bell money

   obsolete Scottish

   a levy on a bridegroom at a wedding

   Not a corruption of ball money but a payment ostensibly demanded by the ringers:

    At a wedding, the boys and girls of the neighbourhood assemble in front of the house, calling out 'Bell money, bell money shabby waddin, canna spare a bawbee'. Money is then given to them. (N&Q, 1865, quoted in EDD — such rudeness hardly deserved rewarding)

   It will be noted that weddings were an occasion for extortion long before the days of the outside caterer and the professional photographer.