Creating Wedding Glass Charms: A Step-By-Step Guide

Wine glass charms are a fun and practical way to add a personal touch to your wedding. They can be used as drink identifiers, place cards, escort cards, or favours for your guests. You can make them at home using wine corks, wire, and decorations like beads, charms, and crystals. They can also be purchased online from sites like Etsy.

Using wire and wine corks

Materials:

• Wine corks (preferably natural corks)
• Wire (thin gold wire for jewellery making or any wire you have on hand)
• Needle-nose pliers
• Screw-in eyes and split rings (sold for hanging pictures)
• Indelible marker pen
• Paint, ink or dye (optional)

Instructions:

• Cut cork slices: Using a very sharp knife, cut the wine corks into slices about 1/4" (6mm) thick. Start cutting from the end of the cork that was closer to the wine and stop when you reach the hole made by the corkscrew.
• Decorate the cork slices: If desired, decorate one side of each slice with paint, ink or dye. You can colour the entire surface or draw simple shapes or initials with the marker pen. Ensure each design is unique.
• Attach the screw-in eyes: Carefully screw an eye, with or without a split ring, into the side of each cork slice. It's easier to turn the cork while screwing rather than twisting the screw.
• Cut and shape the wire: Cut a 4" (10cm) length of wire for each glass charm. Form it into a ring with a diameter of about 3/4" (20mm) by wrapping it around a cylindrical object like a wooden spoon handle. There should be a slight overlap.
• Create a loop and hook: Use the needle-nose pliers to turn back one end of the wire to form a small loop. Then, create a hook at the other end.
• Attach the cork charm: Slip the wire through the split ring or directly through the eye attached to the cork slice. Adjust the wire so that it can easily go around the stem of a glass, with the cork charm resting on the foot. It should spring apart to latch securely once fastened.
• Optional: Add glue: For extra permanence, add a small amount of glue to the end of the wire before pushing it into the cork slice to ensure it stays in place.

Your wedding glass charms are now ready! These charms are perfect for weddings, bridal showers, or any other celebration. They add a unique and personal touch to your event.

Making charms from beads

Planning and Gathering Materials

Before you begin, it's important to plan the design and theme of your charms. Decide on the colours, patterns, and types of beads you want to use. You can choose from a variety of beads, such as Murano glass beads, crystals, or colourful beads. Additionally, gather all the necessary tools, including beads, headpins, pliers, wire cutters, and memory wire.

Creating the Basic Structure

Cut a piece of memory wire to size, leaving about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch overlap. This will form the base of your charm. Glue a crystal (4mm or 5mm) to one end of the wire to prevent beads from falling off as you assemble the charm. Any glue suitable for bonding glass to metal will work, such as E6000 or Gorilla glue.

Adding Beads and Charms

Now, it's time to slide on your chosen beads and charms. You can create symmetrical designs or mix and match different types of beads. If you want certain beads to dangle, you can wire wrap them separately and attach them to the main wire. Play around with different combinations until you're happy with the arrangement.

Finishing Touches

Once you've added all the beads and charms, it's time to finish off the charm. Cut the wire so that there is a small overlap, and use pliers to create a loop on one end. This loop will allow you to attach the charm to the stem of a wine glass. You can also add a small amount of glue to secure the end of the wire and ensure it stays in place.

Additional Customisation

If you want to add a personal touch, you can decorate the charms further. For example, you can write initials or messages on the beads with markers or paint stamps. Get creative and experiment with different colours and designs.

Assembly Line Production

If you're making a large number of charms, it's a good idea to work on several at once. This will help ensure consistency and speed up the process. You can thread beads onto multiple headpins simultaneously, reducing the chances of making mistakes in size, colour, or order.

Creating beaded wedding glass charms is a fun and rewarding project. With a bit of creativity and patience, you can make unique and memorable charms that will impress your wedding guests.

Using crystals and glue

Materials:

First, gather your materials. You will need crystals, preferably with flat backs, and a strong adhesive such as E6000, Gorilla glue, or any glue that works for glass-to-metal applications. You will also need memory wire, beads, and charms of your choice. Additionally, you will need some tools such as a toothpick, tweezers, and tin foil.

Step 1: Cut the Memory Wire:

Start by cutting the memory wire to the desired length. The wire should be cut so that you have about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch overlap. This will allow you to create a loop for attaching the charms.

Step 2: Glue the Crystals:

Using a toothpick, apply a small amount of glue to one end of the wire. Then, carefully pick up a crystal with tweezers and attach it to the glued end. This will prevent your beads and charms from falling off as you assemble the rest of the charm.

Step 3: Assemble the Charms:

Once the glue has dried, you can start sliding on your beads and charms. Feel free to get creative and experiment with different colours, shapes, and sizes. You can also add some dangles or accents by using jump rings.

Step 4: Create a Loop:

After you have added all your beads and charms, create a loop with the overlapping ends of the wire. This will ensure that your charms stay securely attached to the glass.

Tips:

When choosing crystals, consider the colour and style that best match your wedding theme. You can opt for clear crystals or explore coloured options to complement your flowers, bridesmaid dresses, or personal favourites. Additionally, consider using hotfix crystals, which have a heat-sensitive coating that allows for easy application with a hot tool.

Remember to allow adequate drying time for the glue, and always test your materials before proceeding. You can also explore other methods, such as sewing crystals onto the charms for a more permanent option.

By following these steps and getting creative with your crystal and bead choices, you can make unique and elegant wedding glass charms that will impress your guests.

Using pre-made charms

Planning and Gathering Supplies

Before you begin, it's important to visualise how you want your wedding glass charms to look. Consider the theme and colour scheme of your wedding, as well as the level of complexity you want to achieve. You can keep it simple with just pre-made charms, or add beads, crystals, pearls, or other decorative elements. Decide if you want to include jump rings, which allow you to attach charms and beads together. These can be sourced inexpensively online or from craft stores. If you plan to include beads, select a variety of colours and sizes that complement your wedding theme. You will also need pliers and a strong type of glue, such as E6000, Gorilla glue, or any adhesive suitable for bonding glass to metal.

Selecting and Preparing Charms

Choose pre-made charms that align with your wedding theme and style. You can opt for charms with inscriptions, symbols, or a combination of both. If you're feeling creative, you can even cannibalise the pre-made charms by using their dangles for accent, as mentioned in the Venetian Bead Shop Blog. This allows you to mix and match different elements to create unique charms. If you're happy with the charms as they are, you can proceed to the next step.

Assembly and Customisation

Now it's time to assemble your charms! If you're using jump rings, open them by sliding the two sides away from each other, rather than pulling the ends apart, to maintain their shape. Attach the charms and any additional beads or decorative elements to the jump rings. If you're not using jump rings, you can glue the elements together, ensuring that you use enough adhesive to create a strong bond. Allow the glue to dry completely before handling the charms extensively.

Finishing Touches and Presentation

Once your charms are assembled, add any final touches, such as additional crystals or inscriptions. If you're using memory wire, you can create a loop at the end to secure the charms and add symmetry. Finally, present your wedding glass charms in individual organza gift bags, or attach them to the base of the glasses at each place setting. Your guests will appreciate the thoughtful detail, and they can even take the charms home as memorable keepsakes.

Adding a personal touch

Choose a meaningful theme

Select a theme that reflects your interests and passions as a couple. This could be anything from a Disney theme, featuring Mickey Mouse-shaped charms, to a sports theme, with charms in the shape of tennis rackets or golf clubs. If you're having a beach wedding, consider sea-glass charms or a nautical theme. Music lovers might opt for musical notes or instruments, while literary types could choose book-themed charms.

Add some sparkle

If you want to keep things simple yet elegant, add some Swarovski crystals or rhinestones to your charms. You could also opt for a bedazzled charm to add a touch of glitz and glamour.

Get crafty

If you're feeling creative, make your own charms using wire, beads, and charms from your local craft store. You can even use wine corks—write a message or stamp initials on them, then attach them to eyepins and leverback earwires. Another idea is to use paper—cut out pretty patterned paper using a wine charms template, or draw your own design.

Include a photo

A picture is worth a thousand words, so why not include a photo charm featuring a beloved family member or pet? You could also add a photo to a locket and attach it to your glass charm.

Pay tribute to loved ones

Honour a late family member by including their initials or a meaningful symbol on your charm. Alternatively, use a piece of jewellery gifted to you by a grandparent, or a special item of clothing, like a tie, to wrap around your glass charm.

Make them reusable

If you want your guests to remember your special day every time they raise a glass, create reusable charms that they can take home as favours. You could use acrylic or wooden charms, or even make beaded crochet charms that double as hostess gifts.

There are endless ways to personalise your wedding glass charms, so have fun and get creative!

Frequently asked questions