Few would deny that music should play an integral part in a wedding ceremony, whether church or civil. The potentially nervous, nailbiting minutes spent by the guests or congregation in anticipation of the entrance of the bridal party can be soothed and smoothed by music of a gentle, reflective nature; then the bridal march itself announcing the beginning of proceedings proper. In church, there will probably be hymns - if there is a choir, perhaps an anthem during the signing of the register. In a civil ceremony, secular songs or readings can take the place of hymns, and either vocal or instrumental music while the registration of the marriage is conducted. After the formalities, a joyous fanfare or march signals the acknowledgment of the newlywed couple by their family and friends; and so on to the next stage of the wedding celebration, usually a champagne reception and photographs outside (weather permitting).

Music Restrictions In Church And Civil Marriages

Generally speaking (and up to a point) the choice of music for either church or civil ceremonies is fairly wide and open, except that nothing too secular (or profane) can be permitted in a church service, and conversely nothing too religious is usually allowed in a civil ceremony. For detailed guidance on this, a consultation with either the priest/vicar or the registrar will probably be helpful: some are less restrictive than others, and there should be some "middle ground" to explore if necessary.

Universal, Time-Honoured Favourites

Fortunately, the two most popular and widely-recognized pieces of wedding music are both suitable for either church or civil marriages:- Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" (Lohengrin), traditionally played for the entrance of the bride, and Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" (A Midsummer Night's Dream), announcing the newlywed couple to be received by their guests. In church, these may be played on the organ (if there is one) or by other musicians, e.g. a string quartet. In a civil ceremony, an organ is less likely to be available, so you will need to rely on alternative instruments.

The Bridal Procession

Nowadays, the above-mentioned pieces would not be everyone's ideal selection of music for their wedding. However, it's worth having a careful look at each of them to identify why they have been, and still are for many, the favoured choices. The Wagner is relatively sedate, sober but not somber, of a tempo appropriate to the steady procession of the bridal party up the aisle. After a very brief fanfare introduction, the principal theme is quite short (20-30 seconds within an acceptable range of tempi), which fits many civil ceremony venues very well. There follows a short middle section (10-15 seconds) after which the principal theme is reprised. This duration (50-75 seconds) is appropriate for larger venues and small to medium-sized church naves. If this is still not quite enough (take into account bridesmaids, flowergirls, pageboys, the lifting of the veil etc), there is an extension to the middle section (20-30 seconds) giving a grand total of 75-110 seconds, which should cover most eventualities, even in Westminster Abbey or an aircraft hangar!

Recessional Fanfare Music

The Mendelssohn is similarly structured in sections and therefore flexible in length. Perhaps its most useful feature is the opening fanfare, inviting the congregation or guests to stand up to receive, acknowledge and congratulate the newlywed couple. This leads directly into the principal march theme, which recurs at frequent intervals throughout the piece, interspersed with alternating and contrasting middle sections. Exact duration is not critical, so long as there is enough music to last for all the guests to leave the church or other venue. This can take quite some time, and here the "Wedding March" comes into its own; being a rondo form, it can go round and round again ad infinitum.