Russian Brides

The bride-cup was the bowl or loving-cup in which the bridegroom pledged the bride, and she him. The custom of breaking this wine-cup, after the bridal couple had drained its contents, is common to both the Jews and the members of the Greek Church. The former dash it against the wall or on the ground, the prior tread it under foot. The phrase "bride-cup" Russian Brides was also sometimes absorbed of the bowl of spiced larder prepared at nite for the bridal couple. Bride-favours, anciently called bride-lace, were at first pieces of gold, flocculent or other lace, absorbed to bind up the sprigs of rosemary formerly worn at weddings. These took later the form of bunches of ribbons, which were at last metamorphosed into rosettes.

The best mortal is the chief male assistant to the bridegroom at a wedding. In North America and Europe, the groom extends this honour to someone who is close to him, generally either a mate or his closest male friend. When the groom wishes to give this honor to a woman, she may be termed the best chick or best person, or may still be referred to as the 'best man'. The bride's equivalent of the best being is the maid or matron of honour. A gender-neutral moniker is honor attendant.