photo credit: Kellie Carter Photography

Sarah is clearly my kind of woman.  She has taken the topic of “Money Saving Monday” and married it with a topic near and dear to my heat.  Shoes!!  Before I turn it over to Sarah, let me tell you a little bit about her and her company, “ido Signature Events.”  Sarah started out working in corporate events with a previous employer, but decided to move back to her roots in Southeast KY.  After returning home, she started her own wedding and event planning company, ido Signature Events, which was the first of its kind in the Lake Cumberland area.  Specializing in Weddings, Birthdays, Corporate and Social events, Sarah has a passion for all things planning.  Here’s what Sarah has to share with us today about saving money on your wedding!

When Brides are choosing their wedding attire, it is normal to want the most elegant, glitzy shoes to wear for the wedding/reception, but if it is going to be an outside affair, I recommend going with flats all the way.  I’m not talking grandma’s ballet flats; I’m talking about more personable, creative and decorative ones. 

Saying that, lets rewind about 2 months, I planned an outdoor wedding on a gorgeous farm with a tent reception.  The two weeks prior to the wedding, it rained.  Not once, or twice, every day; at least once a day for 14 days.  It even rained the entire morning of the wedding. The bride had two pair of gorgeous shoes to wear that she had spent so much time picking out.   The first pair was flats that were going to be used to walk up the hill to the altar in and one smoking hot pair to wear for pictures and the reception.  Needless to say, they both got ditched and she went with rain boots that she had in her closet.

If it isn’t going to be raining, which it won’t be of course, there are many options to go with.  Is there a particular brand of shoe you always wear?  Chuck Taylors, Nikes, Coach?  All of those brands have super cute flats.  Not digging that idea?  Take a regular pair of white keds or something less expensive and decorate them with your colors.  You can use ribbon, buttons, miniature flowers, rhinestones, the sky is the limit.

My ‘rain boot bride’ is now the proud owner of two pair of expensive shoes that are just sitting there collecting dust.  As I was looking for pictures to share with you, I realized there wasn’t even a single picture of the smoking hot pair that she bought.

So if you are planning an outdoor wedding, don’t spend several hundred dollars on a pair or pairs of shoes that you may or may not get to wear.  Add some flair to your wedding and pictures by going with something that represents you!

Thanks so much Sarah!!  Loved your tips!!