The Broke-Ass Bride & Bloom

Seeing Mrs. Jellybean's post about being featured in The Bride & Bloom magazine totally reminded me that waaaaaay back when we were first engaged, we were selected for a feature on dancing shoes vs. bridal shoes. The Bride & Bloom provided a pair of each for the 3 brides involved, and a free dancing lesson for us all to test them out and give our opinions on their comfort and style. The best part? We got to keep the shoes, and got a pic in the magazine!


(image source) - look how small his hair is back then!

You can see my shoes were pretty different from one another. The ballroom shoes were pretty comfortable - they were much more cushioned and flexible in the sole, and the heel was sturdy and wide. They just weren't exactly my style for the wedding. However, they did come in seriously handy for our Trash the Dress shoot! The designer pair was stunning.... really, that picture does them no justice. The only problem is that they're horrifically uncomfortable! I can't really wear them to dinner, much less dancing. Sadly, they're just no good.

Ballroom shoes in action - img by Richelle Dante

The dance lesson was really fun, even if I had a hard time not leading :) We were being videotaped and its supposed to be on the B&B website, but alas, it seems to have been vanquished from public viewing. We learned to foxtrot, waltz, and *my favorite* swing! We also got a coupon for one more free lesson to be used closer to our wedding date.

In the end, it seemed we all agreed that if we could blend the beauty of the designer shoes with the comfort of the ballroom, it would be the perfect combo of style and substance. But alas, it seems that never the twain shall meet.... at least not that day :) I'm so glad to have found a pair that is both beautiful and cozy... and I plan to dress them up with some foot petals just to be super-duper sure that no blood is shed.

Are you planning on wearing designer shoes, or dancing shoes? Or have you found the ever elusive perfect blend?