the gifts so even if you don’t know the woman well make sure she gets her due credit.
3. It is very important that you document in your card what it was that the person or people who bought it for your actually bought.  When you are opening gifts  you should write down who bought what so you can reference it, this will only make people more happy with your card.

Do all of these things and you are guaranteed to have people feel great about their gift giving and remember that as other events – such as having your first  baby- occur in your life.

1. Consider sending a “Save the Date” invitation six to eight months before the wedding date.  This will be much less formal than the actual invitation and will give little information, basically just the date and request it be saved.
2. Make sure that the wonderful humans that are organizing your wedding shower are well informed of the date and time of your wedding.  They will be asked by a lot of people leading up to the wedding for this information and should be prepared.
3. Be sure to send out your formal wedding invitation six to eight weeks before the wedding date.  Make sure it is clearly written what the date, time and address for the wedding is so there are no mix ups!

Following these three easy steps should ensure that your wedding goes off without a hitch!

Make your wedding day easy on both you and your wedding guests.

When you are planning a wedding there are any number of ways to factor in planning your wedding to help your guests be comfortable and able to enjoy the celebration .  One way that will assure your guests enjoyment in your day would be having your ceremony and reception in the same location.  This will cut down on confusion for your guests. Think about it this way – your some of your guests will be from out of town. If you are having a Destination Wedding, everyone will be new to the surroundings.  For those living in vicinity of your wedding venue, they may still be unfamiliar with that particular location. This will also cut down on your stress the day of the wedding with so many phone calls from lost wedding guest especially if your wedding ceremony and wedding reception are in two different locations.

First, it is important to remember that many of your wedding guests many not be familiar with the location of your wedding ceremony or reception.  If they are not familiar with either they will be struggling to find both in one day, which could cause a lot of undue stress.  Even though your map and directions inserted in your wedding invitation may be perfect, people still have a hard time following a route. Of course, a great GPS can certainly help lead the way.

Second, it is important to remember that you will have a limited amount of time at your own wedding reception due to your wedding photographs being taken after your ceremony.  Time seems to go by so quickly once the ceremony starts. Besides you will be anxious to join your wedding guests and if you are still at the ceremony site taking pictures this will cut down on your enjoyment of your reception and having to drive across town could cut down even more.  Don’t let your wedding day be more stressful  and lose any time with family and friends because the ceremony site is logistically too far away from the reception. The whole point is for you to have a wedding day that is wonderful, stress-free, and exactly the way you wanted. Just keep in mind these concepts when choosing a wedding venue that works for you. If you think about all sides to your wedding day from the bridal room to the dance floor, you will be able to make the right choice for your wedding day.

Wedding Tip Idea: When planning a wedding for one bride having her ceremony at a church and the reception at the beautiful Safety Harbor Resort and Spa the solution was to have the cocktail hour start later in order to give guests a chance to relax. This allowed the bride and groom to complete the after ceremony pictures at the church and then join their guests at the beginning of the cocktail hour.

Let’s say, for example, you intend on having a dance floor with several dance competitions or celebrations planned.  You know there will be a lot of activity and perhaps the chance that some people could fall and injure themselves.  If this is possible you should make a point of having somewhere for your elderly guests should sit away from everything.

Also, consider how you seat your guests in relation to the receiving line or the food you have planned for the reception.  Lines coming from these two areas could cause a lot of congestion and confusion, only seat near them if space is at a premium.  Consider the small things about wedding reception seating and you will be just fine.

Set realistic goals for your wedding day.

You will look gorgeous on your wedding day.

A wedding is intimidating to many men and women because of the fact that you know this is the largest event that you and your fiance will plan. Besides that, there are so many details and decisions to make. Who should you invite to the wedding?  Where should the ceremony and wedding reception take place? What kind of food will be served and in what manner? Stations, Buffet, full-plated service? What should your bouquet look like, and so on.  Then there are  the   pictures and videos that are not only taken on your wedding day but will be around for the rest of your life.  This is great in one respect as you will be able to reminisce and fondly share your wedding with each other. Besides these are the happy memories you will create for a lifetime.

However, sometimes the very thought of having to be in front of so many family and friends as well as being photographed so many times can send you into panic mode. You may decide to start a diet regiment or join Bridal Boot Camp dieting and exercising to lose weight.  Just be sure to set realistic goals and have a great support system. Perhaps all your bridesmaids will start with you.The point is to start with a goal such as lose 15 pounds in 4 months or tone and firm my legs in 3 months. Set your goal as something that is doable and fits into your schedule.

With a diet & exercise plan, working, sharing time with your fiance, and planning a wedding – you are bound to feel the stress. That’s where your support system comes in and helps you to stay on track without feeling overwhelmed. Ask for help. Delegate early on in your wedding planning. It will really help you focus on losing weight or toning up.

Losing weight should be put in to perspective. One thing I know for sure in planning weddings is that all brides are absolutely stunning on their wedding day. You will be too, I promise.  You should only try to lose weight and tone-up if you have that set that as a goal to meet for your wedding day.  As long as you lose weight the right way you will be excited and happy on your wedding day. I already know that you will glow and Wow your groom.