DIY Flirty Tulle Bow Wedding Heels -

September 12, 2018

DIY Flirty Tulle Bow Wedding Heels

Guess How Much My Wedding Shoes Cost!

I would love to say I owned a pair of red soles this lifetime & thought using my wedding as an excuse to fulfill this ‘ambition’, most fitting. The pair I was eyeing? Christian Louboutin’s Follies Strass with crystal embellished mesh (~RM5206). However, my best friend warned me that Louboutin once said, “It is not my job to create something comfortable”, & the practical side of me kicked in. Would I want my feet to scream in pain because of vain throughout the most important day of my life? Absolutely NOT.

Enter: Manolo Blahnik’s Hangisi pumps (~RM4176), made famous for weddings by Carrie Bradshaw in Sex & The City. Ain’t no better occasion that can give you a better reason to purchase this classic world masterpiece! So I went to all the existing outlets in Cingapore to find my size in the right color & height – 37.5, blue satin, 7 cm tall . . . NIL, there ain’t any. Shoe lady said, “Manolo only makes shoes twice a year. Do you know that?” You know what? Maybe it’s not meant to be.

If you haven’t heard of Bella Belle, they do lovely wedding shoes. I was very close to purchasing Evelyn ivory low heels (~RM1550), an almost-copy of the Loubs I wanted. Another option was their Elise ivory wedding heels (~RM1060). But when I tried them on at a local stockist, I knew as a matter of fact that their heels would turn into my hell after 3 hours of wearing.

So what did I do? Self-customization.

Here are 5 ridiculously fun & easy steps to make yourself a pair of pretty wedding shoes that can take you from the palace garden to dance floor.

1. Scout for a pair of heels online.

Trust me – you’ll have better luck online than physical shops. I went from Nine West to Vincci & everything in between. It seems that the more basic the item, the less they are being produced these days. Do this step at least 2 months in advance in case you need to do return/exchange (I did mine in 2 weeks with express shipping).

Shoe characteristics to look for:

white/ivory
open-toe
ankle-strap
kitten heels*

*Especially if your wedding is outdoors, I strongly advise against shoes higher than 7 cm/3 inches. If you really need to go higher, get a pair of embellished flats or sandals & have your maid of honor bring them along for you. My ultimate choice is kitten heels so that I can walk in them all day without the hassle of changing shoe midway.

2. Buy white tulle from a fabric shop.

I got my parents to buy me some bridal tulle material (a meter is usually the minimum amount), which I had loads of leftovers used for my wedding paper stationaries e.g. place cards.

3. Make cute bows out of the tulle.

During my final dress fitting, I brought along the tulle, which my tailor used to craft 2 pretty ribbons & sew them in place with a pearl in the center, FOC. Of course, you can easily DIY this part at home.

4. Glue the bows in place.

Layer your work surface with a piece of paper. Using a trusty super glue, squeeze sufficient amount onto the area of the bow & glue it onto the outer side of your shoe, press firmly & allow to dry. Ensure the bow is secure by lifting the shoe in the air by the bow. If it doesn’t come off, you’re good to go. Repeat on the other side.

5. Get your husband to write a message on the sole(s) of your shoes!

Ain’t this idea sweeter & more unique than red soles? Might as well take personalization up a notch. É totally forgot to do mine despite the double reminders before the wedding. (Still mad at him for it!)