Anyone who has suffered through a special occasion with shoes that hurt will have an unpleasant memory that will stick for a while. There is no way to emphasize enough how important comfort is when the bride selects her shoes for the wedding.

Some brides, regardless of warning insist on buying ornate shoes with the high high heels, because that the vision they have of themselves for their wedding day. There is no doubt that such a shoe, much like wearing a gown, makes a bride feel elegant and some women have no problem wearing high heels. If that is so, more power to them. A backup pair is, nevertheless, a safe idea. .

More often than not, the prospective bride relegates much too short amount of time for show selection. More often than not shoes are selected by look and style, leaving comfort a sad third. These are shoes will be walked on, run on and danced on. Most brides spend almost all of their time on their feet. That means that shoes must be extraordinarily comfortable. Some brides take this warning perhaps too seriously. Many a modern bride has chosen a ballet slipper or a decorated sneaker. Here, the compromise works well. A shoe selected for looks and style can be worn at the ceremony, leaving the bride to change for the reception to more comfortable footwear. Brides who choose this option must take care to keep an eye out for their gown length. The comfortable pair needs to be close in heel height to the style pair, or the dress will drag all over the dance floor. As a matter of fact, it's important to mention that when having her gown altered, it's imperative that she has the shoes she'll be wearing with her. A way to get around the gown length issue is for the bride to work with her seamstress and have her create a bustle that lifts the gown off the floor in order to accommodate the flatter heel..

The location of the wedding should also be considered in the purchase. If the wedding is outdoors, it may be on wet, dewy grass which could irreparably stain a fabric shoe. Leather, though not as elegant, may be a better choice. If the ceremony is on grass or soil, a wider heel will work better than a high, thin heel. The broader heel will keep the bride from digging into the ground. This rule also holds true for the bride who will be trekking to her ceremony site on something other than regular pavement..

Most brides consider dancing at the reception one of the highlights of their event. New shoes, with slippery soles, are a bad combination with highly polished floors . . . an accident waiting to happen. New shoes can be "conditioned" by scratching the soles with sandpaper or an emery board (nail file). There are also adhesive backed pads that have a rough surface, which can be glues to the bottom of the shoe. The flip side must be considered as well. There is a fine line between a shoe that is so slippery that it is potentially dangerous and a shoe that is so rough or rubbery that it will "stick" to the dance floor..

Last, but not least, no wedding shoe should be worn with it being "worn in." Most shoes get better and more comfortable after a wear in period and brides are cautioned to do so for several weeks before their wedding day. Brides who lose a lot of weight before their wedding date and after purchasing their shoes, should keep in mind that feet lose weight along with the body, so shoes should be tested by wearing in the event is serious weight loss. A slip-in inner sole can tighten the shoe back to "normal," while at the same time increasing its comfort..

A good balance between looks and comfort is the underlying principle for purchasing wedding shoes. Whether it's the bride or the groom, careful thought, preparation and conditioning, with an eye to comfort is the key.

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