Dyable Shoes

Since my wedding ceremony will be outdoors, I'm wondering what type of shoe I will be able to wear (and walk in). I really want to wear heels, but I'm sure that's not the most practical decision when I will be walking down an aisle made of grass. I've also contemplated wearing flats for the ceremony and then heels during the reception, but what length would you get your dress altered to? Oh the predicaments...

With the two pairs of shoes possibility in mind, a friend directed me to Unforgettable Moments. This site has about 15 different pairs of wedding heels and flats that can also be dyed to coincide with your wedding colors. They have over 60 different shades, so you should be able to find one that matches or works with your color scheme. I really want to wear purple or silver shoes...just something a little different (another tradition to break, perhaps). I prefer the Nathalie Dyeable Round-Toe Pump or the Charlottle Dyable Ballet Flat.

Nathalie Dyeable Round-Toe Pump: Payless Shoesource ($29.99)

If Unforgettable Moments sounds familiar, it may be because you have seen this line of shoes at your local Payless Shoesource. If you can't find a color you like, you can always purchase the white pair through Payless for only $29.99, instead of the $49.99 charge for the dyeable version. Also, with the Payless connection, all of the Unforgettable Moments shoes are BOGO (buy one get one 1/2 off). This is an awesome deal  if you're like me and can't decide what style of shoe to wear or are thinking about wearing a couple different pairs.

For the Guys: Tuxedos

Since I’ve done a couple posts about dresses, I thought it would only be fair to write one just for the guys -- tuxes! Can I just say, I hate bow ties, tailcoats, and white tuxes? Basically, anything your father would have worn for his wedding, should probably be updated for your own post-1980s nuptials.

Khaki suits have become a recent trend among grooms; however, these seem to work best for casual, beach weddings. In my case, my groom is needing something a bit more formal. We did some tux browsing online at Milroy’s Tuxedos (which, by the way, is infinitely more boring than dress shopping online) and came across the 2011 Calvin Klein collection. Thankfully, Alex was drawn to this contemporary, two-button, Grey Legend tux. I really like the added touch of the satin edges. An added bonus: the grey would coordinate with our wedding colors. Now the real question is…purple vest/tie or matching grey?



Thank goodness Alex wasn't drawn to this little number



Think bridal fairs are just for brides? In January, I attended the Northeast Iowa Bridal Fair at Heartland Acres in Independence and was able to reserve the "Grey Legend" tux style for Alex and his groomsmen at the 2011 price for our 2012 wedding through Eschen’s Clothing.

Choosing Colors

Many couples spend a lot of time debating over a wedding color scheme. Yes, you should choose colors that you like and compliment you as a couple, but a variety of different factors come into play and have to be considered. A few tips and questions:

• Does your color scheme compliment your venue? Things that cannot be changed, such as paint color and carpet, should be taken into account.
• Is your color choice appropriate for the season? Some colors and color shades are more appropriate during a specific season. Pastels, for example, are not the best choice for fall or winter.
• Does your color choice reflect the mood of your event?
• Choose exact hues by visiting a fabric shop or paint store. If you say your dominant color is purple, there are a variety of ways in which that can be interpreted. Eggplant, plum, or wine offer a more specific shade.
• Apply your colors to paper. Envision how they will look on invitations and programs.
• Not all flowers come in a variety of colors and shades. If you are settled on a particular flower, try to plan around the colors of the flower and realize what colors offer more floral options or limitations.
• Tie it all together -- Make your color choice consistent.
• Think of your bridal party! What colors are more flattering than others?

So, what is my color palette?
To be quite honest, our color choice evolved from a conversation in a bar after a friend’s wedding. The best way to get inspired is to attend other weddings. What did they do that you liked? What didn’t you like? This wasn’t really such a significant decision for us. Like many aspects of planning, it is different for every couple. Much of what we have planned has naturally evolved over the course of our relationship. We are very much attuned to each other’s tastes and creative directions.

Although we are getting married in spring, we chose a more dramatic color scheme: eggplant, silver/grey, and black. Below is an inspiration board created using dessy.com.

The inspiration board is a really fun tool that can also be useful in getting your ideas all together to see how they interact and compliment each other.