Lucky (and Unlucky!) Days to Get Married

Your love is written in the stars, so why shouldn't your wedding day be, too? Even if you don't subscribe to superstitious beliefs, there's something fun and sentimental (and not to mention comforting!) about marking the beginning of your marriage with an auspicious calendar day, whether it falls during a particularly lucky season or on a favorable date. Rooted in religion, culture, and astrology, the following lucky (and unlucky) days to tie the knot are advantageous for all different kinds of reasons. Some dates and seasons tie back to biblical scripture, while others are linked to the Zodiac or a culture or region's longstanding traditions. The best part? You don't have to practice to a specific faith, hail from a particular part of the world, or even believe in the Zodiac to take part in the fun.

Get ready to be delighted by an old Celtic poem that completely contradicts the most popular modern wedding dates (Saturdays and Sundays!). Also noteworthy? In Asian cultures, the word for eight sounds like the word for wealth and fortune—making the eight day of the eight month (August 8th!) an incredibly lucky wedding date.

If you're getting married in 2018, though, you might be the luckiest of all. The Hebrew word for life, pronounced "chai," is composed of letters—those letter's numerical values add up to 18, which is a major number in Judaism. 2018 is definitely your year! Ready to discover even more ways to make your fortunate union even better? Click through for the luckiest (and some of the unluckiest) days to tie the knot.

The book of Genesis says, "And God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:10 and 12) twice in the verse about the creation of the third day. Some Jewish brides and grooms interpret this to mean that Tuesdays (the third day of the week!) are two times as lucky for weddings. In contrast, Friday weddings are not recommended for Jewish couples because of Shabbat, the day of rest.

Today, most weddings take place on Saturday, but according to this folk rhyme attributed to the Celtic region, Saturday was once the least auspicious day. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are cited as better options: "Monday for wealth, Tuesday for health, Wednesday the best day of all, Thursday for losses, Friday for crosses, and Saturday no luck at all."

June is considered a particular advantageous (and popular!) month for weddings, since it was named after Juno—the Roman goddess of marriage.

Because the Jewish calendar is lunar, it's considered lucky to get married at the beginning of the month, when the moon renews. Rosh Chodesh means "head of the month" and is treated as a mini-holiday with added blessings, which makes it a perfect time to say exchange vows.

Like Rosh Chodesh in Judaism, astrologists also believe that it's advantageous to wed after a renewed moon—also referred to as a "waxing" moon—rather than during a "waning" moon, which is considered unlucky. Pro tip: Just be sure to wait at least 12 hours after the exact new moon, for maximum luck levels. And while an astrologist would weigh many other factors to determine an ideal date (including a comparison of the bride and groom's "birth charts"), it's also generally advised to avoid hours when the moon is "void of course," or between signs.

The number eight is lucky in some Asian cultures because it sounds like the word for wealth or fortune. Thus, the eighth day of the eighth month (August 8th) is seen as special. On the other hand, the word for the number "four" is similar to that for "death," so bad luck is associated with April 4th, the fourth day of the fourth month.

In Hindu culture, couples often let the stars and planets decide the when and where, looking to their zodiac signs to settle on lucky times and dates to ensure a prosperous marriage.

Dating back to the 15th century, Irish weddings were to be held during "Shrovetide," or the days preceding Lent, with the most popular day for a ceremony being "Shrove Tuesday," the day before Ash Wednesday.

While Jewish weddings are forbidden during biblically-mandated days of rest (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, and Shavuot), as well as during mourning periods like the Fast of the Seventeenth of Tammuz, it's considered opportune to hold a wedding when the calendar transitions into more joyful times. Tie the knot during the months of Kislev (falling around November and December), when Hanukkah is celebrated, and Adar (usually February), when the holiday of Purim takes place.

Usually occurring in late July or early August, TuB'Av, or the 15th of the month Av, is another favorable day to get married in Jewish culture. According to the Talmud (the two books of Jewish civil and ceremonial laws and legends), it was then that single women would wear white to symbolize purity and holiness and go out to the fields to dance and pray to God. Men were encouraged to join them to find a possible wife.

Since the letters that make up the Hebrew word for life, "chai," are numerically associated with 18, this number is considered advantageous in Judaism. This makes 2018 an opportune year to celebrate! And if you choose to get married on the 18th of any month in 2018—double "chai!"

The Irish believe that New Year's Eve is the luckiest time of year to get hitched. This way, the married couple will start married life on the first of the new year. Talk about a fresh start!