wedding march: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Formal, Celebratory
Quick answer
What does “wedding march” mean?
A piece of music played at a wedding ceremony, typically as the bride or the couple walks down the aisle.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A piece of music played at a wedding ceremony, typically as the bride or the couple walks down the aisle.
Any formal, processional music associated with the ceremony of marriage. It can also refer generically to famous pieces like Mendelssohn's or Wagner's compositions traditionally used for this purpose.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. The concept and typical musical pieces (Mendelssohn, Wagner) are identical in both cultures.
Connotations
Strongly associated with tradition, formality, and the pivotal moment of the ceremony.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “wedding march” in a Sentence
The organist [VERB] the wedding march.The [NOUN] wedding march began.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “wedding march” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The organist will wedding-march the bride in at half-past two. (rare, non-standard)
American English
- The string quartet wedding-marched us down the aisle. (rare, non-standard)
adjective
British English
- The wedding-march tradition is deeply ingrained. (hyphenated compound adjective)
American English
- They had a classic wedding-march moment. (hyphenated compound adjective)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except for wedding planning services.
Academic
Used in musicology or cultural studies discussing ceremonial music.
Everyday
Common in discussions about wedding planning and ceremonies.
Technical
Used by musicians, conductors, and wedding officiants.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “wedding march”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “wedding march”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “wedding march”
- Using 'wedding song' interchangeably (a 'march' is specifically processional).
- Capitalising it incorrectly unless referring to a specific title like 'Mendelssohn's Wedding March'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while Mendelssohn's piece from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is extremely common, Wagner's 'Bridal Chorus' from 'Lohengrin' (Here Comes the Bride) is also a traditional wedding march. Other pieces can be used.
Typically no. Music for exiting is usually called the 'recessional'. The 'wedding march' specifically denotes the processional entrance.
It is a two-word compound noun: 'wedding march'. It may be hyphenated when used as a modifier (e.g., wedding-march music).
No, it can be played live by musicians or performed from a recording. The key element is its function during the ceremony procession.
A piece of music played at a wedding ceremony, typically as the bride or the couple walks down the aisle.
Wedding march is usually formal, celebratory in register.
Wedding march: in British English it is pronounced /ˌwed.ɪŋ ˈmɑːtʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌwed.ɪŋ ˈmɑːrtʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Strike up the wedding march!”
- “It's not a wedding without the march.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a MARCHing band at a WEDDING, leading the way down the aisle.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE WEDDING CEREMONY IS A FORMAL PROCESSION (marked by its specific music).
Practice
Quiz
Which of these is most specifically a 'wedding march'?