Wedding Invitations Now Available Online

Wedding Party Shoes now offers the convenience of ordering wedding invitations online at http://www.yourinvitationplace.com/weddingparty. We have partnered with Birchcraft Studios, distributors of fine personalized Christmas cards, wedding invitations, and social announcements, to bring you a selection of contemporary, elegant, and traditional invitations. Proof your orders online in the typestyle and color of your choice. The advanced "search" feature makes it easy to find exactly what you are looking for.

Whether you need wedding, anniversary, bar mitzvah or social announcements, or any wedding or reception accessories, see what Wedding Party Shoes has to offer at its new online invitation website Wedding Party Shoes Invitations. Prices reflect a 10% discount and free UPS ground shipping is available within the US.

For a large selection of dyeable bridal shoes, prom shoes and evening shoes, be sure to check out our home page at http://weddingpartyshoes.com.

Wedding and Prom Shoes

How to Match Your Bridal Shoes to Your Wedding Dress

Matching Tip #1 - When looking for bridal shoes, carry a swatch or piece of the wedding gown fabric to match up the white coloring as close as possible.

A bride's ensemble requires perfection of Cinderella proportions. Everything must match down to the last finest thread. Even the bridal shoes are afforded special attention and must reign with an air of elegance. Although many factors are important when choosing bridal shoes, the one that most brides find the most difficult is matching the bridal shoes to their wedding gown.

Indeed, one of the biggest difficulties in matching the bridal shoes is the color or rather the non-color of white. Most people assume that white is white, but that is not true when matching pieces for your special day. Depending on the type of fabric, white will always show differently.

Also, some whites are creamier in color giving the air of off-white while others are clinical and stark white. Whatever "white" color your wedding dress, the key is to obtain a color sample of the dress and carry it with you while shopping for bridal shoes.

Lastly, if you are not able to find a "white" match that is acceptable, look for dyeable bridal shoes and have the bridal shoe dyed to match the dress.


Matching Tip #2 - Try to find the same fabric or material in a bridal shoe as the wedding dress to make it easier to match the shoes to the gown.

As mentioned, part of the reason colors look different is the actual fabric. For instance, a satin white fabric may be high pitched and glossy whereas a raw silk white fabric may more of a matte tone. In addition, wearing a satin dress may not work with vinyl shoes. It might be easier to choose bridal shoes by limiting your selection of shoes to the same fabric as the wedding gown.


Matching Tip #3 - The simpler the gown, the fancier the shoe and the more glamorous the gown, the simpler the shoe.

Most brides would like to appear elegant and regal, not garish and outlandish. It is therefore recommended that when choosing your shoes, you lean towards the opposite of the dress. A wedding gown that is beautifully lavish with pearls, sequins, brocades, or other adornments will look nicer with plain bridal shoes. In fact, the bridal shoes should not overshadow the gown.

Further, the gown itself should dictate the type of shoe. If the gown is shorter in length, a heeled shoe will complete the ensemble more favorably than a flat slipper shoe. The shoe should always complement and accentuate the wedding gown and never remove the focal point from the bridal dress.

If you must have adornments on both your wedding dress and your bridal shoes, be sure the look is coordinated. Again, the full appearance should one of natural flowing elegance, not two pieces fighting for the attention of the guests.


Matching Tip #4 - Choose shoes that are the same style as the wedding gown or from the same fashion trend. Also choose shoes that match your personality or type of wedding.

Style of gown is especially important when matching or choosing the perfect bridal shoes. For brides that have longed to wear their great grandmother's dress from the Victorian era, they may choose to purchase white lace-up boots from that time period.

In fact, the idea or matching time periods or styles should exist. Mixing and matching, on the other hand, is sure to to move the focus from the gown to the feet, which is an undesirable result when choosing bridal shoes.

For younger brides who are ultra modern, a bridal shoe with a fat chunky heel may be appropriate for their style of dress while an older bride wearing a lovely suit may be more inclined towards a traditional sandal or fancy satin pump with ankle straps.


Matching Tip #5 - The overall look should flow from the top of the veil or tiara to the tips of the toes of the bridal shoes.

If at all possible, try your bridal shoes on with your wedding gown in order to see the flow of the pieces. The look should not be disjointed and uneven. The gown should flow over the shoes naturally and the two should almost look like one.

More importantly, the shoes should be tested with the gown to determine the proper hem of the gown. Switching bridal shoes at the last minute will cause the gown to be either too long or too short.

Choosing a Wedding Handbag or Bridal Purse

You might wonder why a bride would carry a purse. Doesn't she carry a bouquet of flowers? You're right, but the wedding day is an important day in a woman's life and as all women know, she never goes anywhere without her purse!

Functionally speaking, the reason a bride and/or her bridesmaids might carry a wedding handbag is to carry personal necessities such as tissues, lipstick, personal hygiene items, mints, hairbrush and comb. She will want to freshen up before the pictures are taken and also at the reception.

Wedding handbags are part of the bride's ensemble. Purses are an accessory that need to match the total look and complement the other accessories such as the bridal shoes, wedding gloves, veils and tiaras.

For some brides, the handbag may meet the requirement of "something old". Fancy, ornate purses from grandma's era may look lovely with the bride's gown and accessories. Also, if the "something old" is jewelry or a family heirloom keepsake, the bride will need somewhere special to keep the item during the day. Her handbag will be the perfect place.

Wedding handbags come in various styles and colors. Most come in the standard white or ivory while others can be dyed to match the wedding dress or veil ribbons. Bridal handbags come in clutches, moneybags, knapsack style for informal weddings, shoulder straps and little square lunch box style purses.

Points to Consider When Choosing a Bridal Handbag

1. How big does the purse need to be? How many items do you need to carry in the purse?
2. Does the handbag match the dress material? The overall appearance of the bride will look much more elegant if the materials are the same.
3. Do the adornments of the bag match the shoes? Try to keep the embellishments the same. For instance, if your dress and shoes have pearls, try to stay away from rhinestones.
4. Does the handbag match the theme of your ensemble? If you are wearing a vintage gown, purses are available from that time period. If your wedding is taking place on the beach, knapsack-style bags are appropriate.
5. Does the bride like the purse? She should try and choose a purse that she likes so it can be used again after the wedding.
6. Does the handbag match the veil or dress ribbon? Some veils now have a ribbon of a different color along the edge of the veil. Likewise, colored wedding dress ribbons for the waist are becoming popular. Matching the color of the bag to these ribbons would be an elegant complement.
7. Will pictures be taken with the purse? If not, then the exact color or perfect style may not make a difference.

Some brides may choose not to match their wedding gown and accessories but rather purchase a wedding handbag to match their going-away outfit. For a bride on a strict budget, this may be a better solution as she can use the handbag throughout the honeymoon as well.

You can find many designer styles and colors of wedding handbags and bridal purses at Wedding Party Shoes/handbags just in time for your fall or winter wedding or special event.

Men's Tuxedo Shoes

Much planning and preparation goes into the bride's ensemble. She is equally as excited about her bridesmaids and flower girls. But the men are part of the bridal ceremony, too, and there are ways for the groom, ushers and ring bearer to look special as well.

Many grooms opt for renting the fellows' tuxedos to wear. While this is usually easier and less expensive than buying tuxedos, the groom will want to make sure that everyone looks good for the special day. One of the ways to look dashing is to finish off the tuxedo with spectacular tuxedo shoes.

Tuxedo shoes should match the tuxedo or at least complement the suit worn. In fact, tuxedo shoes come in various colors of black, white, ivory, and a combination of black and white together on the same shoe. The shoes can be found with square toes and oxford styling that usually ties up as well as a plain slip-on shoe.

Men's tuxedo shoes are usually made from PVC, patent leather, and other man-made materials. More flamboyant styles are combinations of patent leather and man-make snakeskin as well as those with a satin front and the rest of the shoe in patent leather.

Whatever shoe the man chooses, the tuxedo will finish off nicely with a smartly polished pair of tuxedo shoes.

Please visit Wedding Party Shoes/Men's Tuxedo Shoes for a variety of the latest men's styles.

Children's Bridal Shoes

Choosing bridal shoes for the children in the wedding party will depend on the child's age. Very little girls and toddler girls should wear shoes that are Mary Jane styling or tap dance like shoes. These shoes come with pretty straps and are lovely with any dress. Ballet slippers are also quite nice for small children.

For the older girls, a shoe with more of a high heel may be acceptable. Even pretty sandals may be suitable. The girls' shoes also come in dyeable styles like the ladies. If the flower girl or young bridesmaid is wearing the same color as the older bridesmaids, her shoes can match her gown as well.

While little girls have a wide range of choices in their bridal shoes, the shoes for little boys and young men are very basic. Much like their older counterparts, the boys may wear oxfords or patent leather bridal shoes which can be used later with a nice suit for another special occasion.

To view our entire line of children's bridal shoes, please visit Wedding Party Shoes/Children's Bridal Shoes.

Shoe Pick of the Week: Tango Too by Coloriffics

Sassy and sophisticated, the Tango Too by Coloriffics is perfect for a wedding or special occasion. This satin dyeable baby-doll shoe stands 2-1/2" high and special features include unique rectangular rhinestone buckles and a comfortable round toe.

Shop for Tango Too and other wedding party shoes at Wedding Party Shoes.

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Bridal Shoes (Part 3)

In my previous posts, I gave you five tips for choosing the perfect bridal shoes. Today, I will give you the last five common-sense rules to use when shopping for those wedding-day slippers.


Spend Within Your Budget

Set aside a reasonable amount in your budget for good-fitting bridal shoes. It is not necessary to buy a pair of shoes because they have a tag on them that says "designer bridal shoes" or "wedding shoes straight from Paris."

There are many types of white shoes that will look lovely with your white dress. You may find that you will need to spend more than you had originally budgeted to get the correct size or proper fit, but do not spend the whole savings account on designer bridal shoes if you are not in a position to do so.


Do Not Make Shoes the Focal Point in the Ensemble

Shoes are not the focal point of the wedding day. You, the person, are important and your shoes do not need to upstage you and your dress.

Your dress have been chosen very carefully, and if the dress is ornate, you will not want your shoes to clash with your dress. Choose shoes that compliment your dress and are simpler in design. If your wedding gown is long, elegant and plain, you may finish it off with a lovely pair of pearls or beautiful brocades. If you are wearing a shorter styler wedding dress, then very elaborate or fancy shoes may work nicely.


Do Not "Make Do"

You should not settle for a pair of bridal shoes because it is only for one day. You will never be happy with those shoes, and all of a sudden you will become self-conscious and the shoes will become your focal point. The bridal shoes that you choose should fit you nicely, accentuate your dress and make you feel good about yourself.


Buy the Correct Size

Do not assume that because every pair of running shoes you wear is a size 8 that you buy a size 8 when purchasing your bridal shoes. The size that fits you is the size you buy.

Sizes vary depending on the shoe manufacturer, and the only way to truly know your size is to try them on. When buying bridal shoes online, read the store's return policy to make sure that you can return shoes that do not fit properly. You may want to order more than one size so that you can determine which size is the better fit, then return the bridal shoes that do not fit after the wedding.


Do Not Buy Shoes at the Last Minute

Do not buy shoes at the last minute, or you will invariably choose the wrong shoes. By buying in advance, you will be able to correctly ascertain whether the shoe is comfortable enough and is the proper fit. Also, by buying at the last minute, you run the risk of your favorite bridal shoes being out of stock or on backorder for several months. Then you will have to settle for whatever is available.


Plan ahead and buy your bridal shoes as soon as you have your gown picked out. Trust me, you don't want to be stressing out over your shoes the day before your wedding day!


A couple of final words on choosing bridal shoes:

• When purchasing shoes in the store, be sure to shop in the afternoon. Your feet tend to swell and become their real size late in the day, so this is when you need to be trying on shoes. Likewise, if you purchase shoes online, wait until late in the day to try them on to determine if they are the proper fit.
• In the event that you don't think your bridal shoes will make it through both the wedding and reception, buy a second pair of shoes to change into after the ceremony. I would recommend a pair of platform flip-flops that are approximately the same height as your bridal shoes so that your wedding gown doesn't drag the floor during the reception. However, you could also choose a pair of ballet flats or sneakers and bustle your dress.

I hope you have found these tips to be helpful!


Please visit Wedding Party Shoes to find your perfect bridal shoes!

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Bridal Shoes (Part 2)

Last time, I talked about the first of ten tips to consider when choosing the perfect pair of bridal shoes which was to buy bridal shoes that are comfortable. Today, here a few more suggestions:

Choose Shoes That Compliment Your Figure and Legs

When looking for bridal shoes, pick shoes that compliment your figure and especially your legs. Shorter, stouter brides may not want to wear flat-footed shoes as these types of shoes make the leg look even wider.

If your dress is long and covers the foot area, then a slipper-type shoe may not make any difference, but if you are wearing a shorter-style dress, you will want your legs to look long and elegant. Choosing a shoe that lengthens your leg will give you an air of grace.


Pick Shoes That Can Be Worn After Your Wedding Day

If at all possible, look for bridal shoes that you might be able to use after the wedding ceremony. If the shoes are dyeable, you may have another special occasion to attend, and the shoes can be dyed to wear for that event as well. Depending on the type of job you have, you may even be able to wear the shoes to work.


Buy Shoes To Which You Are Accustomed

This point is extremely important. If you have never worn four-inch heels, then do not decide on your wedding day that four-inch stilettos are the perfect match for you. Not only will this be uncomfortable, but it may also be outright dangerous as you may twist an ankle or fall and break a bone.

Remember that you will be walking down the aisle and all eyes will be focused on you. You do not want to be stumbling the whole way through.


Buy Shoes Appropriate For You

Know your foot shape before choosing shoes. For example, if you have a wider foot, then a pointy-toed bridal shoe is not a perfect choice for you. You need the breadth of a wider shoe and perhaps a pump or square-toed shoe will be best suited to your shape. If you have a callous on your heel and cannot wear shoes that are closed at the back, then only look at shoes that are slingback styling.

Whatever your feet require, search only for the type of shoe that best fits your feet. Then you will not make the mistake of choosing inappropriate bridal shoes.


Next time, I will finish up with the last five tips for choosing the perfect bridal shoes.


To shop for the perfect bridal shoes online, please visit Wedding Party Shoes.

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Bridal Shoes (Part 1)

Shoes are always a difficult purchase. Choosing the size, the comfort, the color, and the style are enough to drive any sane person crazy. Now, add to that the stress of purchasing a special pair of shoes, your beautiful bridal shoes, and you have a monumental event!

When choosing bridal shoes for your special day, the most important point to remember is to use common sense and not emotions. To help make that decision a little easier, I've put together a list of 10 common sense tips that you should remember when shopping for those perfect little wedding day slippers.

Here is the first tip:

Buy Bridal Shoes That Are Comfortable

Because you will most likely wear new bridal shoes, it is important that they are comfortable. You could be spending hours on your feet by the time you walk down the aisle, pose for photographs, stand in the receiving line, cut the cake, and dance the first dance with your beloved.

When you try on the bridal shoes, make sure you walk around on a rug and take notice of any areas that pinch your feet or wear on a toe or part of your foot. Chances are that if the shoes are not comfortable in a certain spot when you try them on, they will not be comfortable when you wear them for the day.

Once you take the shoes home, you should try to make them more comfortable by wearing them around the house. Do not spoil them by wearing them outside. Wear the shoes a little more every day, gearing yourself up to several hours at a time. Make sure in advance that the shoes are going to make it through the whole wedding day.

Tomorrow, I will talk about more tips for choosing the perfect bridal shoes.

To view our selection of perfect bridal shoes, please visit http://weddingpartyshoes.com.

Wedding Postage Stamps: A Unique Way to Personalize Your Invitations

Are you looking for a unique way to personalize your Save the Date announcements or Wedding Invitations? With PhotoStamps you can turn your own digital photos into real US postage! Create yours today.

A great idea is to use a photo of the engaged couple for the STD's or Wedding Invitations and a photo of the new bride and groom for the Thank-You notes.

Another place to shop for wedding postage stamps is at Zazzle.com. Here you will find beautiful galleries by several artists with stamps that contain monograms, stamps for each month of the year, and stamps with love quotes. All have stunning photography and graphics.

An important tip to note when using customized wedding postage stamps: ask your postmaster to hand-cancel your mail rather than running through the machine so that the stamps won't be damaged by the black marks from the machine. Most post offices will do this if you ask.

Shoe Pick of the Week: Coloriffics "Desire"

Our best-seller this summer has been "Desire" by Coloriffics. Judging from the way they keep selling out from the manufacturer, they must be one of the must-have styles this season.

Coloriffics Desire is currently available in dyeable white satin, ivory, and silver. Beginning in September, they will be available in black. Ivory is extremely hard to find as the manufacturer has them on back-order until October, and very few stores have them in stock from what I have been told (we only have size 7.5 in stock). I have several brides who have purchased the white satin and are having them dyed ivory which is a great idea if you need them before October.

Special features you might like are the elastic in the heel for greater comfort and the rhinestone accent on the pleated vamp.

Visit our site to view the complete Coloriffics Desire product description.

The Budget Fashionista August Weekend Contests

This August, The Budget Fashionista fashion blog is launching weekend contests, featuring prize packages worth over $500 in value. Starting this weekend, visitors who leave a comment on the blog from 12:01am Friday to 11:59pm Sunday, as well as their email addresses, will be automatically entered to win that weekend's
contest.

Here's some of the great contests they have planned:

• A Dooney & Burke Travel Bag filled with the latest releases from hot indie label Defend music, tons of beauty products, and lots of other goodies
  

• Two $250 gift certificates to accessories store Angela Moore

• A bra wardrobe from Playtex

To enter, visit The Budget Fashionista.com (www.thebudgetfashionista.com) every weekend in August.

Royal Wedding Shoes

A summer exhibition at Buckingham Palace commemorates the Queen's wedding to Prince Philip 60 years ago. Edward Rayne made these satin bridal shoes for Elizabeth to wear on her wedding day. Who knew? I would have expected a more conservative closed-toe pump for the festive occasion!

To see the Royal Wedding Dress or Russian Fringe Tiara, or for information on booking a ticket to see the exhibit in person, there is information at the following link: Buckingham Palace: A Royal Wedding

Brides.com August WedWorthy Giveaway

Beginning today, you have 20 days to win something for you or your big day at Brides.com. Prizes include:

• an Anjolique bridal gown
• an autographed copy of The Modern Bride Survival Guide
• an Alyce Designs Chiffon empire style floor length bridesmaids dress
• set of 6 bridal party tank tops from Classy Bride
• a Cuisinart Food Processor
• Sally Hansen tote filled with $100 worth of products
• an Emerald Gem
• a Cuisinart Stand Mixer
• a Cuisnart Brew Central Coffeemaker
• a subscription to Modern Bride
• $500 in gifts, favors, accessories and invitations from Exclusively Weddings
• two tickets to enter the Conde Nast Bridal Media Dream House in New York City

Go to http://www.brides.com/sweeps/wedworthy/enter/long for your chance to win each giveaway day. Good luck!

Shoe Pick of the Week - "Lily Ann" by Saugus Shoe

"Lily Ann" is from the Special Occasions collection by Saugus Shoe. It is a gorgeous dyeable white satin wedge embellished with rhinestones and crystals. Also available in white or ivory silk, it comes in sizes 5-10 & 11.

For brides that are not accustomed to wearing high heels, this is a great alternative because the wedge will give them height along with comfort. This shoe is also ideal for outdoor weddings because the heel does not sink into the grass like stilettos.

You can view other Special Occasions shoes on our site or by visiting Saugus Shoe.

Shoe Dyeing Tips

Many brides will want their bridesmaids to have their shoes dyed to match their gowns (or maybe even their own). While there are some do-it-yourself kits on the market, we strongly recommend that you have a professional shoe dyer handle this process for you. Many large department stores have a shoe department that will offer this service as do most local shoe repair shops. The cost usually ranges from $5 - $15.

Here are a few tips to consider to ensure the best results:

• Provide a swatch of material that is at least 1" x 1". Advise dyer which side of fabric color should be matched to. Be aware that colors may vary slightly due to fabric variations.
• Shoes are normally dyed to inside light unless other specified, so please sure to indicate if shoes are for an outside wedding. Most shoes dyed to outside light will not match inside.
• Have all shoes dyed at the same time to avoid variations in dye lots.
• Shoe dyes (excluding manufacturer's "color-fast" dyes) are water soluble and will bleed or stain if exposed to moisture. Ask about waterproofing options.

Shoes purchased from one of our manufacturers can be dyed prior to shipping. Coloriffics offers an online color selector chart to pre-select your color without sending in a swatch. This comes in handy when you are pressed for time and need your shoes in a hurry. For the other manufacturers (including Coloriffics), you can send in a swatch for a more custom match. The turnaround time is generally 3-5 business days (plus shipping time).

During the month of July, we offered shoe dyeing services at no extra charge. Our customers were so pleased with this option that we will probably continue this for at least another month. Please call us for details if you are interested.

Free Shipping!

For shipments within the continental US, UPS ground shipping is free (minimum order of $10). Expedited shipping (UPS 2nd Day for $25.00 and 3-Day for $15.00) is also available on in-stock items. It's a good idea to check with us to make sure the shoes are in stock before choosing this option. Also, in some cases, expedited shipping may not be necessary depending upon where you live. Most of our manufacturers are located on the East Coast, so delivery is normally made within about 3 days to addresses in the north and south east parts of the country. Contact us and advise us as to your wear date, and we can recommend the best method of delivery at the best price.

We have also recently begun shipping worldwide with the following flat rates:

• UPS Standard to Canada: $15.00
• USPS First Class International: $15.00
• USPS Priority Mail International: $25.00 (6-10 days)
  
• USPS Express Mail International: $40.00 (3-5 days)

International shipments normally leave our warehouse within 3-5 business days, so please advise us of your wear date so that we can make sure we select the most appropriate shipping method to ensure timely delivery.

An Introduction to Wedding Party Shoes

By way of introduction, my name is Karen, and I am the owner of Wedding Party Shoes. My "store" is located in Raleigh, NC, but I ship my products worldwide. Although I do not currently have a brick and mortar storefront, I will occasionally meet with local patrons to show them samples or arrange for returns.

Like many other online bridal retailers, I offer top names like Coloriffics, Saugus Shoe, Colorful Creations, Nina, Touch Ups, and Alisha Hill. I think my prices are competitive, if not better, than most of my competitors, but I think that what sets me apart is my dedication to customer service.

Don't get me wrong, I'm in this to make money just like everyone else. But sometimes the needs of the customer come before the bottom line. Let me give you an example. Yesterday, a customer called because she was trying to find a particular style of shoe for her wedding in November. She had called several other places first and was told that her size was out of stock. When I spoke with her, I, too, confirmed that the style was out of stock at the manufacturer as well as my limited in-store stock, but rather than let her hang up and continue to be frustrated, I tried to offer some alternatives, such as the same style but with a higher heel. That was not an option for her, but then I suggested that she order the same style but in a different color (which WERE in stock) so that she would at least have the shoes for her dress fitting. Then by the time of her wedding, the color that she wanted would be back in stock and she could exchange the shoes. She thought that was a fabulous idea and could not have been happier. For me, I will lose money on the return, but the bride is now able to relax and worry about something else on her list.

I may not be able to compete with zappos.com and shoebuy.com when it comes to number of shoes sold per day, but I can give them a run for their money on customer service any day of the week!

Have a great weekend!
Karen
karen@weddingpartyshoes.com
http://weddingpartyshoes.com