Los Angeles, Nov 7 (IANS): What comes first - a wedding dress or wedding shoes? What if you buy the best of attire for your D-day but the shoes are not comfortable? Footwear is equally important and while buying them comfort should be given priority.
Lauren Rudy, an associate buyer at David's Bridal - a clothier that specialises in wedding dresses, says that "there definitely seems to be an attachment to a certain brand, wanting something to work back to their dress, something that complements it without taking away from it, and being on trend."
Wedding shoes like any other pair of fashion footwear should fit properly and not be too tight, too small or too big. Even if it is the only night you wear those shoes, walking down the aisle, standing in a reception line and dancing the entire night away should be as painless as possible.
* Feet come in different sizes, widths and shapes with lumps and bumps in all the wrong places but shoes only come in sizes and widths. If you are purchasing your shoes online, in a bridal shop or at a department store, always buy your true shoe size not ones that almost fit, reports huffingtonpost.com.
* The landmines to avoid when purchasing your shoes is making sure they do not pinch in the toe box or rub the top, tip and sides of your toes. That could lead to the formation of blisters and corns. So make sure you have enough wiggle room in the toe box of the shoe.
* If the shoes are too narrow or wide, by the end of your night your feet will probably be screaming at you to take them off. Blisters and corns can form on the toes due to constant rubbing, friction and the toes trying to grab the floor of the shoe for stability.
* If you have developed bunions or hammertoes over the years, you now have to accommodate those bony tissues when buying your shoes. Having a narrow heel can also cause problems when buying shoes because of heel slippage.
Bunions can trigger the big toe joint to get red, swollen and painful by the end of the night; on the other hand hammertoes can increase the chance of developing blisters.
* Always look for shoes with soft leather because the last thing you want to do is break in your wedding shoes. Placing over the counter arch supports in your shoes is the best way to solve muscle spasms and arch fatigue during the wedding day. They will also reduce the burning or ball of the foot pain from wearing four-five inch heels.
* Bring only those wedding shoes that can provide enough room for both your foot and the arch support, as some products can be too bulky. Buying arch supports online is another option and there are arch products that can just fit in the arch of the wedding shoe regardless of heel height or style.
* Another way to provide your feet with instant comfort is to place a soft thin inner sole in your shoes they will reduce friction and burning as well as provide extra padding.
Keeping these factors in mind, one can happily walk down the aisle with her feet feeling great and she is ready to say, "I do"