Planning your wedding should be a happy time, and it is… usually. However, almost every couple will run into a moment or two that may make the whole planning experience feel like pure torture. Maybe you’ve pictured a wedding filled with pink roses, but his mom is allergic. Perhaps you always dreamed of saying ‘I do’ atop the Eiffel Tower, but your fiancé is afraid of heights. The more people you involve in the planning process, the more complicated it can be. Don’t let something as arbitrary as a wedding date become one of those moments. If you’re dead set on having the same anniversary as your grandparents, go for it. But, if you’re just hoping to please as many people as possible, there are a few things to consider.

Many churches prefer not to have weddings during the Easter celebrations — however, feel free to go wild during the advent. Christmastime weddings are especially awesome, as your church will already be decorated for the holidays. Just keep in mind that a church wedding during Christmastime could require more religious undertones than weddings any other time of the year. We also suggest forgoing planning your wedding on Christmas Eve or Christmas. To a young couple, it might just seem like you’re doubling up on fun times, but for families with kids, your wedding might ultimately ruin some annual family traditions.

Dates to avoid:

Lent:
2016: Feb. 10 through March 24
2017: March 1 through April 13
Palm Sunday:
2016: March 20
2017: April 9
Easter weekend:
2016: March 25-28
2017: April 14-16
Christmas weekend:
2016: Dec. 23 through Dec. 25
2017: Dec. 22 through Dec. 25

Dates to consider:

December Saturdays:
2016: Dec. 3, Dec. 10, Dec. 17
2017: Dec. 2, Dec. 9, Dec. 16

Because the Jewish faith works with two calendars (the one we all use, and the religion-specific one), finding the best date can be tricky. In most instances, Orthodox Jewish couples will need to sit down with their rabbi to come up with a few days that work best, and then go from there. Even if you’re not practicing, however, you might need to consider your more devout family members. For instance, a Saturday wedding really might not be best, as many of your family will have a hard time coordinating travel around Shabbat. You’ll also want to avoid a wedding during the High Holidays, while a wedding during the month of Adar or the time of Kislev could be beautiful and symbolic. And if you’re getting married during the eight days of Hanukkah, remember to keep a menorah on display.

Dates to avoid:

Purim:
2016: March 24
2017: March 12
Pesach/Passover:
2016: April 22-30
2017: April 10-18
Shavuot:
2016: June 12-13
2017: May 31 through June 1
Tish’a B’Av
2016: Aug. 14
2017: Aug. 1
Rosh Hashanah:
2016: Oct. 3-4
2017: Sept. 21-22
Days of Remembrance (Tishrei 4-8):
2016: October 6-10
2017: Sept. 24 -28
Yom Kippur:
2016: Oct. 12
2017: Sept. 30
Sukkot:
2016: Oct. 17-18
2017: Oct. 5-6
Shmini Atzeret:
2016: Oct. 24
2017: Oct. 12
Simchat Torah:
2016: Oct. 25
2017: Oct. 13

Dates to consider:

Adar:
2016: Feb. 10 through March 10
2017: Feb. 27 through March 27
Tishrei 11- 13:
2016: Oct. 13-15
2017: Oct. 1-3
Kislev:
2016: Dec. 1-29
2017: Nov. 19 through Dec. 17
Rosh Chodesh:
2016: Jan. 11, Feb. 9, March 10, April 9, May 8, June 7, July 6, Aug. 5, Sept. 3, Nov. 1, Dec. 1, Dec. 30
2017: Jan. 28, Feb. 26, March 28, April 26, May 26, June 24, July 24, Aug. 22, Oct. 20, Nov. 19, Dec. 18

When planning your wedding, you have so much to consider. Hindu weddings are not only vibrant and steeped in tradition, but they also carry on for several days, making the event even more difficult to coordinate. Your best bet will be to follow religious tradition and speak with astrologists to find the best date that works in combination with your signs. You’ll also want to discuss the date with your parents and church leaders. There are a few issues and suggests we can make, though, like avoiding the most celebrated sacred days.

Dates to avoid:
Birthdays of anyone directly related to the marriage (bride, groom, parents, etc.)
Holi:
2016: March 23
2017: March 13
Diwali:
2016: Oct. 30
2017: Oct. 19
Mahashivaratri:
2016: March 7
2017: Feb. 24

Dates to consider:

Akshaya Tritiya:
2016: May 9
2017: April 8

The trickiness of planning your wedding depends almost entirely on what branch of Islam your practice. Since Islam doesn’t have any clergy, you should seek guidance from your mosque’s qazi or madhun, who can work with you to help you understand what rules your specific culture follows. In general, there are a few days of mourning we know you should consider avoiding. And, while you must fast from dawn to dusk during Ramadan, it’s still a time of great celebration that could make for a fun, late-night party.

Dates to avoid:

Day of Ashura:
2016: Oct. 11
2017: Oct. 1
Mourning of Muharram:
2016: Oct. 2
2017: Sept. 21

Date to consider: 

Ramadan:
2016: June 6 through July 5
2017: May 27 through June 25

Buddhists have it the best when it comes to planning weddings, as they don’t hold tight to any superstitions or traditions, and all dates are fair game. Lucky you!

Even if you avoid religion, you’re not off the hook. There are still some dates all couples want to avoid. Do your sports fanatic future brother-in-law a favor and don’t plan a wedding on Super Bowl weekend when you might interfere with annual Super Bowl parties. If you want an all-out bash, New Year’s Eve falls on a Saturday in 2016. Why not start off your new year with a new life? If you’re opting for cheeky or want to tempt fate and help your forgetful partner to remember your anniversary, try Friday the 13th. The “unlucky” day comes in May in 2016 and in both January and October in 2017. But, make sure to take note of cultural holidays. Columbus Day might just be another day to you, but it comes with a big stigma. And many African American families celebrate Martin Luther King Day weekend with a family reunion — that’s not a tradition to ignore. Three day weekends are good to consider for destination weddings, though. Just avoid the ones where people want to be with family.

Dates to avoid:

Martin Luther King Day:
2016: January 16-18
2017: January 14-16
Super Bowl:
2016: Feb. 7
2017: Feb. 5
Mother’s Day weekend:
2016: May 7-8
2017: May 13-14
Memorial Day weekend:
2016: May 28-30
2017: May 27-29
Father’s Day weekend:
2016: June 18-19
2017: June 17-18
Fourth of July weekend:
2016: July 2-4
2017: July 1-3
Columbus Day weekend:
2016: Oct. 8-10
2017: Oct. 7-9
Thanksgiving weekend:
2016: Nov. 24-27
2017: Nov. 23-26

Dates to consider:

Presidents’ Day weekend:
2016: Feb 13-15
2017: Feb. 18-20
Labor Day weekend:
2016: Sept. 3-5
2017: Sept. 2-4
New Year’s Eve:
2016: Saturday, Dec. 31
2017: Sunday, Dec. 31
Veterans Day weekend:
2016: Nov. 11-13
2017: Nov. 10-12

Feeling overwhelmed? Take a deep breath and relax. Yes, you might have to make a few passes between your calendar and the Internet, searching for possible conflicts. In general, though, picking your date is only stressful if you’re super religious or planning to travel. In both instances, you probably already knew what you were getting into and are more prepared than you think. You’ve got this. Promise.

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