The words of the Wedding Hymn O Perfect Love were written by the English poet Dorothy Frances Gurney (née Blomfield) (1858-1932) to be used with an earlier melody. Sir Joseph Barnby then wrote a tune specifically for the words in 1890. This was popularised when it was used in 1893 at the wedding of the Duke of York and Princess Mary of Tek who would later become King George V and Queen Mary. Sir Joseph Barnby (1838-1896) was an English composer and conductor. He was a chorister at York Minster before studying at the RAM. He later became director of Music at Eton and Principal of the Guildhall School of Music.
