Summer shoes galore

Hello everyone! Summer is truly here and the brides must be really busy getting their dresses ready and looking for their beautiful shoes. Looking for a pair of comfortable shoes that is simply beautiful? Romance is an ideal pair of shoes for comfort and style. It is also very good for a summer wedding.

Fancy and Dazzle are both good for a vintage summer wedding. Fancy is a full back platform peep toe shoe that has lace on the front section. Dazzle is a pair of cute strap shoes with vintage crystal trim.

We also love our beach jandal collection. They are so hot right now that some styles are on back order, and we will keep updating our website to show the availability of these jandals to you. We are also excited to announce that the new Pink and Benjamin Adams shoes from Paradox London are ready for order and purchase now. Since these shoes are new, they are not available on our website just yet. Please contact Fairytale Bridal to make an appointment if you are interested in trying on the existing and new styles.

Spring sandals

Spring is time to wear sandals. We have the beautiful "Heaven" from Pink Paradox, with crystals at the front of the sandals. It's very comfortable with flat heel. We also have "Stardust", a very popular pair of sandals with a low heel.

If you are looking for something with more height, "Passion", "Dazzle" and "En Vogue" have higher heels. Passion and En Vogue have beautifully decorated front, while Dazzle has a more understated embellishment. Check out our Open Toe shoes to find more sandals. Order online or make an appointment to view shoes now.

August update

Hello everyone! Spring is here, daffodils are blooming, days are getting longer. It's still a bit chilly out there and the weather is a bit changeable, but we are seeing more brides buying their wedding shoes for their spring weddings now. Jandals are very popular this month. You can wear them to a beach wedding, or outdoor wedding on a farm. They are also perfect for an oversea wedding on the beach or in a resort. Unfortunately, some jandal styles aren't available right now and are on back order from our supplier. We apologize for this inconvenience. The new Aura range is also quite popular with the brides. We offer a range of different heel heights and beautiful designs of Aura bridal shoes. They are reasonably prized and non-dyeable. All of them are made of good quality ivory satin, suitable for modern brides. We've recently introduced the new style, Bedazzle, Pretty, Fancy and Sunrise shoes in the Pink range. They are very pretty and popular with the brides. We saw so many Pretty going out of the door last year, one bride decided to dye her pair of Pretty gold! That's such a good idea. New styles will become available in 2014 for Pink. The headquarter have already put the new Pink styles on their website. If you are interested in purchasing the new style Pink shoes, please keep an eye on our blog and website. We will inform you when they will be available in New Zealand for ordering and purchasing. I noticed that one new style looks a lot like the shoes from Downtown Abbey! There's also a low wedge shoe that has similar design for Flower in Pink range. I can't wait for the new design to come ashore. We've made some changes to our website so it's easier to navigate around the homepage. You can still do faceted search. We've made some updates on the shoe dyeing page as well. Happy shoe shopping!

Evening shoes

We've added the evening shoes range to our website. There are many more colours and styles to choose from. We've introduced the range to coincide with school balls this year. Have fun checking out the new range. These shoes are also very suitable for parties and bridesmaids.

Heel stoppers

Hello everyone. Medium size heel stoppers (1.2 cm to 1.6 cm width) are available now. Small size heel stoppers are also available. Heel stoppers are discreet clear glittered rubber stopper discs that slip onto stiletto heels to be worn at outdoor weddings or whilst photos are taken. The clever design prevents the wearer from sinking into grass and mud and also protects heels from stones and gravel, both of which as a bride or in a bridal party can be really frustrating. The heel stoppers can also be used on decking to prevent heels from slipping between wooden panels and in historic buildings to protect flooring. Please contact Fairytale Bridal if you want to purchase heel stoppers.

June update

Hope you had a nice Queen's Birthday weekend. We have updated the availability of our shoes on our website recently. Feel free to browse. We are also in the process of adding new evening shoes to our website. Before we make them available online, you can contact us about them. Shoes in black, gold, silver, and champagne are available in a variety of styles. They are suitable for school balls or parties. We have had a few girls coming in trying on our pretty shoes for their communion. Please don't hesitate to contact us to make an appointment if you have a daughter who needs shoes for her communion. We are happy to help. It is getting cold. Keep warm and have fun planning your event.

Easter holiday

Sorry we are closed from 29 March to 1 April for Easter Holiday. However, we will still process your online order during Easter Holiday. Please make appointments to view shoes before 29 March or after 1 April for your convenience.

Evening shoes

Do you like our wedding shoe styles, but want to wear them for occasions other than your wedding? Hilton, Majesty, Passion and En Vogue are available in colours other than white. You can purchase these styles for school ball and parties. Hilton is available in silver, black and shimmer black. Majesty is available in silver, gold and black. Passion is available in silver, black and gold. En Vogue is available in silver. If you wish to purchase evening shoes, please contact Fairytale Bridal.

March - Autumn update

Hello everyone, hope you are enjoying the warm weather! This month, Breeze jandals and Cinderella shoes are both very popular for brides and flowergirls. We are excited to introduce Bedazzle to our customers. Bedazzle shoes are decorated with stunning crystals and are suitable for winter weddings and winter parties. You can order all the available shoes online, or if you prefer, you can make an appointment to try the shoes on. Have a nice autumn!

New stock arriving soon

New stock Fancy and Pretty will arrive soon, please order your shoes online!

Shoe size guide changes

We've updated our shoe size guide because our old guide is a bit confusing. Hope you like the new one! We are also in the process of making faceted search so you can search for different shoe attributes on our website easier. Keep an eye out for the changes!

January/February giveaway

We're giving away a bridal bag, necklaces and earrings and hair accessories to one lucky bride who purchase our beautiful shoes. If you want to go in the draw, purchase a pair of shoes from Fairytale Bridal to go into the draw!

Website update

Happy New Year everyone! We have updated our website for 2013. There's going to be a lot of changes this year. We will introduce a new range of shoes this year, and we've made low heel wedges available online. Belle shoes are discontinued so please order them as soon as possible because they are being sold out. Benjamin Adam shoes are also being sold out because there are many new styles available this year. Please contact Fairytale Bridal if you have any questions about the changes on our website. This summer, we see the introduction of beautiful platform shoes, peep-toe shoes and also shoes with different heel heights in the existing collection. We also find shoes that are hand-made with Swarovski crystals that are simply out of this world. We look forward to these new developments and will continue updating our website as new styles come in. Happy wedding planning!

March update - Happy Easter!

We have recently received lower heel jandals Summer from our supplier and they are stunning! Elegant low heel wedge flip flops come with sequins and crystal floral accent. This dazzling and very popular bridal jandal is the perfect accent to anyone looking for a comfortable yet trendy alternative to wedding shoes. Whether worn to a destination wedding or an elegant event, you'll have happy feet! Many bridesmaids are choosing to purchase these flip flops and change into them at the reception for a comfortable and stylish alternative. These flip flops are great since the bridesmaids can change into them and their gown won't drag on the floor. The best part is you can wear them over and over again! The jandals feature a stunning 1.25" heel with a .75" front platform.

Summer black jandals

Summer ivory jandals

Summer white jandals

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's been so busy these last few weeks. Many brides are purchasing open toe shoes for their summer wedding. Gaga, Golden, Scarlet, and Winslet are all very popular. Breeze jandals are also very popular for beach weddings and destination weddings. Thailand and the Pacific Islands are certainly popular spots, when New Zealand beaches are also as beautiful as ever as a ceremony venue. Congratulations to all the brides who are getting married this month, in March and April. We are very excited about the coming months because Fairytale Bridal will kick off the winter season and 2013 by going to three wedding expos this year. We are attending Paula's Literacy Trust Wedding Expo in Glenview, Hamilton on 5 May, Auckland Bride and Groom Wedding Expo on 6 May, and Waikato Wedding Expo on 24 June. More details about the expos will be available on our blog in the next few months. Happy Valentine's Day! Enjoy your engagement and wedding planning process.

Items not available - Sunshine and Crystals jandals

Unfortunately, Sunshine and Crystals jandals are temporarily not available because the old stock are defective. The crystals at the front of the jandals are falling off and our supplier have stopped sending them out to us. If you are thinking of ordering these two styles of jandals, you will either have to wait for new stock to arrive for our supplier, or have to choose another style that is available from our website. Since we are enjoying hot summer right now, and a lot of brides are getting married on the beach, this is very difficult and we apologies for any inconvenience. Summer low-heel jandals (all colours) and Breeze high-heel jandals (all colours) are still available for order from our website. Feel free to browse these styles and colours. Today is 1st of February 2012. We have received Scarlet and Winslet this week and they are both stunning shoes! You can order them online now. We are also sending Joy, Stardust, Majesty, Passion, and some jandals out to our customers everyday. If you have chosen a pair of high heel shoes for your wedding, don't forget to warm up your feet in the morning with a few feet exercise before you wear your shoes. You also have to cool down after wearing the shoes whole day. This will prevent foot injuries. Remember that stiletto heels are always worse than chunky platforms, so keep that in mind when choosing your wedding shoes. There are extra protections and Footpetals provide a range of products for brides and bridesmaids for that added comfort on the big day. If you are interested in any of the products from Footpetals, please contact Fairytale Bridal to order. We are excited about your upcoming wedding, and with you all the best for the rest of your wedding planning adventures!

Happy 2012!

Happy 2012! We are excited to announce some new styles this year. Elegance by Carbonneau is bringing in low heel jandals this year. Summer and Sunshine are available in white, ivory and black from size 5 to 11. They have a 1.25 inches platform at the back and 0.75 inch platform at the front. Are you having a beach wedding? Or a farm wedding? You have more choices now that Summer and Sunshine are available. January is a busy month for Fairytale Bridal. We are selling Passion, Hilton, Stardust, Majesty, Marine, Beauty, Crystals and Breeze fast. Passion is selling very fast and only a low level of stock is left in the shop. The supplier only have one size left. We have also seen an increase in flower girl shoes sales. Cherub is very popular. We have also sent some shoes to the shoe dyer and you can dye a pair of white shoes ivory from Elegance by Carbonneau. We work with a professional shoe dyer with 10 years of shoe dyeing experience who can match your shoes to the colour sample you provided and they are so beautiful! For example, if you would like to dye your shoes purple or amethyst colour, you will have to bring a swatch of the fabric that is purple, or a piece of paper that is purple, a ribbon, a handkerchief or your wedding stationary that is purple to Fairytale Bridal so we can send this colour sample to the shoe dyer. They can dye your shoes and match the colour as close as possible to the sample provided. However, please be aware that it is not possible to dye the shoes in two shades, and fabric shoes come with their natural sheen so that will show through after the shoes are dyed. For example, a pair of satin shoes will still have satin sheen after they are dyed. Shoes that are dyed are not returnable or refundable. Please make an appointment now with Fairytale Bridal. If you are planning a winter wedding, there is also the option to purchase a pair of Ryder wedding boots.

Introducing new product range

Fairytale Bridal is introducing a new product range: bridal handbags! This new range is not on the website just yet so please either check out our facebook page or contact Fairytale Bridal directly for more information. You can choose a bridal handbag to go with your gown and your shoes. Most of these handbags are made by dyeable fabrics, except Jolie, so you can have a handbag that matches your wedding theme colour. These handbags are also suitable for a school ball, party or can be a part of your Race Day outfit. Another bridal handbag range from Carbonneau is coming up soon and please look out for the blog post for this new range! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Is it hard to find a pair of wedding shoes that fit you?

Fairytale Bridal has wide fit shoes available. Lapis (closed toe shoes), Jessica (open toe shoes), Joy (open toe shoes), and Cindy (open toe shoes) are all available in medium fit and wide fit. You don't have to worry about having wider feet, and these shoes also go up to larger sizes such as NZ size 12 or European size 43. These shoes are also dyeable so they are also suitable for bridesmaids and mother of the bride and groom. Barbie from Pink is a special pair of shoes that is suitable for small feet. This pair of shoes is versatile because the straps at the back of the shoes can be adjusted so Barbie can actually accommodate feet slightly smaller than size 35. Beauty is also a good choice if you have small feet. Please feel free to make an appointment for shoe fitting in Fairytale Bridal. It is important to find a pair of shoes that fit you and your bridal party.

End of November updates

New shoes for the 2011 and 2012 season have just been added to the website, and they will be available for order tonight. Please check out the new shoes!

11.11.11 November update

11 November 2011 is a special date, a lot of couples have chosen this day as their wedding day. Hope you all had a fantastic wedding! We must remind you that it is not too late to get wedding shoes if you are getting married this month or in December, make an appointment with Fairytale Bridal now. We are very excited about the new collection from Paradox London. Girly and Beauty are both very popular. However, it is not to say that the Carbonneau shoes are any less popular this year. Lovely, the ballet flats are selling fast as well. Many brides also want to dye their wedding shoes to different colours. You can choose any colour on the rainbow to dye your wedding shoes to if the shoes are dyeable. Dare to be different and choose something that you love. It is your day and it's important to feel special. Check out Fairytale Bridal's facebook page as well. We have found a few really good websites that sells bridal dresses, bridesmaids dresses, and mother of the bride dresses. If you find the website too overwhelming, it may be a good idea to read a few bridal magazines or look at the recent trends for bridal dresses in fashion shows. They will give you some ideas. There are also a few good jewelry places around. If you want to create your own piece, you can go to Spotlight and make your own jewelry! Take a look at our website and have fun shopping for shoes!

Wedding dress ideas

It is not easy to find a perfect wedding dress. I remember going dress shopping and being overwhelmed by the choice available in the dress shop. Have a look at this or read bridal magazines. A simple bridal dress will go well with statement wedding shoes like Catherine or Astor. The shoes will add drama to a simple, well cut dress. You can also match the beads and crystals on your dress to your shoes. If there are draping or folds in your dress, Tiger or Pretty will go with your dress. A Grecian dress will also go well with Tiger or Seymour. A wedding dress with bow will look stunning with Marine or Puff. If you are planning a beach wedding or a farm wedding, don't forget to check out the jandal section on our website. They will also be good for the reception and you can rest your foot and still look fabulous. We also have an extensive range of closed toe shoes for winter wedding, and Ryder is great for a wedding in the winter wonderland. This year, we are bringing in some very special Spanish Lace shoes as well. If you want to wear a pair of shoes that everyone will remember, get a pair of these. Princess Kate Middleton wore a very similar pair to her wedding. No matter which pair of shoes you choose, have a happy time planning your wedding!

October shoes update

October is a busy month since summer is fast approaching and all the brides are looking for the perfect pair of shoes for their big day. I am really excited about the 2011/2012 collection from Paradox London. The shoes are stunning! A few shoes from Paradox London have also been discontinued, but they are still popular, like Aurora (Belle range). Flats are also going out of the door like hot cakes, Lovely is so beautiful and comfortable to wear. There's certainly nothing boring about them. A few ladies have asked me about shoe dyeing as well. I think I will explain about shoe dyeing here a little bit. It is very important for the bride to be or bridesmaids to try on the shoes before dyeing them, because after the shoes are dyed, they are not returnable. This is even more important for the ladies who don't live in Hamilton who cannot try on the shoes in our brick and mortar shop. It can also be very uncomfortable and frustrating to wear a pair of shoes that are not your size. After you have tried on the shoes, we require a swatch of colour material or a colour chart from you so we can match the shoes to this colour. This piece of fabric (or a piece of paper, depending on what you sent us) has to be monotone, i.e. one shade of colour, because we cannot dye the shoes to two tones of colour. Another thing to be aware of is that metallic colours are often hard to achieve since fabric shoes have a different shine to vinyl shoes. For example, if you have chosen a pair of satin shoes from Fairytale Bridal and have them dyed, it will show the satin shine with the colour you have chosen. The shoes will look slightly different if they are made of silk, duchesse silk, crepe or satin, because they are made from different materials. It takes two weeks for the shoes to be dyed so I would say give yourself at least a month before the wedding to begin the shoe shopping process. Sometimes, the shoes are not in stock and it will take a while for the shoes to arrive. This can also add to the time for the shoes to be ready. What colours are available? We don't provide colour samples, but sky is the limit. We can do different colours in different shades. Take some time in a haberdashery shop to choose a small square of fabric that you like and send it to us. Or, you can send us a part of your invitation with your wedding theme colour, or a piece of ribbon. If you decide to send your shoes to another shoe dyer, ask around before you have your shoes dyed. If the shoe dyer also dye leather and vinyl shoes, be aware. The wrong dye can ruin the new beautiful wedding shoes you have just bought. Fairytale Bridal offers shoe dyeing service in a reasonable price. Check out our website to find your wedding shoes and contact us for an appointment.

New season shoes

New season shoes are coming to New Zealand! Check out our Facebook page for the detail.

Website changes

I am looking forward to add many new features to the Fairytale Bridal website. There are new shoes available for brides, bridesmaids and flower girls for 2011 and 2012. It is still very easy to order online directly. There will be a page about professional shoe dying service and a size conversion chart to make online ordering easier. However, shoes in different styles come in slightly different sizes so please be aware of that when ordering online. I have also made the decision to offer more variety of flower girl shoes online. Since there are many new shoes available, please don't hesitate to contact me via email fairytalebridalnz@gmail.com or call (07)9811220 to ask about them. Summer is almost here and it is time to get your shoes now!

New shoes!

New shoes! Please email fairytalebridalnz@gmail.com or call (07)9811220 to order.

Waikato Wedding Expo 2011

Waikato Wedding Expo 2011 Sunday 26 June 2011 9:30a.m. to 4:00p.m. Hamilton Gardens Pavilion $10 Admission For more information about Waikato Wedding Expo: http://www.weddingexpo.net.nz/ Do you need some inspirations for your wedding? This Sunday, Waikato Wedding Expo is the place to be. Fairytale Bridal will be at Site 67 with a whole range of beautiful wedding shoes, flower girl shoes, heel stoppers and hosiery. Most of the shoes are dyeable. I am excited that Paradox London has brought in several new shoes this year. These shoes follow the latest catwalk trend in Europe and are simply spectacular! I will upload the photos of these new shoes after Sunday. Today I helped the winner of the last year's Wedding Expo to choose a pair of wedding shoes for her wedding. She decided on getting Tiger, the shoes are so beautiful and comfortable! The crystals at the front and the draping details make this pair of shoes special. I've put a photo of Tiger up for you! Fairytale Bridal will give away another pair of FREE wedding shoes this year at the Waikato Wedding Expo. Come to see Linda and sign up for the chance to win.

In this weather, you need a pair of boots.....

There's a storm brewing again, but if you live in Hamilton, you must be used to them by now. We are a bit sick of them already, and it is supposed to be spring at the moment. There's no sunshine today, just clouds and rain. But I may have the answer to your question: what do I do if it rains on my wedding day? There are several options. The first one is to have an alternative venue. You can get married indoor, but that is just not romantic enough. That's where the marquees come in. There are also several indoor venues available in Hamilton gardens and around Waikato River such as the boat house. Skycity Casino may also provide good shelter to your slightly damp day, but don't despair, the rain cools down the heat of the day and the sun comes out after the rain clouds clear. The second one is to put heel stoppers on your shoes and brave it. Umbrellas are not so expensive, it may not even be raining when the ceremony starts. When the sun is out, you may still get a bit of a wet grass underneath so heel stoppers can help your shoes from sinking into the ground. You can always choose the white boots from the Benjamin Adams range. I will leave you with a photo of them. Good for cowgirls as well!

NZ Fashion Week - My take

Michelle Yvette is one of the designer that I noticed in New Zealand Fashion Week's Fashion Weekend Garage Sale in 135 Halsey Street. The weather was perfect, the sun was out for a change in the weekend. I looked at their winter collection and picked two fascinators out from a bunch of feminine designs this year. The fact is that only three stalls interested me in 2010, and I guess their products appeal to my age group and my professional eyes. I love shopping in town and shopping malls, but my pet peeves is the "copying" mode that the cloth shops are in at the moment. When the season is changing, all the shops in the mall copies one another and roll out similar tones for the season. What if you don't like light pink in spring, and want to stock up on heavier colours like blue or grey? It is a trend thing, but as a business owner, I look at the trend sometimes and think to myself: I will never put those clothes on my self, let alone the other women in town! Fascinators are what we call "love hate" items. You either love them or you hate them. The Queen holds races and women flock to these events wearing different hats, including elaborate fascinators. Personally, I've never put this fashionable accessory on top of my head, but I will do it for my friend. I picked one that has the traditional black and white colours, and the other one has similar colours to my dress, turquoise, blue and purple. If I don't have this dress, I don't think I will purchase this fascinator! You can make them yourself, you know, the voice in my mind keeps saying. But I am sure that the two I bought will save me time and also teach me a lot about how to construct them from scratch. You will need colourful (broken?) hosiery in colours that goes with your outfit, feathers, the hard backbone can be bought from Spotlight or David's Emporium. Spotlight is a shop that we buy all the haberdashery here in New Zealand. These shops are great, and are similar to Mood in Project Runway U.S. I am not so sure about purchasing these items from Mood, and if you live in a small town, you may have to purchase the items from a haberdashery shop in the main centre. It also depends on whether horse racing is a popular sports in your country or not. I think this rules out Taiwan and most part of China except Hong Kong. The other designer that I noticed on that day is Oyl. I was surprised by how sincere the lady was and checked out her website as well. It is here: Oyl, and I love their dresses. I talked with Vicki on the stand. She told me she needs to recruit more machinists! I enjoyed the day, and the experience. I also talked with the Worldwear owner from Wellington. She is such a nice lady, I got a very economical dress from her, and a pair of red sandals for summer. Her website is: Worldwear, with two children under her care, I admire her hardworking ethics and her products are gorgeous. No bags, just like my shoe shop at the moment, with paper bags to carry the wedding shoes without much fanfare. New Zealand, it is the way to go for us, not just eco-friendly, but because we know that you don't need an extra bag at home to clog up your space. We are minimalistic and beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed the sale experience and made some contacts with the designers/shop assistants. You can't do that in Milan Fashion week or New York Fashion week unless you pay big bucks! I love New Zealand.

Peach and Capri

Capri and Peach are two new stocks that have been recently imported into New Zealand. I have already sold Capri to a lucky bride who is going to get married next month. Capri are from the Belle range, and they go with ivory bridal gowns with bows or waistbands. Peach are decorated with sparkly crystals at the front edge. They are equally versatile and can compliment a plain gown or a gown with crystal accents. I am debating whether or not to bring in more Belle shoes this summer. Moonstone shoes come in both ivory and white, and I have some customers who want peep toe/open toe shoes that have good support at the back and a considerable heel for their weddings. Should I or shouldn't I? They are beautiful shoes for women with pretty toes, and they are to die for. I have several pairs of Sapphire still available in the shop. They are very similar to Moonstone, and because they have an interesting pattern at the front and no jewels, they can be worn to other functions as well. The thing is, I have heard that it can be slightly tight at the front because of the pattern since this pattern will stop your feet from sliding forward when you are wearing the shoes. However, the reverse is true for some other brides. The main message here is that you have to try on the shoes and feel completely comfortable in them before you purchase them. I think everyone will have different shape feet, and the sizes can not be completely trusted in some cases. I noticed that Tiger also come in two colours, ivory and white. These shoes can all be dyed to any colour. I am having a lot of fun receiving new shoes, that's for certain. Summer is getting closer and closer.

Heaven on Earth

Introducing - Heaven on Earth Heaven, the pair of shoes from Paradox London is in stock for summer weddings and occasions. I was very excited about new stocks coming in, every time when this happens, there's a flurry of action in the shop. There are boxes to be opened this time, two to be exact. One of them contained Heaven, a pair of stunning flat jandals that are decorated with sparkling crystals. I couldn't resist them! Note that this pair of shoes don't photograph so well. This photo doesn't do the shoes justice. You have to put them on your feet to believe how graceful and beautiful they are. I went up to the New Zealand Fashion Week garage sale this Sunday. It was so exciting to talk with the shop owners themselves. I made contact with Oyl, it was a fantastic experience talking about getting bridesmaids dresses in. The shop is pretty bare without the colourful dresses, and I think I can put in clothes rails on the white washed wall. There's already an elevated stage underneath the wall, creating a serene space for the future. Since Oyl employs New Zealand designer and New Zealand machinists, I am more than happy to support New Zealand fashion industry. I asked about supplying times, and hopefully, the supply will meet the future demands. I also talked with the lady from H&M. She told me that she just opened a shop in Wellington, and has a limited opening hours since she has a family to take care of as well as the shop. She has fantastic clothing in different sizes! Beautiful red shoes for summer as well! I made some purchases there, and wished her all the very best for her business. Moving on to fascinators, Michelle Yvette has a beautiful selection on display, and I got them on sale for a fraction of their original prices. One of this will be on the top of my head as early as this November, and perhaps again early next year in January, to two weddings. They also have a very feminine 2010 spring/summer collection. I like their collection. There are other new stocks on the shop. Day savings has started this weekend, and I am feeling a bit out of sleep at the moment. It is the official start of summer, though. I can't wait for the real summer to start. It is hard to believe that summer is just around the corner with today's weather, though. Cloudy and windy still. Auckland, turn on the sun for us. Bring the sun to Hamilton now!

Happy Mid-Spring (Autumn) Festival!

To celebrate Mid-Autumn (spring) Festival, there will be a promotion this Saturday. FREE chocolates for everyone! Trying on shoes for spring is a must! Purchasing two pairs of shoes, you get FREE heel stoppers! Or, FREE stockings! Come quick! Mid-Autumn Festival is a Chinese festival celebrating full moon in autumn. Since we live in the Southern Hemisphere, it is a mid-spring festival. The main activity is making and eating moon cakes and BBQ with family has become very popular in Taiwan. The weather is normally quite warm still, it is also an official holiday. Family members often travel home to spend time with their family, have a BBQ, or dinner, then have moon cakes as desert. Historically, moon cakes helped to start the revolt against Mongols and the Han Chinese put the meeting time sheet inside moon cakes. These cakes were sent to all the households in the city, and because Mongols don't eat moon cakes, they didn't know about the revolt. A revolution ensued, and the rest is as we say, history. The Han Chinese started Ming Dynasty after years of revolution that drove the Mongols north again. However, the Mongols have left their mark all over the world, conquering all of Asia and reached Italy. As a race, we are called Mongolians even though we have no Mongolian blood inside of us. Another mythical story about this festival is Chong-Er. Chong-Er is the wife of Ho-Yi, a hero who shot down the eight suns in the sky. Cut a long story short, Ho-Yi got in his head that he is so heroic that he should become immortal. He obtained two magical pills, one for himself, and one for his wife. They will rule China forever. His wife Chong-Er was very worried so she took both pills herself. Unbeknown to her, these two pills carried her up into the sky, getting lighter and lighter. She flew to the Moon. Chinese commemorate her courage by celebrating Moon Festival, Ho-Yi didn't become immortal, and Chong-Er lives in the Moon until today.

Black jandals for summer

NEW Black Crystals Jandals only $100! It is the first time that I brought in Black jandals with crystals at the front. They have sparkly crystals at the front and are comfortable to wear. The reception by the customer was really great. It's time to get a pair for summer! Jandals are casual shoes that you can wear everyday in summer time. I think this is perhaps the most versatile shoes that I import because they don't have to be worn to a wedding. They can be worn everyday. You can wear them for Christmas, and for camping by the beach. If you are a bride, you can get these jandals for your wedding day, then wear it this summer. It's very popular with my customers. They are not available in other wedding, bridal and evening shoes shops. The wedge shaped shoes are very popular this spring, and I think the trend will continue through to summer. The black wedge jandals are therefore, quite fashionable this year. The rubber foam material is easy to wash and you don't have to worry about damaging this type of shoes.

All the shoes

http://www.fairytalebridal.co.nz/index.php?p=all_wedding_shoes Seymour shoes are very popular this year. It has a moderately high heel (8 cm), a crystal buckle, and comes in ivory and white. It has folds at the front. If you click the heading of this post, you will see the closed shoes, including Seymour. Gwyneth is also a popular choice this year, I am displaying an ivory one on my shelf. It has a cluster crystal at the front of the shoe, very similar to a flower. Some brides asked me if they can take the decoration off the shoes and put on their own decoration? I must say that I won't recommend this, but it is doable. What I would suggest is that you can get a pair of Sassy, Ballet or Mellow that don't have any decoration at the front, or even Amethyst or Jade. Twinkle and Cheeky are both very cute. However, they aren't as popular as Seymour. Cheeky will be easy to wear because it doesn't have straps at the back. Twinkle looks elegant, and will be a nice pair of a summer wedding because this pair of shoes "breathe". Lapis are wider and with a lower heel, they are very comfortable. Since the front of the shoes tapers into a thin triangle, it will also make your feet look beautiful. I quite like Sapphire because it has a very interesting front. It is not closed toe so you don't have to worry about getting too warm. Sherbert and Spice are both popular, I have a few people coming in wanting to buy them. Blush is very good for summer as well, with beautiful crystals at the front and straps that go up the feet. Hilton, Majesty and Passion all shines with crystals at the front. They are good for garden weddings. Barbie are smaller and goes down to European 35. Women with small feet don't have to wear children shoes. They look cute and pretty. With a high heel at the back, you also don't have to worry about being small any longer! Jandals actually come in blue, black, white and ivory. They come in two different designs at the front. Breeze has one flower crystal cluster at the front, and Crystals have crystals all around the straps. Since these jandals have a high wedge at the back, they are ideal for beach weddings and farm weddings. You don't have to worry about getting them a bit dirty. Lovely, Renee (Benjamin Adams) and Aurora are all flats that Fairytale Bridal offer. Lovely is very comfortable. Renee and Aurora both have crystals at the front to add that extra zing to the wedding. Renee (Carbonneau) is a slipper that is also good for a wider feet. You can decorate this pair of shoes yourself as well with small flowers or sequins. Tiger and Tanza have already been introduced on this website. They look stunning with their stripes, not so animalistic and quite sexy. Flower girls also have several shoes to choose from. Stardust shoes are very dreamy that are covered with reflective sequins. New Mary is a plainer shoe with no decoration, therefore, a crafty bride or bridesmaid can decorate this shoe without problems. Butterfly and Cinderella are both cute. I also have more shoes available in the catalogues. They can be ordered from my suppliers. We also help brides to send their shoes away for a dye service. Charges are subject to change from the dye company. It's a good way to give your wedding shoes a second life after your wedding. However, if you want to preserve your shoes, you don't have to dye them.

My shop's website

http://www.fairytalebridal.co.nz Just want to advertise my shop's website and point you to where all the shoes photos are. I will write about them from now on.

Simple and elegant

Romance and Bliss from Carbonneau are open toed medium heel wedding shoes that are dyeable. They are now available for order in Fairytale Bridal for summer wedding from October 2010 to March 2011. I've chosen to stock Romance since it has an interesting front band and a very steady back heel. They will be perfect for a summer wedding and comfortable even if you have to stand whole day. Bliss shoes are another pair that I chose to stock because they are simple and elegant, the heels aren't too high to cause discomfort, and if the bride wishes to put embellishments at the front, the price of the shoes is affordable. Bliss is $150 NZ dollars (retail, including GST). I am waiting for summer to come even though today is cold and it rained on and off. It is not a dream! Summer is coming when daffodils blooms. I have seen them in my garden. They are those golden bells that announces that spring is here again in New Zealand. To new beginnings and good luck for your wedding planning. Have a nice day as well even if you aren't planning a wedding.

Development in the City

Worley Place and Alexandra Street are getting their revamp starting from next Monday. I went to a consultation this evening in Esquire Cafe on Ward Street. We've all voiced our concern about the development, but generally speaking, I am all for new development for the inner city because it's way overdue. Hamilton is evolving into a modern city that will accommodate more citizens in the future. Basically, what is going to happen in a nutshell is that Worley Place will have more angled parking, and a shared pedestrian-vehicle path will go down Worley Place through to Alexandra Street. The parking lot entrance will also be changed from Alexandra Street to Angelsea Street. There will be a new stage area and some other covered area in the Civic Square and Garden Place. Civic Square and Garden Place will be lit better, and the place will become an area with more events that are suitable for families to go to. This will revitalise the area around there, and bring in more business for the tenants. That's us. We already have three major shopping malls in city, Centre Place and Downtown Plaza (where Fairytale Bridal is close to), Westfield Chartwell Shopping Centre, and The Base and Te Awa. Tainui owns the land in The Base, and they are putting in a new cinema in The Base as well. The Base and Westfield shopping centre are both focusing on getting chain stores into Hamilton, but on Ward Street east, there are a lot of boutique shops that cater to a different kind of crowd. Currently, all the bridal shops are in town, except a few smaller providers that are scattered around the suburbs that are home-based businesses. Fairytale Bridal is within walking distance to all the bridal shops in town, such as Bridal Gallery, Sassy Lime, Astra Bridal and Botticelli. All these bridal shops provide beautiful gowns, with different design concepts, and they are able to alter the gowns to suit different brides. Fairytale Bridal is moving away from the traditional bridal shop setting and focusing on providing good quality shoes to brides, bridesmaids, and flower girls. The business can also help brides who want to dye their wedding shoes to a different colour, sending the shoes to a professional dying service in Auckland. Some brides also wish to transform their shoes after the wedding to another colour so they can wear the shoes to other events after the wedding. Bridesmaids may also utilize this service to dye their shoes to match their gowns, or dye the shoes after the wedding so they can wear the shoes again. My philosophy is that if you can describe your dream shoes, and the shoes exist in this world, then I can find them for you and import them to New Zealand or send them to other locations in the world. I believe that your wedding day is one of the most important day in your life, therefore if you want the best, then you can get it. However, if I can't assist you, then I will make constructive suggestions to potential customers about where to find their dream shoes. Do consider your budget first, but I also think that it's important to get a pair of quality shoes for your wedding since you are going to wear them for the whole day. Sometimes, this means that the pair of shoes you buy are more expensive to your normal shoes. The reason may be: 1. The shoes have extra padding added to them so they are more comfortable with high heels. 2. The shoes are hand-made. Crystals and sequins are pasted on individually. 3. Shoes are covered with dyeable satin to ensure that they can be dyed and transformed easily. Shoes with more affordable prices are also available from Fairytale Bridal. Some wedding shoes are left plain so a crafty bride can decorate their own shoes. Brides may have their own embellishments, such as pearls that they want to put on the shoes. Some shoes are already decorated with crystals and they can be removed from the shoes. The possibility is endless. I wish that I can help some brides in Hamilton and beyond to find their dream shoes. I also hope that I can make them happy and the whole process of getting shoes can be less stressful.

Sparkle like a star

Marilyn, Zeta and Astor are wedding and evening shoes that sparkle with Swaroski crystals. They have medium to high heel, good padding in the sole to make it easier to wear, and can surely by worn after the wedding without dying them another colour. Astor is covered with crystals. This pair of shoes is eye-catching, good for the bride to wear to her big day. It is also a good dancing shoes for going to evening parties or school ball. If Cinderella have lost her slipper, then Astor must be the next best thing in the world. Marilyn and Zeta are a little bit less showy, but they are both very elegant and will go with dresses that are plain to add zing to the whole ensemble. You may wish to choose a plain dress that goes with spectacular shoes, or the dress you have may have similar design to these three pairs of shoes, decorated with crystals. You can also wear these three pairs of shoes with black or silver dresses to parties. Want to look beautiful? Choose one to wear.

Saturday event: clothes sale

Date: 14 August 2010 Event: Clothes, wedding dresses, bags and shoes sale Time: 10 am to 5 pm To celebrate Chinese Valentine's Day, some good friends have donated their goods to my shop and the items are looking for a good home! At the moment, I am still looking for more items for this event so if you have something that you wouldn't mind to part with then bring them in. I think I may find a good home for them and you can certainly de-cluttered your wardrobe this way.

Take care of your feet, we don't want to become the Ugly Sisters

(Thanks to SteadyHealth.com) A pair of high heel shoes that fit your feet perfectly will help you from having foot troubles and other problems in life. Let's quote a part of this story: Some good tips for you You should never wear high heels all day long. When you are shopping shoes do it in the afternoon or evening. Why? Feet become a little bigger in the afternoon because of accumulation. Your shoes need to be comfortable for you. You should try shoes on both of your feet, because sometimes one foot may be larger than the other. Measure shoes while you are standing. Making sure the shoe fits properly is essential. Flat shoes are not the ideal for foot and leg health. Low heels are best for you. The healthiest shoes for women are those with fairly wide heels that are no more than a half or three-quarters of an inch in height. You should know that pain and other foot problems are less likely to occur if high heels are worn as infrequently as possible and are replaced by sneakers or flats as much as possible. Wearing extremely high heels can damage the feet, especially if the toes are pointed, or the shoes are too tight. Damage can sometimes be so extreme that the sufferer can never wear any high heel ever again. Starting with lower heels and practicing for short lengths of time, gradually building up the height and time will help to prevent shin splints. You should warm up the muscles before each wearing of high heels. The calf muscles should be stretched and exercised on a regular basis. Before putting heels on you should run on the spot for a few minutes to warm up your muscles. After wearing your high heels for an extended period you should stand with your legs apart barefoot on the floor. Keeping your legs straight, bend at the hips and try to touch your toes. You should have warm-up and cool-down exercises every time you wear high heels. If you feel any pain in your ankles or feet while wearing your high heels, take them off immediately. Sometimes is best to not wear high heels at all. Let's see how practical this is. Doing a bit of exercise every morning before putting on your high heels is not that hard, although it does take time. To avoid problems later in life, I think this is worth doing. I have an idea for the ladies out there who wear high heels for their job. If you have an office job that doesn't require standing up all the time, bring a pair of sneakers or flats to work so you can change underneath your desk. You can also put a pair of flat shoes in your car so you can drive more safely. This will also relief foot pain if you wear heels all day long. If you have to work whole day and wear heels, then when you take a break, you can take your shoes off and change into flat shoes or sneakers with good support for your feet. The best thing to do is invest in a pair of beautiful flat shoes that are formal and can be worn all day. When you need to meet an important client, you can change into your high heels. The article also mentioned that a flat pair of shoes are not the best for your feet since your feet need good support and padding because you are walking and standing all the time. This is true. When you work in a dangerous environment, for example, in a construction site or dealing with chemicals, you have to wear thick protective shoes so if an accident happens, you will not be injured. Take time to find the pair of shoes that make you feel comfortable next time you shop. I remember looking at a photo where a celebrity wore a pair of high heel shoes that are two sizes too small for her. It was excruciating just looking at the photo! Ladies, I hope you find that pair of shoes that make you happy and pretty, not painful and sick.

Summer range from Carbonneau

Are you planning a beach wedding? If you are, we have jandals for your wedding! They are comfortable and come in ivory, white, black and blue with embellishments at the front. One of the style has one crystal at the front and sequins along the straps. The second style has crystals along the strap. They are casual and comfortable to wear for the whole day, and are also good for a farm wedding. Jandals are not only good for weddings, you can wear it to the beach, wear it to your friends' summer party, wear it at home or even wear it to work! This proves again that a pair of shoes for wedding can be worn again and again after your big event. Hilton and Majesty are great for a garden setting, and both accentuate dainty feet. They are adorned with precious crystals and are beautiful to behold. When they are displayed in the shop, they catch light from the lamp and shines brightly. These two pairs of shoes are light, and Majesty is a slipper, they are easy to wear. Preparing for a summer wedding? Or, are you going to a party? These shoes are also good for a school ball or formal occasions such as birthday or work function. They will attract attention no matter where you go. Majesty and Hilton will go with dark black gowns or silver gowns for a formal occasion, and can also be worn with red, blue, and green. Majesty can also be worn in the spring time with lighter colours such as yellow or pink.

Tiger and Tanza - sexy animals within

Tanza peep toed high heel shoes are new from Belle, Paradox, London. This pair of shoes are very popular at the moment. You don't have to be a bride to wear this pair of shoes, and they are beautiful and comfortable to wear. The heel height is 8.5 cm, normally with a heel height like this, women hesitate to buy. It is surprisingly comfortable and come in a range of sizes from 36 to 42. Since it is made using dyeable ivory silk, it is versatile and can be either pre-dyed in London or dyed to the colour specified by the bride. Fairytale Bridal also provide shoe dye service, with the help of a professional dye company in Auckland and the experience of 10 years in wedding shoe retail, this pair of shoes are good for bridesmaids as well as brides. This dye service carries a small cost and takes about two weeks to complete. If bridesmaids require shoes being dyed, or brides want to dye her shoes after her wedding, shoes can be sent to Fairytale Bridal so they can return with stunning colours. Below is the New Zealand shoe dying company website. Different shoes can be dyed there, and all the shoes in Fairytale Bridal can be dyed in this company except shoes covered with Swaroski Crystals or sequins or if those shoes are jandals.

Sassy, Ballet and Mellow - The Three Musketeers of wedding shoes

Sassy, Ballet and Mellow are the three musketeers of wedding shoes. They have different heel height, and a plain front that is elegant and graceful. I have chosen these shoes so that the bride can decide what to get for her wedding, and a plain shoe front helps if the wedding gown is decorated heavily with beads and details. They look stunning. I have tried them on, and they are very comfortable. Fairytale Bridal also provide heel stoppers that can cover the heel and stop them from sinking into grass. They can be fitted to the thin heel, and can be secured in place with some Blu Tak. A craft loving bride can also paste some blue flowers for "something blue" in front of the shoes to add personal touches to the shoes, however, they look lovely just as they are. Sassy shoes have 8 cm heels, sizes ranging from 35 to 41, in ivory or white. Ballet shoes have 6cm heels, sizes available from 35 to 42, wide fit 37 to 43 and come as ivory, white and Nappa pearl. Mellow shoes have 3 cm heels, sizes ranging from 35 to 43, wide fit 37 to 43, white and ivory are available. The designers cleverly presented us with three different heel heights for different needs.

Cinderella will want these:

I had lots of fun searching for this pair of silver strap high heel wedge. The first pair looks the best, but I am sure that the strap on the top and at the back of the feet won't provide too much support. The second pair looks strange, and the photo probably doesn't do the shoes justice. They come in other colours, and the only one that I think is acceptable is red. I like the decoration at the front, though. When you wear this pair of shoes, other people can only see the front of the shoe so the wedge at the bottom doesn't really matter. Also, shoes get dirty all the time and it won't matter so much after the wedding. The third pair looks plainer, and I am almost sure that they will be the most comfortable and suitable for my customer. However, I will let them decide what they want. This pair of shoes will be available if they get the thumbs up from the bride. It's exciting! I haven't seen silver strap wedges in shoe shops for a long time. It's time for them to make a come back! You can wear them after your wedding as well so brilliant for choosing this style and colour. (Courtesy to Coloriffics and J. Renee)