I Gotta Be Me!

I was thinking today about what I should post about next and realized that one of the sad things about me starting this blog so late into my planning (let’s be honest, I started posting about a month before my wedding day!) is that you haven’t been able to read about my planning, my decisions and my purchases for the wedding, so I thought I would take the time to tell you about my wedding shoes.

*sigh*

Oh how I love my shoes…

Like most brides, once I found “the dress”, I began to hunt for all the little bits that go along with it. This being the veil, the headpiece/tiara, jewellery and of course, the most important accessory of them all – the shoes.

Now people, these aren’t just shoes. They are THE shoes. The shoes that you will wear as you take the first step into your new life as a wife. The shoes that you will be dancing in (hopefully, if you haven’t changed into flip flops!) with your husband for the first time. The shoes that all your friends and family will ooooh and aaaaah over as the ‘gem’ that made your outfit “perfect”.



So yeah, this is pretty huge.

I think I hit every shoe store in every mall in Mississauga. I looked on websites, scouring over bridal shoes and white shoes. Open-toed or closed toed. High heel, kitten heel, or ballet flats. Simple and sleek, or covered in bling. The options are endless!

I’m 5’10 and my fiancé is 6’1, and his only request for the wedding day is that he be taller than me. So that meant high heels were out.

Eventually I threw my hands in the air, out of frustration (Ha! No bride ever does that!) and voiced my concerns to my bridal party. Throw the word “Wedding” or “Bridal” in front of any product or service and you can pretty much guarantee that the price will increase by 25 – 50%. I just could not rationalize paying $100 (or more!) for a pair of white shoes that I will never wear again. I was told to look at satin dyeable shoes, but being completely honest with myself, I knew I would never wear satin shoes in the future.

I had continually toyed with the idea of wearing coloured shoes because a) I'm just not a white shoe person, b) they’ll be under my dress and honestly, how many people will be looking at my feet? And c) I’m being practical (which is who I am as a Virgo!) because I can wear them again! Besides, blue is my favourite colour! After much debate about tradition and my personal comfort, I finally decided “I gotta be me!” and went on the hunt for blue shoes.

Then, one day, as I was walking through Square One with my girlfriends, I came across the most perfect pairs of shoes I have ever laid my eyes on. I was drawn into the store by a magnetic force and saw them. Closed-toe, kitten heeled, blue leather. Not only would these be the perfect wedding shoes for me, but they would look so hot with a pair of jeans at a later date. After asking for a pair in my size, I slipped them on my feet and I was instantly in heaven. These were the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn, and they were absolutely stunning. I knew I had to have them, and within minutes I walked out of the store with my coveted Steve Maddens in hand.



I got home and began to panic ever so slightly because I remembered how traditional my fiancé is about our wedding. My girlfriends have told him over the last year that my wedding gown is blue (again, my favourite colour) and he jokingly pumps his fist at me, with a smile on his face, saying “It better be white.” So you could say I was a little worried about what he would say about my beautiful bright blue shoes. When he came home, I pulled them out to show him and the look on his face was priceless.

Him: “Wow. Those are really bright. You’re kidding about wearing them for the wedding, right?”

Me: “No.”

*pause*

Him: “Well, they’re definitely you.”

And that's how it was finalized that I would wear my beautiful bright blue, kitten heel Steve Maddens as I walk down the aisle.

Oh, and as an aside, my one girlfriends (after finding out that I would definitely be wearing my blue shoes at the wedding) said that while everybody else took pictures of my face as I walked down the aisle, she will be taking pictures of the little peeps of blue that will poke out under the hem of my dress. I can't wait!

Only 11 more days to go!