All women want every aspect of their wedding day to be perfect, and although its your wedding dress that will probably be your biggest buying decision, your wedding shoes are no less important. There are so many aspects that need to be considered, and as youll only have your big day once (if all goes according to plan), its important to get them just right, from the heel height and the style to the colour and the fabric.

What with all the excitement, and it being such a long day, its most likely that on your wedding day your feet will swell up. Therefore its a good idea to try on your wedding shoes towards the end of the day to replicate these conditions, as feet tend to swell up as the day goes on anyway.

No matter how much you fall in love with a pair of shoes at first sight, its important not to impulse buy on such an important item of footwear. Before you buy, here are some of the aspects you need to think about:

Comfort is key
Although of course you want to look fabulous on your wedding day, you really dont want painful shoes to ruin your enjoyment. Make sure you find a pair that dont pinch or squash your toes under no circumstances try to squeeze into the wrong size just because you love the style. If youre not sure of your width fitting its really worth measuring yourself as it may be that you need wide fitting shoes. If so dont worry, there are some beautiful wide fitting bridal shoes available that will be sure to keep you comfy.

Find your style
There are so many different styles of bridal shoes available so its really a matter of what best complements your dress and personal style. Court shoes and sandals are both popular, or for the best of both worlds you could choose a slingback that will give you the look of a closed-toe shoe with the adjustability of a sandal at the heel. If you have a traditional wedding dress, a lace up Victorian style boot is a quirky option that will keep your ankles supported on such a long day.

Get the height right
The height of your wedding shoes is so important as you will need to get your dress altered to the exact length to suit your shoes. Whilst a high heel is glamorous you need to consider how easy they are to walk in you dont want to be stumbling down the aisle! Plus youll find a large heel puts more and more pressure on your toes as the day goes on and you need to be ready for the evenings dancing. A medium heel or low kitten heel is a safe bet, but theres no reason why you cant wear a flat ballerina pump instead. If your husband-to-be is a little on the short side, wearing flat shoes will ensure you dont tower over him in your wedding photos.

Contrasting or complementary colour
Its traditional to match the colour of your shoes with your dress. If you go for this approach make sure you get an exact match, be it pure white, ivory, cream or any other variants on the classic bridal colour palette. However, if youre going for more of a contemporary look you could go for a colour from the wedding theme instead. As well as looking more funky, it may mean that you get to wear your shoes more often, rather than relegating them to the back of the wardrobe when your big days done and dusted.

Fabulous fabrics
Silk or satin covered shoes are a traditional choice for brides, but white or cream leather wedding shoes are another versatile option. For brides on a budget theres no reason why you cant wear synthetic shoes as long as theyre comfortable.

Knowing how much it will cost to hire a wedding planner is a bit like asking how much a house costs. It all depends on exactly what you”re looking for, the size, quality, and location. Except for the size, the cost of a wedding planner is exactly the same. It depends on exactly what you want. Wedding planners have different methods of charging for their services so be sure you know how much they charge as well as how they charge. The five methods below are the most common.

1. Consultation fee “” Some wedding planners charge for an initial consultation while others do not. Depending on where you live, whether in a rural setting or a metropolitan area, this fee can range from $150 to $500 for a full 3-hour consultation where you preliminarily outline details for the wedding. If you want more than just an initial consultation, this cost can be included in the entire package price.

2. Percentage of the wedding budget “” This is probably the most common method used in hiring a wedding planner. The typical wedding today costs $28,000 and the typical percentage for a wedding planner is 10-15%. Some experienced wedding planners can charge as much as 20%, depending on their clients and reputation. Based on the average wedding cost example, a wedding planner charging 15% would cost $4,200.

While this may seem like a lot of money, keep in mind that wedding planners often negotiate the vendor costs down to compensate for their percentage of the wedding. You would want to ask about this at your initial consultation but if they do negotiate vendors down to a lower price, you might not even notice the cost when factored in to the whole wedding.

3. No charge to client — Occasionally wedding planners will not charge their clients anything but instead, will take their pay from the vendors they hire for the wedding. Some clients take issue with this method, considering this “kickbacks” from vendors. Just be sure you ask if the wedding planner tells you there will be no cost to you.

4. Hourly fee — If you are looking for a wedding planner to complete certain limited tasks for you, this could be a good option. Because wedding planner hourly wages vary, make sure you know their hourly rate before agreeing to this pricing structure. Fees can range from $50 to $100 per hour, depending on what you need done.

5. Flat fee — Occasionally you’ll find a wedding planner who will work with you for a flat package fee. In this case, make sure you have a written contract to clearly outline what the wedding planner will do and what they will NOT do. (The “not do” is more important than the “do” because it eliminates all confusion later.) This fee can range from $500 to $5,000 and cover many responsibilities.

Also remember that most of the time wedding planners require a deposit at the initial consultation with the remainder due on the wedding day or sometime shortly before or after. Also, if you are planning the wedding 9 months or more in advance, they might also require monthly payments. So be prepared when you go for your initial consultation to provide some form of payment, based on your previous arrangements.

No matter which payment option you choose, you should know in advance how much it will cost you and have a written agreement spelling out exactly what will be done and when. This will make your job easier and give everyone involved a clear outline of their responsibilities.