Shoe tossing

The wedding custom

Victorian records show people pelting brides and grooms with old shoes as they left for their honeymoon. Charles Dickens wrote about this practice in his novel David Copperfield. A man would offer an old shoe to a female relative to throw after the couple. The New York Times noted in 1887 that the custom was ancient. Peter Ditchfield explained that it symbolized the father giving up authority over his daughter. The groom receiving the shoe meant he now held that power. In Kent, the principal bridesmaid threw the shoe. Other women chased it, hoping to be the next to marry.

Other meanings

Shoes on wires often signal gang activity or drug deals. Police sometimes view this as a myth. A study in Chicago found no link between hanging sneakers and crime. In Arab cultures, showing a shoe sole is an insult. Throwing a shoe adds injury to insult. An Iraqi journalist threw shoes at President George W. Bush in Baghdad. He shouted about widows and orphans. The president ducked and avoided the shoes. This protest highlighted the severity of the gesture in that region.

Sports and games

Wellie wanging involves throwing Wellington boots for distance. It started in West Country England in the 1970s. It is popular at village fairs. Physical education classes use shoe throwing games. Students sit in lines and throw shoes into a central area. They then race to retrieve them. Another game uses chairs and plastic bottles. Players sit down, remove their shoes, and aim at the bottles. Hitting the bottle first wins the round. These activities turn footwear into sports equipment.

How Shoe tossing is kept

Guests gather outside the church or venue as the couple departs. Someone hands an old shoe to a participant. The shoe is thrown toward the moving carriage or vehicle. In some regions, the principal bridesmaid leads the throw. Other guests chase the shoe. The person who catches it hopes for early marriage. The act is a loud, chaotic celebration of the couple's new status.

When and where

It happens immediately after the ceremony or as the couple leaves for their honeymoon. The timing marks the end of the formal event and the start of their journey together.

The custom is strongest in England, particularly in Kent. It appears in historical texts from the 19th century. It may occur in other English-speaking regions with similar traditions.

What Shoe tossing means

Throwing the shoe represents the transfer of guardianship. The father releases his control over the bride. The groom accepts this responsibility. It also serves as a general wish for good fortune. The chaos brings joy and community support to the new union.

Who takes part

• The guests: Throw old shoes at the departing couple
• The principal bridesmaid: Throws the shoe in Kentish tradition
• The bride's father: Symbolically gives up authority over his daughter
• The groom: Receives the shoe and gains authority

If you are a guest

Guests may be handed an old shoe to throw. They should aim toward the couple's vehicle. Catching the shoe is considered lucky for one's own love life. The atmosphere is noisy and celebratory. Participants join in the playful ritual.

Then and now

The custom is largely historical. It appears in literature and old photographs. Modern weddings rarely include shoe tossing. It has been replaced by rice or confetti throwing. Some couples may reenact it for fun.

Questions people ask about Shoe tossing

See also

Saint Ubaldo DayA procession where runners carry massive wooden pedestals with saint statues through the streets of Gubbio and Jessup.Easter palmA decorated willow or juniper bundle blessed on Palm Sunday to protect homes and crops.Indian Wedding BlessingA modern poem often recited at weddings in the United States, falsely attributed to Native American traditions.PyebaekA Korean post-ceremony ritual where the couple bows to the groom's parents and shares symbolic foods.

Good reading and sources

• Love, marriage … and a barrage of shoesThe Guardian, Article
• BBC NEWS | Middle East | Bush shoe-ing worst Arab insultBBC, Article
• Love, marriage … and a barrage of shoesThe Guardian, Article
• BBC NEWS | Middle East | Bush shoe-ing worst Arab insultBBC, Article

• Shoe throwing on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Wedding customs differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-07.