Confessions Of A Wedding Shoe Addict

Ladies, I have big news... I think I finally found The One. No, I don't mean my handsome cello-playing/gadget-obsessed/humor-loving fiance or the perfect sigh-inducing wedding dress (don't you dare peek, Mr. Nosy Husband-To-Be!!!).

I think found The Shoes.

After buying five--yes, you read that right, FIVE--pairs of high heels, I finally found a pair that (a) I love and (b) look great with my dress. If it seems like I'm slightly obsessed with this one wedding detail, that's because I do, in fact, obsessed with with all sorts of gorgeous footwear.

While I considered several different pairs, one shoe in particular stood out:

Swoon! The Badgley Mischka "Randee" T-Strap, $169.99, via Amazon.

I just couldn't get these shoes out of my head, but I was sure that rich shade of "bordo" would look harsh next to my dress. So instead, I ordered them in nude.

But when I took them to the bridal salon and tried them on with my dress, they didn't coordinate! The nude was too warm next to the silvery beading in my dress. 

After much angst and several more pairs, my brilliant mother suggested I try ordering them in white. But, I said, won't my ivory dress look dirty next to bright white heels? Give it a try, she said, because they may not be a pure white.

Lo and behold, she was right...

Here they are in ivory, also via Amazon.

Imagine my surprise when they turned out to be the perfect shade of ivory! They are the exact same shade of ivory as the fabric swatch of my dress. If you look at the above photo, the actual color is quit close to the tip of the toe, not the brighter rosettes on the t-strap.

So tell me, have you picked your wedding day footwear yet? Do you love your fab shoes as much as I do? Post links in the comments or send me pics!

Wedding Inspiration: A Fiesta At Carnivale!

Dear readers, it can be tough to choose a venue. Once you have your venue locked in, the style of your wedding  is also limited. We booked a historic mansion for our wedding because we wanted a wedding that is formal and elegant with a bit of vintage flair. I'm really happy about our decision but I can easily imagine us getting married other places too.

One such place is Carnivale in the West Loop.  I l-o-v-e the bright colors and creative lighting. And their private dining menu seriously makes my mouth water! Ropa vieja with crispy plantains? Yes please!

The Samba Room, one of several rooms you can rent for your reception or rehearsal dinner. Photo via carnivalechicago.com

Of course we would have to have a salsa band. Because the venue is so colorful and lively, I would wear sassy little number to match:

Jules by Monique Lhuillier, via brides.com

As you already know, I'm a serious shoe addict. And a short dress calls for a show-stopping pair of shoes. I'd wear heels in Valentino red:

At $695, these Valentino babies are a little out of my price range. But a girl can dream, right?
Photo via http://store.valentino.com.

My lovely bridesmaids would wear short dresses in a variety of brilliant colors that coordinate with the venue. I'm imagining bright blue, red, pink, green, yellow...

Priscilla of Boston, style no. PB401. If ever there was a "wear again"
bridesmaids dress, this is definitely it.

Our champagne toast would be a mojito toast and we would have pictures of sangria on each table for dinner. For dessert, I'd have either classic flan or Caribbean fruit cake soaked in rum.

As for my groom, he would wear a black, slim-fitting one-button suit. I like this one by Armani:

He'd wear a skinny tie and would skip the boutonniere in favor of a square-folded pocket handkerchief.
I say "he," but let's be real--he usually just wears what I want him to wear. Photo via emporioarmani.com.
  

Since I'm half Aruban, our favors would be cigars made from Aruban tobacco for the gentlemen and cocadas (coconut candies) to the ladies.

Yum! Cocadas, cocadas with cloves and brown sugar, and cocadas with condensed milk. Photo via maria-brazil.org.

Sounds like a pretty great party to me! If you could have a wedding re-do, what kind of venue would you choose? Would you go for a totally different style of wedding?

So Many Fab Shoes! What Pair Will You Wear to Your City Wedding?

Now that my fiance and I have nailed down the date of our wedding (July 2012!!), I'm starting to think about all the details. I bought a gorgeous dress last weekend, so next up is shoes! The only problem? There are so many to choose from! The wedding will be formal, and our colors are black and ivory, so I need evening shoes.

Since I simply adore high heels, I couldn't stand to wear flats. (No offense if you're wearing flats. I love a cute pair of ballet flats, but I'm only 5'3". I'm wearing a floor-length gown, so I definitely want some extra height!) Here are some of my options...

Glitzy and Glam Platforms

Chinese Laundry Hot Hot, via Lori's Shoes, $64

Something about glittery shoes makes me feel like a rockstar. I've seen this pair in person, and they are showstoppers! The color is a very feminine pink champagne, but they're pale enough that they will match with anything.

Black, Jeweled Sandals

Crystal Jeweled Sandal by Martinez Valero, via Amazon, $99.99

I have soft spot for t-straps (so vintage, so sexy!), and the crystal embellishment will coordinate with the my jewelry. And not only will they go with my black/ivory decor, but I can wear them with a lot of other outfits.

Classic, Ladylike Peeptoes

Neva by Nina, via Zappos, $69.97

Now these are shoes for a modern-day Grace Kelly. The white satin is luxurious but the ruffly, floral detail gives them a bit of kick.

Girly, Colorful Heels

Randee by Badgley Mischka, via 6pm, $129.00

This pair are so pretty I can hardly stand it! They look oh-so-romantic in this wine red, which will give your wedding photos a lovely pop of color. (Also available on Amazon.)

I need help! Which pair should I wear?! Which ones are your favorite? Which would you wear with your wedding gown?