As you hunt for your wedding venue, you will quickly learn that the most popular wedding venues book quickly. As a result, you may look into the next available date without doing your research of competing events that weekend.  Then, what may seem like a benign conflict could affect the overall cost of your wedding, the traffic in your area and quite possibly your guest list. So, check with your local convention and visitors bureau to see what events are scheduled to take place during your preferred wedding weekend.

Meanwhile, I have listed below a list the dates of national events and holidays you might want to avoid too —

2017 Days/Dates

  • Friday, January 13 — Friday the 13th (This is only an issue if you or most of your family are superstitious)
  • Sunday, February 5 – Super Bowl VII (This weekend will be especially challenging if you live in Houston)
  • Weekend of Saturday, April 1 – 3 – NCAA 2018 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Weekend (This weekend will be especially challenging if you live in Glendale, Arizona)
  • Weekend of April 15 – 16 – Passover is April 10 at sundown until April 18 at nightfall
  • Weekend of April 15 – 16 – Easter Weekend
  • Weekend of May 13 – 14 – Mother’s Day Weekend (College graduations typically take place this weekend too)
  • Weekend of May 27 – 29 — Memorial Day Weekend (This weekend has pros and cons, but I recommend avoiding it if you are getting married in a beach town or seaside location)

  • Weekend of June 17 – 18 – Father’s Day Weekend (Some families have annual traditions during father’s day weekend, so I recommend checking with both families first.)
  • Weekend of September 2 – 4 — Labor Day Weekend (This holiday weekend has pros and cons, but I recommend avoiding it if you are getting married in a beach or seaside location)

  • Friday, September 22 – Rosh Hashanah is September 20 at sundown until September 22 at nightfall
  • Friday, September 29 and Saturday, September 30 – Yom Kippur is September 29 at sundown until September 30 at nightfall
  • Friday, October 13 — Friday the 13th (This is only an issue if you or most of your family are superstitious)
  • Weekend of November 18 – 19 and weekend of November 25 – 26 — (These weekends bookend the Thanksgiving holiday, so they are heavy travel weekends and your guests might stay away from your wedding because of increased airfare, high costs and/or crowds)
  • Weekend of December 16 – 17 – Hanukkah is December 12 at sundown until December 20 at nightfall
  • Sunday, December 31 – New Year’s Eve (New Year’s Eve weddings are both fun and festive; however, your guests may stay away because of increased airfare, high costs, and/or crowds)

2018 Days/Dates

  • Sunday, February 4 – Super Bowl VII (This weekend will be especially challenging if you live in Minneapolis)
  • Weekend of March 30 – 31 and Saturday, April 7 – Passover is March 30 at sundown until April 7 at nightfall
  • Weekend of Saturday, March 31 – April 2 – NCAA 2018 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Weekend (This weekend will be especially challenging if you live in San Antonio)
  • Weekend of March 31 – April 1 – Easter Weekend
  • Friday, April 13 — Friday the 13th (This is only an issue if you or most of your family are superstitious)
  • Weekend of May 12 – 13 – Mother’s Day Weekend (College graduations typically take place this weekend too)
  • Weekend of May 26 – 28 — Memorial Day Weekend (This weekend has pros and cons, but I recommend avoiding it if you are getting married in a beach or seaside location)

  • Weekend of June 16 – 17 – Father’s Day Weekend (Some families have annual traditions during father’s day weekend, so I recommend checking with both families first.)
  • Friday, July 13 — Friday the 13th (This is only an issue if you or most of your family are superstitious)
  • Saturday, July 21 – Tisha B’Av (Begins at sundown)
  • Weekend of September 1 – 3 — Labor Day Weekend (This holiday weekend has pros and cons, but I recommend avoiding it if you are getting married in a beach or seaside location)
  • Sunday, September 9 – Rosh Hashanah is September 9 at sundown until September 11 at nightfall
  • Weekend of November 17 – 18 and Weekend of November 24 – 25 — (These weekends bookend the Thanksgiving holiday, so they are heavy travel weekends and your guests might stay away from your wedding because of increased airfare, high costs and/or crowds)
  • Sunday, December 2 and weekend of December 8 – 9 — Hanukkah is December 2 at sundown until December 10 at nightfall

Happy Planning!

Love & Soul Always, Kay