Wedding March (Mendelssohn)
One of the most frequently used wedding marches in Western countries.
Felix Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” in C major, composed in 1842, forms part of his incidental music (Op. 61) written for Shakespeare’s *A Midsummer Night’s Dream*. It stands as one of the most recognizable pieces from that suite and has become a staple at wedding ceremonies, especially when performed on a church pipe organ. In many Western countries, the march is most often employed as a recessional, though in this context it is frequently performed without its intervening episodes. It is commonly paired with the “Bridal Chorus” from Richard Wagner’s *Lohengrin* or with Jeremiah Clarke’s “Prince of Denmark’s March,” both of which are typically played for the bride’s entrance.
The earliest recorded use of the march at a wedding occurred on 2 June 1847 at St Peter’s Church in Tiverton, England, where organist Samuel Reay performed it for the marriage of Dorothy Carew and Tom Daniel. Its widespread popularity, however, is attributed to its selection for the wedding of Victoria, the Princess Royal—eldest daughter of Queen Victoria—to Prince Frederick William of Prussia on 25 January 1858. Queen Victoria was an admirer of Mendelssohn’s music, and the composer had often performed for her during his visits to Britain. An organ on which Mendelssohn himself gave recitals of the “Wedding March,” along with other works, is preserved at St Ann’s Church in Tottenham.
The piece has also inspired notable transcriptions. Franz Liszt created a virtuoso arrangement titled “Wedding March and Dance of the Elves” (S. 410) between 1849 and 1850. Building on Liszt’s work, pianist Vladimir Horowitz later fashioned his own virtuosic piano transcription of the march, which he frequently played as an encore at his concerts. Additionally, the march served as the regimental march of the Life-Guard Cossack Regiment, an elite unit of the Russian Imperial Guard. According to tradition, the march was granted to the regiment by Tsar Alexander II, who remarked on the unit’s “wedding-like” demeanor.
- composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- part_of
- Incidental music, Op. 61, to A Midsummer Night's Dream
- key
- C major
Lore & Background
The Wedding March in C major was composed in 1842 as part of Felix Mendelssohn’s incidental music, Opus 61, for Shakespeare’s *A Midsummer Night’s Dream*. It is among the most recognizable pieces from that suite and has become one of the most frequently employed wedding marches in Western countries, where it is typically performed on a church pipe organ. In wedding ceremonies, the piece is most often used as a recessional, though in this context its episodes are frequently omitted. It is commonly paired with the “Bridal Chorus” from Wagner’s *Lohengrin* or with Jeremiah Clarke’s “Prince of Denmark’s March,” both of which are typically played for the bride’s entrance. The first recorded use of the march at a wedding occurred on 2 June 1847 at St Peter’s Church in Tiverton, England, when organist Samuel Reay performed it for the marriage of Dorothy Carew and Tom Daniel. Its widespread popularity at weddings grew after it was chosen by Victoria, the Princess Royal—eldest daughter of Queen Victoria—for her marriage to Prince Frederick William of Prussia on 25 January 1858. Queen Victoria admired Mendelssohn’s music, and the composer often played for her during his visits to Britain. An organ on which Mendelssohn gave recitals of the march is preserved at St Ann’s Church in Tottenham. Franz Liszt created a virtuoso piano transcription of the “Wedding March and Dance of the Elves” in 1849–50, and Vladimir Horowitz later based his own virtuosic piano showpiece on that transcription, performing it as an encore. The march also served as the regimental march of the Life-Guard Cossack Regiment of the Russian Imperial Guard, reportedly awarded by Alexander II after he remarked on the unit’s “wedding-like” demeanor.
Reader's Guide
Mendelssohn's 'Wedding March' is a cornerstone of Western wedding music, commonly used as a recessional. It is frequently paired with the 'Bridal Chorus' from Richard Wagner's opera Lohengrin or with Jeremiah Clarke's 'Prince of Denmark's March,' both often played for the bride's entry. The march is often stripped of its episodes when used in wedding contexts. Franz Liszt wrote a virtuoso transcription of the 'Wedding March and Dance of the Elves' (S. The march also served as the regimental march of the Life-Guard Cossack Regiment in the Russian Imperial Guard, reportedly awarded by Alexander II. An organ on which Mendelssohn gave recitals of the march is housed in St Ann's Church, Tottenham.
Origins in Shakespearean Theatre
61, written to accompany Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. While the full suite was designed for theatrical performance, this particular movement would eventually transcend its stage origins to become one of the most recognized pieces of classical music in the Western world. The march is generally performed on a church pipe organ in its most common modern context, though its roots lie firmly in the theatre. It stands as one of the best-known excerpts from the Op. 61 collection, far outstripping the recognition of many of its sibling movements. The piece's bright, processional character made it a natural fit for ceremonial occasions, even though Mendelssohn originally conceived it for a fairy-tale stage setting rather than a church aisle.
Royal Endorsement and the Birth of a Tradition
The piece was performed on that occasion by organist Samuel Reay. However, it was the choice of Victoria, The Princess Royal, that truly cemented the march's place in wedding tradition. The Princess Royal was the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria, who held a deep affection for Mendelssohn's music and frequently listened to him perform during his visits to Britain. This royal association elevated the piece from a theatrical curiosity to a standard fixture at weddings across Western countries, where it is now commonly employed as a recessional, often in a simplified form with its episodes removed.
Virtuoso Transcriptions and the Piano Tradition
The Wedding March's appeal extended well beyond the organ and the church. Decades later, Vladimir Horowitz built upon Liszt's arrangement, creating his own piano transcription of the march as a showpiece. Horowitz performed it as an encore at his concerts, demonstrating how a piece originally written for a stage orchestra could be reimagined as a dazzling solo conclusion. The organ tradition also left a physical trace: an instrument in St Ann's Church, Tottenham, is noted as one on which Mendelssohn himself gave recitals of the Wedding March among other works. These varied interpretations ensured the march remained a living piece across multiple performance contexts.
Military Heritage and Ceremonial Pairings
Beyond the wedding aisle and the concert hall, the Wedding March found an unexpected home in the Russian military. It served as the regimental march of the Life-Guard Cossack Regiment, an elite formation within the Russian Imperial Guard. According to tradition, Tsar Alexander II bestowed the march upon the unit after observing what he described as the regiment's "wedding-like" demeanor, a striking compliment that linked the soldiers' ceremonial bearing to the joyous character of Mendelssohn's music. In modern Western wedding practice, the march is frequently paired with other ceremonial pieces: Richard Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" from Lohengrin or Jeremiah Clarke's "Prince of Denmark's March" are commonly chosen for the bride's entrance, while Mendelssohn's composition serves as the processional send-off. This pairing tradition underscores how the march has become inseparable from the broader architecture of Western wedding ceremony.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the Wedding March originally come from?
It was not written for a wedding at all; Mendelssohn composed it as one of several pieces accompanying a stage production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The march was later extracted and repurposed for nuptial ceremonies, where it became far more famous than its theatrical context.
Is the Wedding March in a specific key and what does that sound like?
It is written in C major, which gives it a bright, triumphant, and openly celebratory character. That major-key brightness is a large part of why it feels so naturally suited to a joyful procession down the aisle.
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