Bata Shoe Museum327 Bloor StreetWest Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1W7
In Biblical times a sandal was given as a sign of an oath.In the Middle Ages a father passed his authority over his daughter to her husband in a shoe ceremony. At the wedding, the groom handed the bride a shoe, which she put on to show she was then his subject.Today in the U.S. shoes are tied to the bumper of the bridal couple’s car. This is a reminder of the days when a father gave the groom one of his daughter’s shoes as a symbol of a changing caretaker.In China one of the bride’s red shoes is tossed from the roof to ensure happiness for the bridal couple.In Hungary the groom drinks a toast to his bride out of her wedding slipper.
