How tall is your groom? You might not mind if you’re taller than him, but you don’t want him to feel uncomfortable at the alter. It could also be strange if you’re very short and wear flats beside your very tall groom. Talk to him and take his feelings into account.

Where will you be walking? If your wedding is outside or you plan to take a lot of outside pictures, it might be difficult to walk in grass, sand, gravel, and cobblestone if you’re wearing extremely high heels. Unless you buy two pairs of shoes, remember that you won’t just be walking on carpeted, level floors in your heels.

What is the shape of your foot? Certain kinds of shoes simply look better on certain feet. If ballet flats look great on your feet, there’s no reason you shouldn’t wear them, even if you’re also comfortable in heels.

Are the shoes practical to wear after your wedding? To get the most bang for your buck, you should consider wedding shoes that you can wear after the big day. Choose the heel height that best fits your lifestyle.

~ Shop with brands that offer shoes specifically for wider feet. Instead of being frustrated trying to fit into average shoes, just shop wide from the start!

~ Look for shoes that are more “open” along the sides. That way, if you need a little extra room, you have it. Of course, you don’t want the shoe to look like it is trying to hold in your bursting foot or be uncomfortable because there’s not enough support, but this is a good option if your foot is just slightly wider than average.

~ Get away from the bridal shops. Most only carry shoes in average sizes. You’ll have better luck finding shoes that fit if you search at non-bridal locations.

They have three blue options. The first, pictured here, is a light blue that looks almost metallic. At their website, though, you can also instead choose a robin’s egg shape of blue for a bold pop of color on your feet or a regal dark shade of royal blue for a striking statement.

Aren’t sure what color you want for your bridal shoes? For just $1, you can order color swatches in any of the three shades of blue, as well as for other colors – they can dye shoes in Red, Light Pink, Pink, Hot Pink, Yellow, Light Purple, Purple, Green or Brown. That way, you won’t be surprised a few weeks before your wedding with a color that you didn’t expect.

Metallics are a great choice for wedding shoes, but not all metallic shoes look perfect on every bride. Here are some tips you can use to choose the perfect metallics, from pumps to flats, to wear on your big day:

Tip #1: Choose a metallic that complements your skin tone. Most people wear silver better than gold, but it depends on your specific skin tone. Try on a number of different metallics to find a hue that works.

Tip #2: Match the metallic with your white dress. Not all whites are the same. A white dress that has yellow or cream undertones may look strange when paired with a silver shoe, while a stark white dress would work just fine with the same footwear. Take a swatch of the dress when you shoe shop if possible.

Tip #3: Buy your jewelry first. On your big day, you might be set on wearing one type of metallic. However, when shopping, a different piece may jump out at you. Your jewelry will be more visible than your shoes, so choose that first and pick shoes to match.

Photo by evelynishere

Tip #1: Skip the high heels. Even if you’re extremely comfortable walking in heels, stick to flats or low heels if you’re pregnant. If you trip or slip, which is more likely in high heels, you could hurt the baby. Heels also put stress on your lower back, which is hard on you and your baby when you’re pregnant.

Tip #2: Look for shoes that are flexible. During your pregnancy, your feet may swell  during certain days, while remaining normal other days. Look for shoes with adjustable straps and flexible material so you’re prepared for anything on your wedding day.

Tip #3: Remember that your hormones might change. Pregnancy might cause your feet to sweat when you’re pregnant, even if that’s never happened before. So, stick to shoes made with breathable materials or that are very open.

Photo by Mel B.

If you love shoes, you might want to have a shopping-inspired reception, complete with shoe favors. Don’t worry – you don’t have to know each guest’s size. These chocolate shoes, available from Gayle’s Chocolates, make perfect favors!

The shoes pictured above aren’t you only options, but because of their smaller size, they do work best for favors. At $14 each, these aren’t inexpensive favors, but they are perfect for a large-budget wedding or smaller wedding where you can afford to spend more money on each guest.

You can also consider large chocolate shoes as gifts for your wedding party. They even make chocolate gold shoes and chocolate men’s oxford shoes for your new husband’s groomsmen.

Check out the Gayle’s Chocolates website for more information about these beautiful chocolate shoes. They also make less expensive chocolate wedding favors if you’re watching your budget closely.

Available from Sock Wizard, these cute socks are less than $8 and feature a cartoon bride that tells everyone who you are.

These customizable socks are only $4.99 from Cool Party Favors!

Groom Stand sells these cool wedding tube socks for just $16, with discounts on bulk orders.

• Does the cost of shipping outweigh the price discount?
• Will I have to pay the shipping to return the shoes if they don’t fit?
• Where is the retailer located, and how does that affect sizing?
• How long will it take to ship the shoes?
• Is there a discount if I order shoes for my wedding party at the same time?
• What material is used to make the shoes?
• How have others rated these shoes in online reviews?
• Is the website where I’m entering my information secure?

When you can’t try on the shoes and see them in person, you’re always running the risk that what you get isn’t what you expected. However, if you order far enough in advance and work with a company that will pay for return shipping, it can really benefit your budget and help you find the perfect shoes to fit your style.

• Some bridesmaids aren’t comfortable in heels. You don’t want anyone to wobble down the aisle.
• Foot size could make shoe shopping an issue. A girl with a wide foot might not be able to fit into the shoe you choose, no matter how much you want her to wear it.
• Health problems could prevent certain shoes. A girl who is pregnant or has bad knees may need to wear flats for help reasons.
• Some girls are self conscious about height. A very short girl might feel like a child wearing flats when she’s used to wearing heels every day.
• You might have expensive taste. Your bridesmaids are already paying for a dress – they might not have much money left to budget for shoes too.

Although you might not want to choose an exact shoe for them to wear, you can certainly give your bridesmaids guidelines, like telling the the color shoe they need to buy or imposing rules (like no open toes or no boots). If you allow the girls to do their own shoe shopping, though, you’ll find that you have a much happier wedding party in the end.

For leopard print, check out these Steve Madden “Regaal” Pumps – available from Nordstrom

For snakeskin print, check out these Donald J. Pliner Lian Heels – available from Zappos

For a very natural leopard print, check out these Jessica Simpson Jinkx Shoes – available from Shoe Sale

For zebra print, check out these Type Z Colleen Heels – available from Smarter

For giraffe print, check out these Moschino Shoes – available from 6pm.com