Sixpence in a Wedding Shoe Tradition

I love when couples include traditions and details in their wedding day. When I photographed Erin and Chris’s wedding Erin included a detail I loved. It’s not as common in the United States as it may be in the United Kingdom, but it’s a great tradition no matter the location.

Sixpence Wedding Tradition

So what was the special detail? It was a sixpence coin glued to Erin’s left shoe. You may want to consider something similar for good luck, whether you’re having a big wedding or eloping. No matter your wedding size, this special detail is for people getting married.

Origins of a Sixpence in a Wedding Shoe

When the tradition first started, it was a dowery given to the groom. However, as time continued and the tradition evolved, it became a sort of good luck charm for the bride to keep close by, always placed in her left shoe.

Yup, the left one!

Why the Bride Decided to Go with the Sixpence Tradition on Her Wedding Day

 
Chris, the groom, has family from England. And some of his family members gave me the silver sixpence to Erin, the bride, as a gift. It’s a traditional good luck gesture and a symbol of the groom’s family wishing the bride prosperity, love, and happiness in her marriage. So sweet, right?

How to Get a Sixpence Coin to Stay in Your Shoe for Your Wedding

So how did Erin get it to stay in her shoe? Simply, really. The coin was hot glued into her shoe by her bridesmaid. I bet years later, it’s still there. (I was personally surprised to hear it lasted throughout the evening with just hot glue!)

Where Can You Buy a Silver Sixpence?

Where do you get a silver Sixpence coin, especially if you don’t live in the UK? 

Luckily, the internet makes them available to anyone around the world. And lo and behold, it’s easy to get one on Etsy.

Be sure to look for Etsy options that have things like special packaging, or a card to give it to someone with, or any other details that are gift or photo-worthy.

Sixpence for the Groom

Another idea for a good luck charm for one of the wedding couple members is to gift cufflinks to the groom or the bride if she is wearing a suit! They’re easy to find on Etsy.

Other Ways to Include a Sixpence in Your Wedding Day

There are other options if you don’t want to wear a sixpence in your shoe. You may not want to put a sixpence coin in your shoe for many reasons, including it being uncomfortable, not being able to get it to stay in your shoe, or not wanting to glue a coin into an expensive pair of wedding shoes.

In that case, look for a sixpence that has been made into a charm of some sort. You can get a bracelet with a sixpence or a sixpence on a metal

Consider When to Gift a Sixpence Coin

You don’t have to gift someone a sixpence just before his or her wedding. You can do it in advance. A bridal shower, for example, is the perfect reason to gift a sixpence. Or maybe you gift it to a groom on the day of his bachelor party as a kind gesture.

A card from an Etsy vendor would be ideal to give a bride at her bridal shower. That way, she knows she has the coin ahead of time and can plan to carry it in her shoes on her day accordingly.

What Can You Do with a Sixpence Coin After Your Wedding? 

Of course, you can keep it in your wedding shoe but if it is in a closet and doesn’t see the light of day, I say consider alternatives!

You can display it, like if you preserve your bouquet with a service like Flora-Ly. Linda, who owns the company, makes the most beautiful wedding flower keepsakes.

Alternatives to a Good Luck Sixpence

You can customize this centuries-old tradition to be more modern or more local to the United States. Another idea is to get a good luck penny that you customize.

For example, you can get your initials stamped on it, a hole drilled through it, and voila: you have a meaningful necklace. How cool are these personalized pennies?

Conclusion

No matter the tradition, no matter if you elope, get married in a destination, or close to home, this tradition of good luck is something worth considering for yourself, as a gift to your partner, or giving to someone getting married.

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