How to Dye Wedding Shoes

For a bride, clothing is the most important aspect of her wedding.

Many brides will be watching "Say Yes to the Dress" and contemplating trips to New York City to Kleinfeld's Bridal for that dream Lazaro ballgown.

Once a bride has chosen a beautiful wedding dress, she moves on to her bridal jewellery and other accessories such as a cathedral length veil, or fingertip veil with a Swarovski tiara comb, and last but not least a love for many women: SHOES!

Traditionally, bridal gowns and shoes come in shades of white or ivory, but more and more brides are opting to bring color into their wedding day attire.

Do you like sweet tones to go with your shabby chic, spring wedding? Try a blush toned Oscar de la Renta dress.

Are you a bit edgy and like the Gothic scene? Slip into a scarlet wedding gown by Vivienne Westwood, or a black lace wedding gown by Vera Wang.

So now you've chosen a fabulously unique dress, it's time to make your bridal shoes live up to the dream dress.

Bought a white wedding gown? Add a pop of color beneath your wedding crinoline by dyeing your shoes. Color wedding shoes are not just for colored wedding dresses.

There are all natural ways of dyeing your bridal shoes that involve red beets, carrot juice, and even coffee grounds but these methods are not always reliable.

A better method of making your shoes colorful is to purchase special dye like Dylon permanent fabric dye that is made to be used on things like bridal shoes from a wedding supply store or from the internet.

Remember to buy a water repellent when you purchase your dye because once you dye your fabric shoes the color will run if they get wet. Water repellent will ease some of the run off, but not completely stop it. This is one very pesky aspect to dyeing your own bridal shoes, but if you are careful and don't go run into the ocean during your beach wedding, you will be fine.

• Dye -- if you have synthetic shoes like polyester you will need synthetic dye, but if your shoes are silk, linen or cotton you will need natural fiber dye. Recommended: Rit dye or Dylon fabric dye
• Water repellent
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• Water
• A pot you won't use again.
• Test fabric.
• White tissue paper (gift paper)
• Wide paintbrush

Using a pot that you will never use again:

1. Mix dye according to the directions for stove top. Bring your pot of water to a boil. (darker dyes require less water to ensure saturation)
2. Add 3/4 cup vinegar and dye to boiling water. Mix thoroughly.
3. Simmer for about 8-12 minutes.
4. Once dye is ready, test your sample fabrics to see if the shade is what you are after. -- blow drying the fabric speeds the processing time.

The reason you should not use the same pot that you have dye in again is because the amount of chemicals in dye that will can harm you and get in your food.

Once you achieve the color you desire:

1. Stuff your shoes with wadded white tissue (newspaper can stain your shoes) so your shoes retain their shape and so the interior remains the natural color.
2. Dip your wide paintbrush (do not use a cheap brush, the results will be icky) into the dye mixture and begin painting your bridal shoes.
3. Paint each shoe with 2 coats of the dye.
4. Allow shoes time to dry.
5. If your shoes are a little paler than intended (they lighten as they dry), heat your dye back up and add another coat. Allow time to dry.
6. Repeat coating process (step 5) until you reach the desired saturation. Allow your bridal shoes time to dry between coats.