anywhere else: The undeniable, inexorable attraction between a woman  and  her  shoes.  But  how  does  a girl  choose  a  single, solitary  pair of  shoes  to  represent  her entire  extraordinary collection?

Finding  the  perfect  wedding  shoes  is  as  tricky  as  picking  the dress.  Time  to  hit  the  shops,  ladies! Grab  your  dress  swatches and a good pair of stockings and  head out  for the day. As well as all your favourite shoe stores, drop in on a specialist wedding shoe shop or two and get an idea of what’s available at the top of  the  pile.  Wedding  shoes  have  to  meet  a  special  set  of  demands,  so check  out  what  the experts are doing to combat tricky aisles, bridal waltzes and long days.

Style is very important – your wedding shoes should match your dress, but more importantly they should match  you  –  don’t  wear  something  you  hate  just  because  it’s  the  done  thing.  Select  a  style  you’re comfortable  with  but  make  sure  that  it  also  coordinates;  if  you’re  unsure,  a  good  rule  is  to  get fancy wedding shoes for a simple dress or vice-versa.

You’ll be on your feet for around ten hours on the big day, so it’s no exaggeration to say that a good pair of wedding  shoes  will  stand  you  in  good  stead.  As  well  as  deciding  on  a  style  you  adore,  make sure you’re  buying  quality  pumps.  Look  closely  at  the  finish  and  materials,  and  make  sure  the shoes are a glove-perfect fit.

Suede, synthetic, silk or satin? The choices are virtually endless  –  and that’s why you’ve got your handy fabric-swatches with you. Matte gowns go well with matte fabrics like crepe and suede, while satin gowns love shimmering wedding shoes. But in the end the choice is yours  – it is your wedding after all. If you’ve had your heart set on amethyst-encrusted, 7-inch, purple patent platforms, there’s nothing stopping you having the wedding shoes of your dreams.

No  matter  how  well  you  choose  your  wedding  shoes,  you  may  still  struggle  to  keep  comfy  in them all day.  It’s  worth  having  a  back-up  pair  (of  similar  height,  so  your  dress  doesn’t  drag)  just  in case. You’ll probably  be  able  to  avoid  this  contingency  if  you  spend  plenty  of  hours  wearing-in your wedding shoes beforehand. Start with short strolls around the house and build up until you’re confident you can stand in your fabulous footwear all night long.

There is an undeniable love connection between a woman and her shoes. From Cinderella’s glass slipper to Carrie  Bradshaw’s  fabulous  stilletos,  it  is  an  undeniable  bond  between  heart  and  heel  so  choose something special.