It is no secret that ladies love shoes! And a wedding is a great excuse to get a really fabulous new pair of shoes, whether you are the bride or a bridesmaid. Picking out shoes for a wedding is not the same as looking for sneakers. Find out how to pick the perfect pair of wedding shoes.

Women tend to find shoes that come in one of two flavors: attractive or wearable. Although it is not easy to find, there is one more type of footwear – shoes that are both stylish and easy to wear all night. Not an easy task at times. Speaking from experience, there is nothing worse than suffering in a very uncomfortable pair of heels while standing at the altar during a wedding ceremony. Sometimes it may mean investing a little extra to get something you can stand to wear all night, so save on your bridesmaid jewelry or dress, but pay whatever it takes to have comfy feet.

Sky high shoes are rarely the most comfortable choice to wear for an entire ceremony and reception. The pressure on your feet will be reduced, and besides, this way you don’t have to worry about stumbling over your heels. Whether you opt for high or low footwear, seek out a style with a lot of padding under the foot. Your best bet is shoes that are low but have good cushioning and support. Many brides plan to wear high heels for their ceremony and then change into flats for the reception, but then the wedding gown will end up being too long for dancing. Brides wearing shorter dresses can easily switch out their heel heights, otherwise it’s smartest to find one great pair of shoes to wear all day.

The ideal shoes will also suit the style of the wedding gown or bridesmaid dress, as well as the location of the event. For instance, if you will be walking down a sand aisle wearing a sundress and beach theme bridesmaid jewelry, spike heels are an absolute no-no. Flat sandals are ideal. A jeweled or metallic sandal is fabulous for a wedding. For a garden wedding which will take place on grass, a low heel with a fairly wide heel will be very nice. Alternately, a wedge heel will work very well and give some height to the petite ladies in the wedding. Let your wedding guests know if they will need to wear shoes that can work on sand or grass. Sometimes brides put out “shoe check stations” and basket of flip flops for beach weddings in case anyone forgets and wears high heels.

If possible, bring a sample of your gown shoe shopping. If you are the bride, always choose a shoe which is slightly deeper than the color of your gown if you don’t find an exact match for the shade of white. A lot of brides stay away from traditional bridal shoes and opt for a great silk shoe in their favorite color instead. Dyed-to-match shoes are no longer very popular. Most brides today ask their attendants to select something appropriate in a metallic or neutral color, which bridesmaids definitely prefer because they can wear them again.

Finally, do look for shoes which complement the details on the dresses and the rest of your wedding accessories. Sandals with a crystal accent will be fabulous with an elegant dress and Swarovski bridesmaid jewelry. Baby blue shoes would be wonderful with a wedding dress that has a blue sash. When all of the details come together, the final effect will be beautiful and your feet will feel divine as you dance the night away at the wedding.

Today’s bride can purchase wedding shoes in just about any fabric. Most future brides love to purchase shoes that are made of silk or satin. Whatever the fabric, however, wedding shoes are an investment. So, when laying out major bucks for that one special day, unless you are the Princess of Wales or someone who has money to burn, you’re probably going to wear your shoes again.

Most brides find that after the wedding there is always something that has soiled or stained their shoes. When this occurs, its best to take your shoes to a professional cleaner and have them cleaned as soon as possible. However, when the cost of cleaning by a professional is just not in the budget, there are several other ways to restore your shoes to that pre wedding status. Depending on the fabric, below are a few tips on how to clean women wedding shoes and keep them looking good for years:

How To Clean Wedding Shoes – Bicarbonate of soda tends to work wonders when it comes to any fabric. Especially when attempting to clean white. Take your shoes and pour bicarbonate on the spot. Allow the soda to soak into the stain. When the foaming stops, gently brush the area with a toothbrush. If the stain has not diminished completely, repeat the process until the stain has disappeared.

For stains that have not been allowed to set, baking soda is another amazing cleanser. Prepare a paste of of baking soda of baking soda and water. Place the mixture on the stain. If the stain is large and encompasses most of the shoe, make enough of the mixture to cover the entire shoe or both shoes. Cover the shoes and allow the paste to dry into the stain. After drying, take a toothbrush and gently brush the paste off the shoe. When the paste has been removed, take a damp, clean cloth and remove the remaining paste, being sure to remove all the remaining mixture from the shoe(s). Make siure there is no remaining residue on the shoes.

Mix a mild fabric detergent with water mixture together in a small bowl. Take a tooth brush and wipe the area clean by using gentle strokes of the brush. Be careful not to damage the material. When the spot has been removed, take a soft, clean, damp cloth and wipe the area clean. Make sure all detergent has been removed. Allow the shoe to air dry.

Note: Never try to clean ‘dyed’ shoes on your own. If your wedding shoes were dyed, it’s best to have them cleaned by a professional dry cleaner. Also, never place any shoe in water. Placing an entire shoe in water will destroy the shoe. If you are not sure you can clean your shoe or if the stain on your shoe has been allowed to set, take your shoe to a professional dry cleaner. Allowing a stain to set may cause the stain to be permanent. It’s always best to remove a stain immediately.