Happily ever after!

This tradition comes from a time when the all the wedding guests would escort the bride and groom to their chambers, which would have been decorated by the bridesmaids with ribbons and flowers in symbolic colours.

It is common for shoes to be tied to the back of the wedding car. Shoes were once a symbol of power. In Egypt, the bride's father would give the groom the bride's sandals to show ownership of the bride had been transferred from the father to the groom.

In Anglo-Saxon times, the groom would tap the heel of the bride's shoe, to assert his authority over his new wife. Then the bride would throw her shoes at her bridesmaids to see who would be the next to marry.

Later it was considered good luck for the newlyweds if the guests threw shoes at the couple or their carriage as they left the church. Nowadays the shoes are just tied to the departing car as a symbol of good luck.

Old shoes tied to the honeymooner's car were also considered symbols of authority and possession. The bride's father would contribute one of the bride's shoes to the groom, thus symbolising the transference of authority over to the husband. Tin Cans were supposed to protect the couple from evil spirits while they travelled.

Nowadays balloons, foam spray and bubble mixture in the exhaust pipe all add to the fun!

Look for the Win a going away special article in our competitions section and win a special set!