According to the 2002 Old Farmer’s Almanac, “June is the most popular month to marry, followed by August, July, May, and September,” Dating all the way back to the Romans, June traditionally signifies: “The goddess Juno was the protector of women in all aspects of life, but especially in marriage and childbearing, so a wedding in Juno’s month was considered most auspicious.”
It is now 15 years later and the wedding trends are changing, sorry Juno. June weddings are down slightly and the popularity of fall weddings have arose.
Time for a few statistics, thanks to TheKnot.com and research from Redbook. According to The Knot’s 2016 wedding statistics, 16% of couples choose to get married in October and September, with June in third place at 13%. The same data shows that fall has overtaken summer as the most popular wedding season, with 40% of couples planning fall ceremonies (that percentage has steadily increased from 30% in 2009). Pinterest’s 2017 wedding report found that searches for fall 
weddings were up 280%.
There are many factors when choosing your wedding date such as work schedules, family travel schedules, and wedding budgets. One of the reasons for the increase of popularity of October wedding dates is the changing weather. October has been increasingly warmer and above average in temperatures from past years.
While of the topic of choosing wedding dates, we discovered ‘wedding dates to avoid’ according to TheKnot.com. While avoiding these dates may be a matter of opinion and preference, they are something to keep in mind while looking over the calendar with your fiancé.
Personally Significant Days
Check your own calendar for college reunions, family weddings, anniversaries or other events, like big conventions or festivals in your city (call your local chamber of commerce), and any annual occasions that involve your family or close friends.
Holiday Weekends
Pros of holiday weekend weddings may include an extra day for festivities and Sunday weddings (may save on costs!). Cons may include costs of travel may be more expensive on these weekends, cost of floral if you choose Valentine’s Day weekend, higher venue costs on holidays like New Year’s Eve… Also consider how this may impact your guest list. Some families have standing holiday plans they prefer not miss.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day (always a Monday)
- Presidents’ Day (always a Monday)
- Mother’s Day (always a Sunday)
- Memorial Day (always a Monday)
- Father’s Day (always a Sunday)
- Independence Day
- Labor Day (always a Monday)
- Columbus Day (always a Monday)
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving (always a Thursday)
- New Year’s Eve
Religious and Cultural Holidays
Be mindful of religious and cultural holidays (your own and those of your guests) when planning your wedding. There may even be restrictions at your house of worship as to whether you’re allowed to marry at these times.
- Palm Sunday
- Easter Sunday
- Passover (begins at sunset)
- Tisha B’Av (begins at sunset)
- Rosh Hashanah (begins at sunset)
- Yom Kippur (begins at sunset)
- Hanukkah (begins at sunset)
- Christmas
- Kwanzaa
- Ramadan (dates may vary based on the lunar calendar)
- Eid al-Fitr (dates may vary based on the lunar calendar)
- Eid al-Adha (dates may vary based on how each family observes; the holiday lasts for about four days)
- Ram Navami
- Krishna Janmashtami
Major Sporting Events
Whether you may not be a big sports fan, your guests and bridal party may be. Avoid planning your wedding around ‘big games’ to keep your guest attendance and interest during your wedding.
- Super Bowl Sunday
- Final Four During March Madness
Unlucky Dates
If you’re superstitious, you might want to watch out for these historically unfavorable dates from across several cultures.
- The Ides of March
For ancient Romans, an “ides” was simply a date that marked the middle of the month—until Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15 in 44 B.C. Since then, “Beware the Ides of March” has become the mantra of this superstitiously unlucky date.
- Friday the 13th
The unluckiest date of the year has questionable origins. Some historians say it comes from the 13 diners who were present at the last supper, but the famous Babylon’s Code of Hammurabi doesn’t include a 13th law, which suggests this superstition is as old as 1700 BC. And it wasn’t until a successful novel titled Friday, the Thirteenth was published in the early 1900s that Friday became part of the unlucky equation.
- Leap Years
Greeks and Romans thought that starting any new life event—from getting married to baptizing a child—in a leap year would bring bad luck.
Whether you prefer early summer, fall, holidays or non-traditional wedding dates, contact DJ Jer Events & Lighting Design to book your DJ, sound, and up lighting to help create the perfect day. Our years of experience and creativity will be a huge asset when planning your event. Call or text 605-360-1102 or email office@djjer.com to set up a consultation today!