DIY rhinestone bridal shoes (image by Yvonne Liao)
I hope you are having a great start to the month of May! I love May because it means that the weather is getting warmer and I can start wearing my summer clothes, and it also marks the beginning of the wedding season!
In addition to designing my own shoes, I enjoy doing DIY projects on bridal shoes for two reasons:
Bridal shoes can be very expensive, and many times the shoes are only worn once and placed in the closet, never to see the light of the day after the wedding is over. DIY-ing your bridal shoes is a more fun and cost-effective way to create beautiful wedding shoes without breaking your budget.
Customizing your bridal shoes make the day extra special because it allows you to add personal details that cannot be done with a regular pair of wedding shoes bought from the store, such as adding you and your husband's names or wedding dates, or remembering a loved one who has passed away on your special day.
I am excited to share with you a simple DIY project that you can create on your wedding shoes to make it extra special on your wedding day. My idea for this DIY project comes from the meshed rhinestone embellished Mary-Jane/ballet flats trending in many fashion footwear brands so I decided to apply it on bridal shoes as well.
Read more below on a step-by-step guide on how to add some rhinestone on your bridal shoes and where you get the materials to get started.
Step 1: Getting the materials
I) A packet of sew on metal flat back rhinestones in assorted sizes from Amazon
USD $8.39
I used bigger rhinestones to give the shoes a more bedazzled effect. As the popular saying goes " Go big or go home!" Feel free to get rhinestones of any shape, sizes and color that fit your wedding theme/colors. These sew on rhinestones have four holes on the back of the base and are great in case you want to sew the rhinestones to ensure that the rhinestones do not drop off from the shoes.
II) E-6000 Adhesive Metal, Glass, Fiberglass Masonry And Concrete from Amazon
USD$4.28
This glue is great for crafting and I use it for all my DIY bridal shoes project. The most important part is to allow at least 24 hours for the shoes to cure, i.e. let the glue dry before wearing so that the rhinestones adhere better to the shoes.
III) Glue applicator syringe for flatback rhinestones and hobby crafts from Amazon
USD$7.99
Glue applicator syringes are great for DIY projects like this because it allows for precision during the process of adding rhinestones onto the shoes. .Squeezing the glue directly from the tube is going to create a mess if you squeeze too hard and a blob of glue lands on your shoes.
IV) Waxed rhinestone picker pencil or picker tool from Amazon
USD$6.44
This is definitely a useful tool to have because the pencil helps to pick up the tiny rhinestones that would otherwise be too difficult for you to pick up with your fingers. The rhonestone picker pencil usually comes with the packet of rhinestones you purchased, or you can get them separately.
V) A pair of white sheer meshed/netted ballet flats from Target
USD$24.99
I chose a pair flats because I like comfortable shoes! I remembered wearing my bridal shoes on my wedding day (no I did not DIY my shoes then :( )and my feet hurts so much that I had to remove them while I was dancing on the dance floor. Personally I think this pair of flats is also very versatile in that you can still wear them for everyday life even after the wedding is over. You can wear them with a pair of jeans or dress and still look cute!
Total costs of this project: USD$52.09 (not incl taxes)
Step 2: The DIY Process
Video guide on how to apply rhinestones on the shoe
Tips in adding the rhinestones to the shoes:
I) Add the E6000 glue into the glue syringe applicator a little at the time. You do not need a lot of glue for this project, so it is wise to add a little glue at a time so you are not left with a lot of unued glue left in the applicator that dries out over time.
II) Use your finger tips to press the rhinestones on the shoe to make sure that the rhinestones adhere securely to the shoes.
III) For the bigger rhinestones, you will need to press them a little longer so that they do not slide off the shoes.
IV) Allow your shoes at least 24 hours to cure so the glue has time to dry thoroughly before you wear them.
V) Do note that even though E6000 glue is quite adhesive, my experience is that the smaller rhinestones do tend to drop off faster. The trick is to glue more rhinestones so that the shoes does not look bereft of all sparkle after your wedding day. Alternatively, you can sew the rhinestones to secure them, but it will take a lot more time, and the stitches will show since this is a pair of sheer meshed shoes.
The good thing is that because you have a supply of the rhinestones leftover after this project, you can always go back and add more rhinestones to shoes.
What I like the most about this project is that you can apply the same DIY idea to other pairs of shoes - be it a pair of pumps or open-tie sandals. The possibilities are endless!
DIY rhinestone bridal shoes (image by Yvonne Liao)
If you enjoy this article and am looking for more inspiration for other bridal shoe ideas, do look at my other blog article on how I DIY-ed a pair of wedding sneakers for my girlfriend for her wedding and sign up for my monthly newsletter.
Interested in customizing a special pair of bridal shoes for your special day but do not have time to do all the work? Send me an email (yvonne@yvonneliaonyc.com) and let me do the work to customize your own pair now!
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