During the Tudor years (1485 – 1603) when the bride and groom left in their carriage, guests threw their shoes at them because it was considered good luck if the shoes hit the carriage.
As years passed no doubt after a few brides and grooms were konked with shoes, it made more sense to tie the shoes to the back of the get-away carriage. Evolving through centuries traditions either faded or were modernized, wedding guests got fed up with walking home barefooted so they opted to tie tin cans to the back of the wedding vehicle. When our son and daughter-in-law were married, she wanted a white horse and white carriage, we granted her wish as a wedding present, thankfully, nobody threw shoes. Again through tradition, many fathers picked out the groom for their daughters who possibly could not attract a suiter but when the wedding day arrived and some grooms saw they’re intended for the first time, they simply ran away and that is when the tradition of veils was invented. Also seeing the bride before the ceremony is considered bad luck primarily for the same reason because if the groom’s first sight and impression of the would-be bride was negative he too would head for the hills leaving the poor girl stranded at the altar. Today we are more civilized, brides wear white to denote virginity, grooms propose on one knee and limousines spirit the happy couples away but, in the past 500 years have we truly debunked some of the old marriage traditions? Today over 50% of marriages in North America end in separation or divorce. Hmmm, maybe not.