Wedding Shoe History

http://www.renaissancemoccasins.com/wedding-shoe-history.htm

Mythical marriage shoes have a romantic & enchanting history... Elaborate costuming became a favorite royal indulgence throughout the Renaissance era, and footwear was indeed part of the ensemble.

Cobblers began crafting shoes that were fit for a king... or a queen...to accompany ceremonial attire.

As weddings evolved into lavish formal events, wedding shoes were essential for the entire bridal party, and, of course, members of the royal court.

This fanciful footwear soon began to take on a tradition of its own among nobility & commoners.

The best known--and still practiced today-is the custom of tying shoes to the back of the couple's wedding transport.

This notion emerged from the Tudor belief that leather had a protective quality against evil spirits. Shoes attached to the wedding carriage ensured that the couple would travel their new lives together without interference from outside influences.

In historic England, a custom began of placing a Sixpence in the bride's shoe for prosperity. The bride was said to walk down the aisle with:

A Sixpence was said to be worth its weight in gold in bringing domestic bliss to marriages!