Reverse Dictionary: WEDDING

NOUNS
► BACKIN the day after a wedding → 1911 Sc.
► BEAR PARTY an all-male party, esp. on the night preceding the wedding of one of the men → M19 sl.
► BIDDING a wedding party at which a collection, in money or kind, is made for the bride and bridegroom → 1849 Sc.
► BLACKBETTS liquor; a bottle of liquor passed among the guests at a wedding → 1846 Amer. dial.
► BLACK BETTY liquor; a bottle of liquor passed among the guests at a wedding → 1823 Amer. dial.
► BLACK CAKE wedding cake  → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► BOTTLING a festivity; a gathering of friends invited to a wedding → 1911 Sc. (Bk.)
► BRAITHEL a wedding → 1911 Sc. (Bk.)
► BRAWS fine clothes; wedding clothes → 1724 Sc.
► BRIDE DAY the day on which a couple are married; a wedding day → a1641
► BRIDE-KISS a kiss exchanged by a newly married couple, esp. as the traditional conclusion to a wedding ceremony → 1682 obs.
► BRIDE RING the wedding ring, esp. that worn by the bride → 1810
► BRIDE-WEED a bride’s dress or veil → 1854 obs.
► CHURCH-RING a wedding ring → 1856 obs.
► CONFARREATION a wedding, marriage → 1645 obs.
► DILDAM a loud noise made at a wedding or merrymaking → 1884 Eng. dial.
► DOG-HANGING a wedding feast held to collect money for the bride → 1646 Eng. dial.
► FARTHING-WEDDING a poor, simple wedding → 1895 Eng. dial.
► GREENBACK WEDDING a wedding at which money is given as a gift → 1980 Amer. dial.
► HAULING-HOME the bringing home of the bride; the wedding day → 1867 Ireland
► HOUSE-STOY a wedding present → 1975 Nova Scotia usage
► HYMEN 1. marriage; wedlock; wedding, nuptials → 1608
2. a wedding-hymn → 1613
► HYMENEAL a wedding hymn → 1717
► HYMENEALS a wedding, nuptials → 1655
► HYMENEAN a wedding hymn → 1667 obs.
► INFARE a reception or celebration for a newly married couple, esp. one given at the home of the groom’s parents on the day following the wedding → 1794 Amer. dial.
► INITIATING PARY a noisy celebration for newlyweds after a wedding → 1955  Amer. dial.
► INITIATION a noisy celebration for newlyweds after a wedding → 1965 Amer. dial.
► MARRYING-RING a wedding-ring → 1504 obs.
► MILITARY CEREMONY a marriage that takes place because a baby is on the way → 1965 Amer. dial.
► MILITARY WEDDING a marriage that takes place because a baby is on the way; a shotgun wedding → 1916 Amer. dial.
► PAPER MARRIAGE a society wedding → L19 sl.
► SHOTGUN WEDDING a forced wedding, presumably because the bride is pregnant
► TIN-PANNING a noisy celebration following a wedding → c1938 Amer. dial.
► TOURNIQUET an engagement or wedding ring → 1961 US sl.

NOUNS – PERSON
► ALIKAY ► ALLAKAY ► ALLEKAY the bridegroom’s man; he who attends on the bridegroom, or is employed as his precursor, at a wedding → 1818 Sc.
► BEST GIRL a maid or matron of honour at a wedding → 1965 Amer. dial.
► BEST LADY a maid or matron of honour at a wedding → 1965 Amer. dial.
► BEST MAID the bridesmaid or chief bridesmaid → 1766 orig. & chiefly Sc.
► BEST MAN a male friend or relative of a bridegroom, chosen to be his principal assistant at his wedding, and usually responsible for carrying out certain duties; the groomsman or ‘friend of the bridegroom’ at a wedding → 1782 orig. Sc.
► BEST WOMAN a maid or matron of honour at a wedding → 1965 Amer. dial.
► BRIDE BOY a young man or boy who acts as an attendant to the bride or groom at a wedding, and who performs various ceremonial duties → 1614
► BRIDE COUPLE a newly-wed couple → 1632
► BRIDE-ELECT a woman who is engaged to be married; a prospective bride → 1700
► BRIDE-LEADER a person chosen to act as the attendant to the bride at a wedding and to perform various ceremonial duties, esp. in leading the bride (and sometimes her entourage) to the bridegroom → 1552
► BRIDE-LIFTER a male attendant at a wedding who lifts the bride into a vehicle or over a barrier as part of a local custom → 1865 obs.
► BRIDEMAID a bridesmaid → 1851 Amer. dial.
► BRIDE-MOTHER a mature woman chosen to act as an attendant to the bride at a wedding → 1566 obs.
► BRIDE-PEOPLE the bride and groom with their entourage; the bridal party → 1816 obs.
► BRIDESMAN an usher a a wedding → 1996 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► BRIDE SQUIRE a man chosen to act as an attendant at a wedding and to perform various ceremonial duties → a1637 obs.
► DADDY the man who gives away the bride at a wedding; traditionally her father, but not always → c1860 sl.
► DAME OF HONOR a maid or matron of honour → 1966 Amer. dial.
► FAT AND WIDE a bride → 1992 UK rhyming sl.
► FATHER the relative or friend who ‘gives away’ a bride → 1599
► FIRST MAN the best man at a wedding → 1966 Amer. dial.
► GIRL-BRIDE a young bride → 1847
► HA’-MAIDEN the bridesmaid at a wedding → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
► LAVER ► LAVIER a man who invites guests to a wedding → 1888 Eng. dial.
► MAID BRIDE ► MAID’S BRIDE a bridesmaid → 1965 Amer. dial.
► MARY a maid of honour; a female attendant → 1803 Sc. obs.
► MOTHER’S PRIDE a bride → 1992 UK rhyming sl.
► MOUSE a man who does not consummate his marriage on the wedding night → 1920s Aust. sl.
► OLD FATHER one who gives away the bride at a wedding → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► PAGE a young boy attending a bride at a wedding → a1668
► PAGEBOY a young boy attending a bride at a wedding → 1939
► PARANYMPH in Greek Antiquity, the ‘friend of the bridegroom’ who accompanied the latter when he went to fetch home the bride; also, the bridesmaid who escorted the bride to the bridegroom; hence, a modern best man, a groomsman, or a bridesmaid → 1600
► SKINNY (AS A BROOM) a bridegroom → 1992 UK rhyming sl.
► SPOUSESS a female spouse, a wife, a bride, a married woman → 1388 obs.
► TAILOR the best man at a wedding → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► TALER a man who keeps count of wedding presents → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► WAITER 1. an attendant upon the bride at weddings; a bridesmaid → 1537 obs. exc. Amer. dial.
2. a male attendant or usher at a wedding → 1992 Amer. South  (Bk.)
► WAITMAN ► WAITSMAN an attendant on the bride or groom at a wedding → 1966 Amer. dial.
► WAITRESS a bridesmaid at a wedding → 1966 Amer. dial.
► WEDDINGER a member of a wedding party; rarely, a bride or groom, a newlywed → 1774 Amer. dial.
► WIDE RECEIVER the bridesmaid most determined to snag the bride’s bouquet → 1997 (Bk.)

PHRASES
► BLESSED IS THE BRIDE THE SUN SHINES ON used to express the superstition that good fortune will attend the marriage of a bride whose wedding is on a sunny day → 1648
► HAPPY IS THE BRIDE THE SUN SHINES ON used to express the superstition that good fortune will attend the marriage of a bride whose wedding is on a sunny day → 1777

VERBS
► BID to invite to a wedding or funeral → 1911 Sc. (Bk.)
► BREAST of a bride and bridegroom: to face the minister at a marriage → 1911 Sc. (Bk.)
► SPLICE to perform the marriage ceremony → 1900s