Wedding Dates to Avoid at All Costs in 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027

Consult any wedding planning checklist and you'll see that one of the first—and most important—tasks to complete is picking a date. But did you realize there are wedding dates to avoid at all costs in 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027?

When it comes to choosing the best day to get married, the decision predominantly comes down to personal preference. But before nailing down the final wedding date, you'll want to do your due diligence in researching possible conflicts in every wedding season. Although fall is the most popular time of the year to get married, there are some notable wedding dates to avoid. Additionally, some unlucky and lucky wedding dates you may want to plan around.

Instead of spending your time paging through a calendar, we've rounded up the most important dates to avoid right here. Below, we break down some of the worst wedding dates you may want to steer clear of (or at least be aware of) in 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027 like holidays, days of remembrance and days with cultural relevance.

Wedding Dates to Avoid:

Dates to Avoid At a Glance | Personally Significant Days | Holiday Weekends | Religious and Cultural Holidays | Days of Remembrance | Major Sporting Events | Dates When Vendors Are Booked | International Holidays

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Photo: PeopleImages.com - Yuri A / Shutterstock

Wedding Dates to Avoid in the Coming Years, At a Glance

Save these handy graphics to see what wedding dates you should avoid in 2025, 2026 and 2027. Pin them to your Pinterest board while you're at it too.

Here are the wedding dates you should avoid in 2025:

Design: Natalie Romine

In 2026, steer clear of these occasions when deciding on your wedding date:

Design: Natalie Romine

It's best to skip these dates if you're getting hitched in 2027:

Design: Natalie Romine

Personally Significant Days

Before choosing a wedding date, check your own calendar for college reunions, family weddings, anniversaries or other important events, like big conventions or festivals in your city. Also, look out for any annual occasions that may involve your family or close friends as you determine how to pick your wedding date, as you may not want your wedding to coincide with those events.

Personally significant days to consider:

• Birthdays
• Anniversaries
• High School and College Graduations
• Retirement Ceremonies
• City-Wide Festivals
• Family Reunions
• Family Vacations

Photo: Pressmaster / Shutterstock

Holiday Weekends

Holiday weekend weddings when you have Monday off from work come with pros and cons. You've got an extra day for the festivities (and recovery!), plus you can have your wedding on a Sunday, which may be less expensive than a Saturday wedding. But the costs of travel and hotels may be higher on significant holiday weekends. And if you're looking to marry around Valentine's Day, for example, be wary of your floral bill, especially if your heart is set on red roses—they'll likely be more expensive than at any other time of the year. Likewise, reception sites often charge a higher fee for a New Year's Eve wedding. Also, don't forget to consider the impact of a holiday weekend on your guest list as some families have standing plans or traditions they'd prefer not to miss. With all this in mind, you may wish to avoid these wedding dates that coincide with widely celebrated holidays.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Always a Monday)

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday in the US to honor the birth of Martin Luther King Jr. The holiday is always on a Monday—MLK Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday of January each year. Although King Jr.'s birthday is actually January 15th, the establishment of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act means that the holiday is observed on a Monday.

• Monday, January 15, 2024
• Monday, January 20, 2025
• Monday, January 19, 2026
• Monday, January 18, 2027

Valentine's Day

Although Valentine's Day is a holiday all about love celebrated on February 14th, you may want to avoid marrying on this date for a number of reasons. First, the cost of roses will be significantly higher in the month of February since roses are often gifted to loved ones in celebration of Valentine's Day. Additionally, it's important to take into consideration whether you want your anniversary to forever fall on Valentine's Day.

• Wednesday, February 14, 2024
• Friday, February 14, 2025
• Saturday, February 14, 2026
• Sunday, February 14, 2027

Presidents' Day

Like MLK Day, Presidents' Day is always observed on a Monday and is actually the reason that most federal holidays fall on Mondays. Presidents' Day is, at the government level, an official celebration of George Washington's birthday. However, the first president of the United States was born on February 22, 1732, and was celebrated on the 22nd of February from 1879 to 1970. However, in 1968, to give federal employees a three-day weekend, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved Presidents' Day to the third Monday in February, where it has stayed ever since.

• Monday, February 19, 2024
• Monday, February 17, 2025
• Monday, February 16, 2026
• Monday, February 15, 2027

Mother's Day (Always a Sunday)

Mother's Day is another holiday that always falls on a certain day of the week, rather than on a certain day of the month. Since 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson created the holiday, Mother's Day has been held on the second Sunday in May as a celebration in honor of mothers. Before selecting Mother's Day as a wedding date, take a minute to consider whether you really want to steal your mom's thunder.

• Sunday, May 12, 2024
• Sunday, May 11, 2025
• Sunday, May 10, 2026
• Sunday, May 9, 2027

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May and is a holiday to honor and mourn US military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. To many, Memorial Day is also considered the unofficial beginning of summer. As such, many people plan trips, so a wedding during this weekend is likely to conflict with many loved ones' plans.

• Monday, May 27, 2024
• Monday, May 26, 2025
• Monday, May 25, 2026
• Monday, May 31, 2027

Father's Day

In the US, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June. As you would with your mom, check with your dad about doubling up on this day for a wedding date. And grooms, make sure you're okay with sometimes celebrating your anniversary the same weekend as Father's Day if you decide to have kids (since it will sometimes, but not always, coincide).

• Sunday, June 16, 2024
• Sunday, June 15, 2025
• Sunday, June 21, 2026
• Sunday, June 20, 2027

Juneteenth

Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated annually on June 19th to commemorate the end of slavery. The holiday's name is a portmanteau of "June" and "nineteenth," as it's a celebration of the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when, in Texas, the news of emancipation finally reached enslaved people two years after the emancipation proclamation was signed.

• Wednesday, June 19, 2024
• Thursday, June 19, 2025
• Friday, June 19, 2026
• Saturday, June 19, 2027

Independence Day

File the 4th of July under "summer holiday wedding dates to avoid." Celebrated annually on the 4th of July, Independence Day commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence, effectively establishing the United States of America. The 4th of July is widely celebrated across the US and many families book vacations that coincide with this holiday. As such, a wedding scheduled on the 4th of July may conflict with many invited guests' schedules.

• Thursday, July 4, 2024
• Friday, July 4, 2025
• Saturday, July 4, 2026
• Sunday, July 4, 2027

Labor Day

Wondering "why do we celebrate Labor Day?" Labor Day, celebrated annually on the first Monday in September, honors the American labor movement. This day, also considered the unofficial end of summer, recognizes the contributions of laborers to the development of America. Additionally, many people choose to take one last holiday vacation over Labor Day Weekend to cap off the summer. In short: You may want to avoid this holiday as a wedding date to accommodate others' schedules.

• Monday, September 2, 2024
• Monday, September 1, 2025
• Monday, September 7, 2026
• Monday, September 6, 2027

Indigenous Peoples' Day

Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday celebrated on the second Monday in October to honor indigenous American peoples. This holiday commemorates the histories and cultures of native indigenous Americans and serves as an acknowledgment of the effects of colonialism.

• Monday, October 14, 2024
• Monday, October 13, 2025
• Monday, October 12, 2026
• Monday, October 11, 2027

Halloween

Boo! Halloween is a spooky holiday that occurs on October 31st and is often celebrated with pumpkins and trick-or-treat excursions. Avoid this holiday wedding date if you're terrified that someone might actually show up in costume. (Or, embrace a Halloween wedding if you want guests to don some ghoulish garb).

• Thursday, October 31, 2024
• Friday, October 31, 2025
• Saturday, October 31, 2026
• Sunday, October 31, 2027

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States. It's a day to give thanks and count one's blessings. Thanksgiving tends to be one of the busiest holidays for travel in the US, which could cause wedding guests to have to face steep airfare costs and potential travel delays if you were to wed over this four-day weekend.

• Thursday, November 28, 2024
• Thursday, November 27, 2025
• Thursday, November 26, 2026
• Thursday, November 25, 2027

New Year's Eve

Out with the old, in with the new. New Year's Eve, celebrated on December 31st, commemorates the end of one year and the arrival of the next. In the US, New Year's Eve is often celebrated with lavish parties, lots of champagne and confetti. While a wedding is also about something new, you might not want to share an anniversary with this holiday. Notably, most people take vacation at the end of the year and staffing costs for vendors may be more expensive than usual.

• Tuesday, December 31, 2024
• Wednesday, December 31, 2025
• Thursday, December 31, 2026
• Friday, December 31, 2027

Photo: Olezzo / Shutterstock

Religious and Cultural Holidays

Be mindful of religious and cultural holidays (your own and those of your guests) when picking out your wedding date. There may even be restrictions at your house of worship as to whether you're allowed to marry at these times. Additionally, months where lots of religious holidays fall (and with them, numerous celebrations), like December, might not be good for a wedding, since guest availability could be compromised.

Palm Sunday

As the name would suggest, Palm Sunday is a holiday in the Catholic and Christian tradition celebrated on Sunday to remember Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on a path of palm branches. Specifically, Palm Sunday is a "moveable Christian feast" that follows the Christian liturgical calendar, rather than the Gregorian calendar, and falls on the Sunday before Easter.

• Sunday, March 24, 2024
• Sunday, April 13, 2025
• Sunday, March 29, 2026
• Sunday, March 21, 2027

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is one of the most notable Christian and Catholic wedding dates to avoid. Easter doesn't fall on a fixed date since it's celebration is calculated based on a lunisolar calendar similar to the Hebrew calendar. Easter is typically in late March or early April as it occurs on the first Sunday after the ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or right after the 21st of March. In Christendom, Easter represents Jesus rising from the dead after three days. Also note that Catholics consider any date that falls during Lent (a period of penance of around 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter) as a wedding date to avoid. Commercially, Easter is often celebrated with eggs, bunnies and lots of pastel colors.

• Sunday, March 31, 2024
• Sunday, April 20, 2025
• Sunday, April 5, 2026
• Sunday, March 28, 2027
  

Passover

Passover, which begins at sunset, is a holiday in Judaism that commemorates the Hebrews' escape from slavery in Egypt and the "passing over" of destructive forces. Also known as Pesach, Passover starts on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan. Although Passover is a multi-day holiday, known as the "Feast of Unleavened Bread," the first evening of Passover is one of the top dates to avoid for Jewish weddings, as most Jewish people typically honor that evening with a seder meal. Passover typically falls in late March or in April on the Gregorian calendar and lasts for seven days in Israel and eight days outside of Israel.

• Monday, April 22, 2024
• Saturday, April 12th, 2025
• Wednesday, April 1, 2026
• Wednesday, April 21, 2027

Tisha B'Av

Like Passover, Tisha B'Av is another Jewish wedding date to avoid. Tisha B'Av (a holiday that begins at sunset) is an annual day of fasting in Judaism to mark the end of the three weeks between dire straits (a mourning period commemorating the destruction of the first and second Jewish Temples). Tisha B'Av, which falls in July or August in the Gregorian calendar, is considered to be the saddest day on the Jewish calendar and is believed to be a day destined for tragedy.

• Monday, August 12, 2024
• Saturday, August 2, 2025
• Thursday, July 23, 2026
• Wednesday, August 11, 2027

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is another Jewish wedding date to avoid and is a holiday that begins at sunset and marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year. In the Northern Hemisphere, Rosh Hashanah, which is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days, occurs in the late summer/early autumn. Rosh Hashanah begins a ten-day period of penitence which culminates in another Jewish holiday known as Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is a two-day observance and celebration that begins on the first day of Tishrei (the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year).

• Wednesday, October 2, 2024 until nightfall on Friday, October 4, 2024
• Monday, September 22, 2025, until nightfall on Wednesday, September 24, 2025
• Friday, September 11, 2026, until nightfall on Sunday, September 13, 2026
• Friday, Oct 1, 2027, until nightfall on Sunday, October 3, 2027

Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur begins at sunset and is a Jewish holiday known as the Day of Atonement and occurs generally in September or early October. For Jewish people, it is the holiest day of the year.

• Friday, October 11, 2024, until nightfall on Saturday, October 12, 2024
• Wednesday, October 1, 2025, until nightfall on Thursday, October 2, 2025
• Sunday, September 20, 2026, until nightfall on Monday, September 21, 2026
• Sunday, October 10, 2027 until nightfall on Monday, October 11, 2027

Hanukkah

Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar (beginning at sunset), which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. Hanukkah is a Jewish festival honoring the recovery of Jerusalem and the rededication of the Second Temple in the 2nd century BCE.

• Wednesday, December 25, 2024, until nightfall on Thursday, January 2, 2025
• Sunday, December 14, 2025, until nightfall on Monday, December 22, 2025
• Friday, December 4, 2026, until nightfall on Saturday, December 12, 2026
• Friday, Dec 24, 2027, until nightfall Saturday, January 1, 2028

Christmas

Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrated on December 25th commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. Both Christmas and Christmas Eve, which is on December 24th, are dates many people may want to avoid for a wedding because those who celebrate Christmas typically spend the day with close family and/or attending Church services. And given the ample festivities throughout December, it could be considered the worst month to get married, simply because folks are so busy. Plus, many Catholics consider the entirety of Advent (the period from four Sundays before Christmas until Christmas Eve) to be sacred and not ideal for weddings.

• Wednesday, December 25, 2024
• Thursday, December 25, 2025
• Friday, December 25, 2026
• Saturday, December 25, 2027

Diwali

Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights and is held on the 15th day of the month of Kartika in the Hindu calendar. Diwali should be avoided as a wedding date because it is a day of a new moon which is considered inauspicious.

• Thursday, October 31, 2024
• Tuesday, October 21, 2025
• Friday, November 6, 2026
• Friday, October 29, 2027

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is an annual holiday from African-American culture that begins on December 26th every year and lasts for seven days. Kwanzaa was founded in 1966 by Maulana Karenga to "give black people an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history."

• Thursday, December 26, 2024, until Wednesday, January 1, 2025
• Friday, December 26, 2025, until Thursday, January 1, 2026
• Saturday, December 26, 2026, until Friday, January 1, 2027
• Sunday, December 26, 2026, until Saturday, January 1, 2028

Ramadan

Ramadan is a period of fasting and spiritual growth for Muslims. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Of note, the dates of Ramadan may vary based on the lunar calendar. During the month, Muslims observe a strict fast during daylight hours and it is generally not advised to host a wedding during this time.

• Sunday, March 10, 2024, until Tuesday, April 9, 2024
• Friday, February 28, 2025, until Saturday, March 29, 2025
• Tuesday, February 17, 2026, until Wednesday, March 18, 2026
• Sunday, February 7, 2027, until Monday, March 8, 2027

Eid al-Fitr (dates may vary based on the lunar calendar)

Eid al-Fitr is a major Islamic holiday known as "the feast of fast-breaking" and commemorates the end of Ramadan. The dates of Eid al-Fitr may vary based on the lunar calendar, but couples may wish to avoid the forecasted dates for this holiday, which marks the beginning of Shawwal (the tenth month of the lunar-based Hijri Islamic calendar).

• Tuesday, April 9, until Wednesday, April 10, 2024
• Sunday, March 30, until Monday, March 31, 2025
• Thursday, March 19, 2026, until Friday, March 20, 2026
• Tuesday, March 9, 2027, until Wednesday, Mar 10, 2027

Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha is the Islamic Feast of Sacrifice that honors the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son. The dates of Eid al-Adha may vary based on how each family observes, but the day is considered to be the most auspicious day for all Muslim people. The holiday is on the same day in the Islamic (lunar) calendar each year, but the date on the Gregorian (solar) calendar varies (by about 11 days) each year. The date of Eid al-Adha may also vary from country to country depending on when the moon is sighted.

• Sunday, June 16, 2024, until the evening of Monday, June 17, 2024
• Friday, June 6, 2025, until the evening of Saturday, June 7, 2025
• Tuesday, May 26, 2026, until the evening of Wednesday, May 27, 2026
• Sunday, May 16, 2027, until the evening of Monday, May 17, 2027

Ram Navami

Rama Navami is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of the Hindu god Rama (also known as the seventh avatar of Vishnu). The festival occurs on the ninth day of the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the lunar cycle of Chaitra, the first month of the Hindu calendar. This correlates to March-April on the Gregorian calendar.

• Wednesday, April 17, 2024
• Sunday, April 6, 2025
• Thursday, March 26, 2026
• Thursday April 15, 2027

Krishna Janmashtami

Krishna Janmashtami (alternately known as Krishnashtami, Janmashtami, or Gokulashtami) is a Hindu festival that honors the birth of Krishna, known as the eighth avatar of Vishnu. The holiday is celebrated on the eighth day of the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) in the month of Bhadrapada. This corresponds to August or September on the Gregorian calendar.

• Monday, August 26, 2024
• Friday, August 15, 2025
• Thursday, September 3, 2026
• Wednesday, August 5, 2027

Qingming Festival

The Qingming Festival is a Chinese tradition that takes place annually that honors and remembers the dead. It occurs on the 15th day from the spring equinox. Given its association with the dead, it's a wedding date that should be avoided in Chinese culture.

• Thursday, April 4, 2024
• Friday, April 4, 2025
• Sunday, April 5, 2026
• Monday, April 5, 2027

Hungry Ghost Festival

Held on the 15th day of the seventh month of the year, the Hungry Ghost Festival takes place in certain East- and Southeast-Asian countries and marks a day where "the gates of hell swing open" and spirits are free to enter the realm of the living. Superstition says it's unwise to wed on this day.

• Sunday, August 18, 2024
• Saturday, September 6, 2025
• Thursday, August 27, 2026
• Monday, August 16, 2027

Days of Remembrance

You might want to take note of historically significant days (like the anniversary of September 11) that may be off-limits for your wedding date, especially if you come from a big military family. Similarly, the somber nature of many days of remembrance deserve to be honored with solemnity, rather than jovial wedding festivities.

Patriot Day

Patriot Day is the annual remembrance of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States. As part of the observance of Patriot Day, many people partake in a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. EDT to honor the time the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

• Wednesday, September 11, 2024
• Thursday, September 11, 2025
• Friday, September 11, 2026
• Saturday, September 11, 2027

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

Annually on December 7th, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day remembers the 2,403 Americans who were killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 which led to the US entering World War II. This day was notably referred to by FDR as "a date which will live in infamy."

• Saturday, December 7, 2024
• Sunday, December 7, 2025
• Monday, December 7, 2026
• Tuesday, December 7, 2027

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is an international day of remembrance on January 27th to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. The date marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration camp on January 27, 1945.

• Saturday, January 27, 2024
• Monday, January 27, 2025
• Tuesday, January 27, 2026
• Wednesday, January 27, 2027

Photo: lev radin / Shutterstock

Major Sporting Events

If you're die-hard sports fans—or if you're worried your guests might have a hard time choosing between your wedding date and the big game—avoid getting married during popular sporting events. And if a lot of your guests come from the same alma mater, watch out for homecoming weekends and bowl games that might conflict.

Super Bowl Sunday

The Super Bowl is the championship game for the NFL and is played on the second Sunday in February. Each year, the city that plays host to the game draws a huge crowd so couples tying the knot near where the Super Bowl is taking place may especially want to steer clear of that Sunday as a wedding date.

• February 11, 2024, in Las Vegas, NV
• February 9, 2025 in New Orleans, LA
• February 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, CA
• February 14. 2027 in Inglewood, CA

Final Four During March Madness

March Madness is the finals of the NCAA basketball tournament and draws the attention of plenty of fans. If your alma mater makes it to the finals and you have a lot of college friends obsessed with basketball invited to the wedding, there's a good chance those attendees will be distracted at the wedding (a rogue groomsman may even be caught streaming the games). To avoid this, you may want to skip scheduling your wedding during March Madness Final Four.

Men's Final Four:

• Saturday, April 6, 2024, and Monday, April 8, 2024, in Phoenix, AZ
• Saturday, April 5, 2025, and Monday, April 7, 2025, in San Antonio, TX
• Saturday, April 4, 2026, and Monday, April 6, 2026, in Indianapolis, IN
• Saturday, April 3, 2026, and Monday, April 5, 2026, in Detroit, MI

Women's Final Four:

• Friday, April 5, 2024, and Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland, OH
• Friday, April 4, 2025, and Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Tampa Bay, FL
• Friday, April 3, 2026, and Sunday, April 5, 2026, in Phoenix, AZ
• Friday, April 2, 2026, and Sunday, April 4, 2026, in Columbus, OH

Olympics

The Olympics are a major international sporting event that occurs every two years and alternates between Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Since the Olympics take place over a period of a few weeks, you should also keep the Olympic schedule in mind when planning prewedding events such as bach parties.

• Friday, July 26, 2024, until Sunday, August 11, 2024, in Paris, France
• Friday, February 6, 2026, until Sunday, February 22, 2026, Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy

US Open for Tennis

The US Open for tennis starts on the last Monday of August and continues for two weeks. This hardcourt tennis tournament is held annually in Queens, New York, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

• Monday, August 26, 2024 to Sunday, September 8, 2024
• Monday, August 25, 2025 to Sunday, September 8, 2025
• Monday, August 24, 2026 to Sunday, September 6, 2026
• Monday, August 30, 2027 to Sunday, September 11, 2027

Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby, known as "the greatest two minutes in sports" is an American Grade I stakes horse race run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of 1.25 miles. The Kentucky Derby is always held on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

• Saturday, May 4, 2024
• Saturday, May 3, 2025
• Saturday, May 2, 2026
• Saturday, May 6, 2027

Masters Tournament

The Masters, scheduled for the first full week in April, is the first major golf tournament of the year. The Masters is always held at the same location: Augusta National Golf Club in August, Georgia. Since 1948, the final round of the tournament has been held on the second Sunday of April.

• Monday, April 8, 2024 to Sunday, April 14, 2024
• Monday, April 7, 2025 to Sunday, April 13, 2025
• Monday, April 6, 2026 to Sunday, April 12, 2026
• Monday, April 8, 2026 to Sunday, April 11, 2027

Photo: Terri Baskin

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Event Styling: Sarah Khan Event Styling

Dates When Vendors Are Booked

Here's the truth: Vendors are the backbone of any good wedding. So what's the very worst day to get married? The day that all your dream wedding vendors are booked and unavailable. Before finalizing your wedding date, inquire with all of your must-have vendors to check their availability so your dream day can be a reality. Note: The least-popular wedding date likely falls in January or February, which are the least popular months for weddings (they accounted for 3% of weddings in 2023, according to The Knot 2023 Real Weddings Study). So if you'd like to prioritize vendor availability, look at these least-common months. Another reason to forgo the most-popular wedding date: The cheapest days to get married fall in the off season.

Photo: Marcos Castillo / Shutterstock

International Holidays for Destination Weddings

Hosting a destination wedding? In much the same way that couples tying the knot in the US may wish to work around American holidays, to-be-weds looking abroad should keep the calendars of their chosen locale in mind when finalizing their wedding date. Below are some wedding dates to avoid in popular destination wedding countries around the world.

Día de la Independence in Mexico

Día de la Independence celebrates Mexico's independence from Spain after the uprising on September 16, 1810, that launched an 11-year war. The holiday is also referred to as "El Grito de la Independencia" and is Mexico's biggest holiday.

• Monday, September 16, 2024
• Tuesday, September 16, 2025
• Wednesday, September 16, 2026
• Thursday, September 16, 2027

Independence Day, Jamaica

According to The Knot 2022 Real Weddings Study, 18% of couples who hosted a destination wedding did so in the Caribbean. If you're part of that contingent and have selected Jamaica for your celebration, you may want to avoid hosting the wedding on August 6th as it is Jamaican Independence Day.

• Tuesday, August 6, 2024
• Wednesday, August 6, 2025
• Thursday, August 6, 2026
• Friday, August 6, 2027

Anniversary of the Founding of the Italian Republic, Italy

In Italy, the Anniversary of the Founding of the Italian Republic is celebrated annually on June 2nd. The day represents the birth of the modern Italian state and honors March 17, 1861, when the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy was made.

• Sunday, June 2, 2024
• Monday, June 2, 2025
• Tuesday, June 2, 2026
• Wednesday, June 2, 2027

Canada Day, Canada

In Canada, July 1st is an annual holiday known as Canada Day. On this Canadian national holiday, Canadians across the country honor their country and culture. The holiday marks the country's confederation when, on July 1, 1867, the three colonies of United Canadas, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick where united to form Canada.

• Monday, July 1, 2024
• Tuesday, July 1, 2025
• Wednesday, July 1, 2026
• Thursday, July 1, 2027

Bastille Day, France

Wondering "what is Bastille Day and why is it celebrated?" In France, Bastille Day is celebrated every year on July 14th. This holiday commemorates the storming of the Bastille in 1789 during the early stages of the French Revolution.

• Sunday, July 14, 2024
• Monday, July 14, 2025
• Tuesday, July 14, 2026
• Wednesday, July 14, 2027

Tuesday the 13th in Spain

Like Friday the 13th in America, Tuesday the 13th is considered incredibly unlucky in Spain. As such, couples hosting a destination wedding in Spain may wish to avoid planning one around Tuesday the 13th.

• Tuesday, February 13, 2024
• Tuesday, August 13, 2024
• Tuesday, May 13, 2025
• Tuesday, January 13, 2026
• Tuesday, October 13, 2026
• Tuesday, April 13, 2027
• Tuesday, July 13, 2027

Additional reporting by Cathryn Haight, Kim Forrest and Sarah Hanlon.