bride n DC bride's boys (Nfld: 1952); see also BOY; EDD sb¹ (1) ~ cake; OED sb¹ 6 (1694), EDD sb¹ (3) bride's knot.
   Comb bride(s) boy: one of a number of men assisting at a wedding.
   [1900 OLIVER & BURKE] 22 [They] set out for the Cathedral, with the writer as bridesboy. 1952 BANFILL 63 Wedding invitations are issued by young men and boys called 'bride's boys' who go from harbour to harbour, inviting the people. T 30-642 In the old days you weren't satisfied if you didn't have four or five sets of bridesboys and bridesmaids. The bridesboys would be expected to provide part of the drinks. M 69-2 The 'bridesboys' if possible consist of a brother of the groom, a brother of the bride, and a close friend of the groom's.
   bride cake: wedding cake.
   1896 J A Folklore ix, 22 [At the social gathering after the birth) the 'groaning cake' is distributed, bearing the same relation to the occasion that 'bride cake' does to the marriage feast. T 141/59-65² That's all we got out of the wedding—upsot the water barrels, made away with the bride-cake and hove feathers everywhere. C 68-16 She told me that if you wanted to see your future [husband] all you had to do was get a piece of bride cake and walk up the stairs backward. The bride cake had to be put under your pillow.
   bride(s) girl: bridesmaid.
   1933 GREENLEAF xxii Soon after my arrival at Sally's Cove a girl was married and I was asked to be one of the 'bridesgirls' at the wedding. M 68-7 It was always the custom for the bride and groom, and all the bride-girls and bride-boys to go around the harbour to invite people to their wedding. m 69-6 The number of bride boys and bride girls varied from two to six of each... The 'best man' and the 'maid of honour' walked together behind the father-giver and the bride. The other bride boys and the bride girls walked in pairs behind each other.
   bride knot, also brim knot: floral decoration worn by bridesmaid.
   1933 GREENLEAF xxii Each of us bridesgirls wore her best dress and pinned on a 'bride knot' (pronounced 'brim knot') of silver leaves and flowers given her by the bride. Q 71-17 A bride knot or brim knot [was worn].

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