Every bride dreams of looking beautiful on her wedding day—but comfort matters just as much. When my daughter got married, her reception was held on a cruise showboat on Sydney Harbour. She was nervous about tripping in high heels on a moving boat. Not one for fancy footwear, she also knew her sparkly bridal vision didn’t suit stilettos.

Since we couldn’t find what she imagined online, I decided to make them myself. This tutorial will show you how to turn plain white sneakers into stunning, sparkling wedding shoes that are both comfy and glamorous. These handmade bridal sneakers looked amazing under her dress, and best of all—her feet stayed pain-free all night!

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How to Make Sparkly DIY Wedding Sneakers

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Materials Needed

• White sneakers (any brand you love)
• Self-adhesive rhinestone sheets
• 1.5mm blue rhinestones
• 1.5mm clear rhinestones
• Heart-shaped rhinestones
• E6000 or Tarzan Grip glue
• Pencil and thin marker
• Tweezers or your fingertip!
• Rhinestone hot-fix application kits.

Step 1: Add the Sparkle

Start by covering the canvas part of the sneakers with self-adhesive rhinestone sheets. These rhinestones come in strips, making it much easier than sticking them one-by-one. Simply peel, press, and stick! If there are small gaps or awkward angles, cut single rhinestones from the sheet to fill them in. This gives the shoes a seamless finish.

Step 2: Personalise with a Name

Use a pencil to sketch the name or message on the side of the sneakers. Then trace it with a thin marker. We added “Mrs Pocius” using dark blue rhinestones to make it stand out. Glue each blue rhinestone in place one by one—yes, it’s fiddly, but worth it. Use E6000 glue and work a letter at a time so the adhesive doesn’t dry too quickly.

Tip: I used the good old-fashioned trick of licking my finger to pick up the tiny stones!

It was only after I finished making these wedding sneakers that I discovered rhinestone hot-fix application kits. These clever tools use heat to melt a special glue on the back of the rhinestones, bonding them directly to the fabric.

They’re a great alternative to messy glue and fiddly placement, especially for larger projects.

Step 3: Fill the Gaps

After completing the name, use 1.5mm clear rhinestones to fill in any gaps. This helps blend the design and gives it a prettier finish.

Step 4: Decorate the Front

The rubber toe section of the shoe didn’t hold the adhesive rhinestones well. To fix this, I used individual heart-shaped rhinestones and glued them onto the front. These sparkled beautifully and added extra charm to the look.

Up close look at the heart rhinestones.

Step 5: Add the Wedding Date

To finish off the shoes, I added the wedding date to the back. Just follow the same steps: write the date in pencil, trace with a marker, and glue rhinestones over the top.

Laces or Ribbons?

I experimented with satin ribbon laces, but they didn’t suit the look. In the end, we stuck with the original laces for a classic, sporty vibe that still looked bridal. She looked absolutely stunning on her wedding day, and her sneakers were a hit with guests. While others kicked off their heels, she danced the night away in total comfort—and still sparkled from head to toe!

More Wedding Ideas

If you’re looking for meaningful ways to include a lost loved one in your wedding, try these:

Bridal Bouquet Charms: Add a photo and a short message to hang on your bouquet.

Memorial Candles: Display one at the reception to honour someone special.

My daughter gave her dad the sweetest gift on her wedding day, and I just had to share it. Along with walking her down the aisle, he received custom cufflinks—one with a photo of them when she was little, the other all grown up. She also gave him a personalised hankie, which came in handy the moment she handed it over.

Mixed media canvas using wedding day mementoes.

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