THE Shoes

I've steered clear of the traditional white dress, so the usual wedding shoes are definitely not for me. Trying to find the right shoes has taken me ages and I've been all over London and browsed online. Part of the problem is that I've been looking for a pair of summer shoes in the right shade of green, which is quite a challenge (had I realised that summer was going to have an uncanny resemblance to winter I would have had a greater choice). Add to this the fact that I'd like a mid-height heel rather than a 6 inch monster and the choice gets even more limited. If you're searching for some original footwear I'd recommend taking a look at the footwear designer Tracey Neuls. Unfortunately my feet are too narrow for her designs, otherwise I'd definitely have picked up a pair.

In the end I decided custom made was the way to go and set about trying to find someone suitable online. Wow handmade shoes are expensive, they seem to start at about £1000 for your first pair, ouch! Eventually I came across Karmen Accessories who stocks made-to-measure shoes by designer Hetty Rose. These shoes are made to fit your feet and are covered in the kimono fabric of your choice. Fortunately when I contacted Karmen, Hetty was on a buying trip in Japan and was able to pick up some beautiful kimono fabric from a textile market to match the colours of my dress.

My experience of organising this wedding has been made so much more enjoyable because of the excellent customer care shown by the independant businesses that I have dealt with. Karmen at Karmen Accessories has kept me up to date with the progress of my shoes and Hetty the shoe designer has been very helpful. It makes such a difference, especially when compared to the sloppy rude service I normally encounter in London. After the wedding I'll upload some photos of the shoes and dress....