Imagine it - you've just sent out your save the dates and you get a call from your friend... your wedding is the same day as the World Cup Final. Do you try and change the date with your wedding venue or do you just accept that half of your guests will have one eye on the live score while you're saying your vows? This dilemma could've been avoided if you'd checked your wedding date didn't clash with this major sporting event!
The date you choose can affect the overall cost of your day and may limit your choice of venues so it is helpful to have a good idea of the ideal date when you send venue enquiries. It is helpful to have a few back up dates, as well as knowing which dates you'll want to avoid from the list below. Whether you're superstitious, a sports fan or just not sure, we are here to help you choose the perfect date for you.
Make sure you check these lists out first to ensure you have all the information you need to choose your ideal 2024, 2025 or 2026 wedding date.
Jump to:
- Highly Searched for Dates
- Superstitious Dates to avoid
- Dates of key Sporting Events
- Religious Holidays and Holy Dates
- Auspicious Hindu Dates
- UK Public Holidays
Some questions to ask yourself before selecting a wedding date
- Is this date in high demand? If you are choosing a date that is in peak wedding season and on a weekend, you can expect there to be more competition for it and the cost of hire to be more than a date that is off-peak and/or mid-week.
- Are your guests going to fully focus on your wedding if you're sharing it with a day that has a significant meaning such as a sporting event or Mother's day?
- What dates have a special meaning to you that you want to keep separate or share on your wedding day?
Dates That Are In High Demand
Peak wedding season is from May to September. During this time, venues and suppliers are in high demand. So if you're trying to keep to a budget, try looking for dates that are off-peak (usually November - March).
This is also the same for mid-week weddings. Weekend weddings are often the pricier option, so if you're working with a smaller budget, a mid-week wedding is a perfect option.
Most Sought-After Dates in 2024, 2025 & 2026
In December 2023, we looked through data from more than 12,000 wedding enquiries identifying a specific wedding date on Guides for Brides. Here are the top 20 most sought-after wedding dates from couples planning their weddings in 2024, 2025 & 2026.
2024
The summer Saturdays are looking incredibly popular for 2024 with a high number of Saturdays in May, June, July and August making the top 10 wedding dates list with couples searching on Guides for Brides. Additionally, the August bank holiday Saturday is getting very high interest as not only is it a bank holiday weekend date, but one that is memorable and looks balanced on paper (24.08.24).
- Saturday 24th August
- Saturday 10th August
- Saturday 25th May
- Saturday 20th July
- Saturday 22nd June
- Saturday 7th September
- Saturday 1st June
- Saturday 15th June
- Saturday 27th July
- Saturday 18th May
- Saturday 14th September
- Saturday 17th August
- Saturday 8th June
- Saturday 6th July
- Saturday 3rd August
- Saturday 20th April
- Saturday 4th May
- Saturday 21st September
- Saturday 29th June
- Saturday 13th July
2025
May and June are very high demand for 2025 weddings with almost every Saturday date in these months making the top 20 most searched for wedding dates. So, if you're wanting one of these dates you'll want to act fast! Additionally, the first Saturday in September is also looking likely to be very popular with couples.
- Saturday 25th May
- Saturday 21st June
- Saturday 6th September
- Saturday 7th June
- Saturday 14th June
- Sunday 25th May
- Saturday 28th June
- Saturday 10th May
- Saturday 26th July
- Saturday 31st May
- Saturday 23rd August
- Saturday 17th May
- Saturday 12th July
- Saturday 16th August
- Saturday 9th August
- Saturday 19th July
- Saturday 5th July
- Saturday 20th September
- Friday 20th June
- Friday 1st August
From the experts
2026
For 2026, it's looking like there'll be high demand for key holiday dates, with Easter Saturday (4th April) already making an appearance in the top 20 wedding dates. Other bank holiday dates are also popular in searches with the Saturday of the late May Bank Holiday already taking second position. Additionally dates such as 6.6.26, are also starting to be snapped up by couples thanks to being memorable and nice to look at on paper.
- Saturday 6th June
- Saturday 23rd May
- Saturday 25th July
- Saturday 8th August
- Saturday 1st August
- Saturday 20th June
- Saturday 30th May
- Friday 14th August
- Saturday 4th April
- Saturday 27th June
- Saturday 22nd August
- Saturday 31st October
- Friday 15th May
- Saturday 5th September
- Saturday 11th July
- Saturday 4th July
- Saturday 16th May
- Friday 1st May
- Monday 25th May
- Friday 26th June
Superstitious? Here are dates to avoid.
If you are superstitious, ‘Friday 13th' might not be your number one choice for your wedding day. In 2024, you should watch out for, Friday 13th September and Friday 13th December. In 2025 you will only need to look out for Friday 13th June. While in 2026, you will need to avoid Friday 13th September and Friday 13th December.
Some people are also superstitious about getting married on Valentine's Day. While February 14th may feel like a romantic option as well as convenient for remembering your anniversary date, studies led by the University of Melbourne found those who marry on February 14th are 37% more likely to split due to the motive of the commitment being swayed by impulse.
Consider Personal Dates
If you have a specific date you want to share your wedding day with such as the anniversary of your first date, then that is such a meaningful option.
From the experts
However, if not, you might want to check through any family milestones that are coming up and avoid those dates so your wedding can be its own day to remember. For example, marrying on your sister's 30th birthday may take some of the shine away from your special day or cause some family tension.
Major Sporting Events in 2024, 2025 and 2026
If your guests are fans of sports or you're a sporting fan yourself, sharing a date with a sporting event might not be the best option. On your wedding day, you may be wanting all of the attention on you, rather than your guests sharing their time between you and the live broadcast on their phones.
On the other hand, you could simply embrace the date and the clash by celebrating your wedding at one of the many sporting venues that are licensed for weddings.
2024
- Friday 2nd February to Saturday 16th March - Rugby Six Nations
- Sunday 11th February - Super Bowl
- Friday 1st March to Sunday 3rd March - Indoor Athletics World Championships
- Sunday 14th April - Golf Masters Final Day
- Saturday 25th May - FA Cup Final
- Saturday 1st June - UEFA Champions League Final
- Friday 14th June to Sunday 14th July - UEFA EURO 2024
- Monday 1st July to Sunday 14th July - Wimbledon
- Friday 26th July to Sunday 11th August - Summer Olympics
- Wednesday 28th August to Sunday 8th September - Paralympic Games
2025
- February TBC - 6 Nations Rugby
- 9th February - Super Bowl
- Sunday 13th April - Golf Masters Final Day
- May TBC - FA Cup final
- May/ June TBC - UEFA Champions League Final
- June/ July TBC - Wimbledon
- Women's Rugby World Cup
- Wednesday 2nd July to Sunday 27th July - UEFA Women's EURO
- Thursday 25th September to Sunday 28th September - Ryder Cup
2026
- February 8th - Super Bowl
- February TBC - Six Nations Rugby
- Friday 6th February to Sunday 22nd February - Winter Olympics
- Friday 6th March to Sunday 15th March - Winter Paralympics
- Sunday 12th April - Golf Masters Final Day
- May TBC - FA Cup Final
- May/ June TBC - UEFA Champions League Final
- Monday 8th June to Friday 3rd July - FIFA World Cup
- Other sporting dates TBC
Religious Holidays and Holy Dates
Whether you have faith or are thinking about your guests that do, you may want to be aware of some key religious holidays and holy dates that are observed by many communities in the UK. It's also important to be aware of certain considerations when choosing a date during a religious holiday or holy date. For example, if you want to be married in a church, some churches will not allow flowers to be present during Lent or choose not to host weddings at all until after Easter Sunday.
Here are the dates of some key religious holidays and holy days to be aware of in 2024, 2025 & 2026.
2024
- Lent - Wednesday 14th February - Thursday 28th March
- Ramadan - Sunday 10th March - Monday 8th April
- Holi - Monday 25th March
- Easter - Sunday 31st March
- Eid al-Fitr - Tuesday 9th April - Wednesday 10th April
- Passover - Monday 22nd April - Tuesday 30th April
- Raksha Bandhan - Monday 19th August
- Navaratri - Thursday 3rd October - Saturday 12th October
- Yom Kippur - Friday 11th October - Saturday 12th October
- Diwali - Friday 1st November
- Christmas - Wednesday 25th December
- Hanukkah - Wednesday 25th December - Thursday 2nd January
2025
- Lent - Wednesday 5th March - Thursday 17th April
- Holi - Friday 14th March
- Ramadan -Friday 28th February - Sunday 30th March
- Passover - Saturday 12th April - Sunday 20th April
- Easter - Sunday 20th April
- Eid al-Fitr - Sunday 30th March - Monday 31st March
- Raksha Bandhan - Saturday 9th August
- Navaratri - Monday 22nd September - Thursday 2nd October
- Yom Kippur - Wednesday 1st October - Thursday 2nd October
- Diwali - Monday 20th October
- Hanukkah - Sunday 14th December - Monday 22nd December
- Christmas - Thursday 25th December
2026
- Ramadan - Tuesday 17th February - Wednesday 18th March
- Lent - Wednesday 18th February - Thursday 2nd April
- Holi - Wednesday 4th March
- Eid al-Fitr - Friday 20th March
- Passover - Wednesday 1st April - Thursday 9th April
- Easter - Sunday 5th April
- Raksha Bandhan - Friday 28th August
- Yom Kippur - Sunday 20th September - Monday 21st September
- Navaratri - Sunday 11th October - Monday 20th October
- Hanukkah - Thursday 7th December - Friday 15th December
- Diwali - Sunday 8th November - Thursday 12th November
- Christmas - Friday 25th December
These dates may vary.
Auspicious Dates to Keep a Note of
Choosing an auspicious date for your wedding could be a magical choice due to the suggestion that the date is a sign of a successful future. The lucky feeling you get when you get married could be heightened if you were to choose one of these auspicious dates.
Hindu Auspicious Dates
2024
- January - 17th, 21st, 22nd, 27th, 28th, 31st
- February - 2nd, 4th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 26th, 29th
- March - 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 11th
- April - 18th 21st, 26th, 28th
- May
- June - 29th, 30th
- July - 3rd, 10th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 17th
- August
- September
- October
- November - 17th, 23rd, 25th, 28th, 29th
- December - 5th, 9th, 11th
2025
- January - 17th, 18th, 19th, 21st, 24th
- February - 2nd, 3rd, 12th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 23rd, 25th
- March - 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 12th
- April - 14th, 16th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 29th, 30th
- May - 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 14th, 16th 17th, 18th, 22nd, 23rd, 27th, 28th
- June - 2nd, 3rd, 4th
- July - 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th
- August
- September
- October
- November - 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 12th, 15th, 16th, 22nd, 23rd, 25th
- December
2026
- January
- February - 6th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 20th, 21st
- March - 5th, 8th, 12th, 14th
- April - 15th, 20th, 26th, 29th
- May - 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 13th, 14th
- June - 19th, 21st, 22nd, 24th, 27th
- July - 1st, 2nd, 8th, 11th, 12th
- August
- September
- October
- November - 20th, 21st, 26th, 30th
- December - 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 10th, 12th
There are plenty of dates above to choose from, However from August to October, it is seen to be a dry few months when it comes to auspicious dates for weddings. If you are wanting to marry in those months then you can ask a professional pandit for the dates you should avoid marrying on and go from there!
Public Holidays to be aware of in 2024, 2025 & 2026
Public holidays are usually a popular time for couples to tie the knot, especially where there is an extra-long weekend! So, you can expect it will be more difficult to find an available date due to high demand. Your guests may have also booked time away for these specific dates way in advance. If you're not wanting to share your wedding day with a public holiday then these are the dates you need to look out for. Keep in mind that bank holidays can change, so it's best to keep an eye on the Government website to stay on top of any changes.
2024
- Monday 1st January - New Year's Day
- Tuesday 2nd January - Public Holiday (Scotland)
- Friday 1st March - St David's Day (Wales)
- Sunday 10th March - Mother's Day
- Sunday 17th March - St Patrick's Day
- Friday 29th March – Monday 1st April - Good Friday, Easter Weekend, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday
- Monday 1st April - April Fools Day
- Saturday 4th – Monday 6th May - Early May Bank Holiday Weekend
- Saturday 25th – Monday 27th May - Spring Bank Holiday Weekend
- Sunday 16th June - Father's Day
- Friday 12th July - Battle of the Boyne (Northern Ireland)
- Saturday 3rd – Monday 5th August - Bank Holiday Weekend (Scotland)
- Saturday 24th – Monday 26th August - Bank Holiday Weekend
- Thursday 31st October - Halloween
- Tuesday 5th November - Guy Fawkes Night
- Sunday 10th November - Remembrance Sunday
- Monday 2nd December - St Andrew's Day Observed (Scotland)
- Tuesday 24th, Friday 25th, Saturday 26th December - Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day
- Tuesday 31st December - New Year's Eve
2025
- Wednesday 1st January - New Year's Day
- Thursday 2nd January - Public Holiday (Scotland)
- Saturday 1st March - St David's Day (Wales)
- Monday 17th March - St Patrick's Day
- Sunday 30th March - Mother's Day
- Tuesday 1st April - April Fools' Day
- Friday 18th April – Monday 21st April - Good Friday, Easter Weekend, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday
- Monday 5th May - Early May Bank Holiday
- Thursday 26th May - Spring Bank Holiday
- Sunday 15th June - Father's Day
- Saturday 12th July - Battle of the Boyne (Northern Ireland)
- Monday 14th July - Battle of the Boyne (Northern Ireland)
- Monday 4th August - Summer Bank Holiday (Scotland)
- Sunday 24th August - Notting Hill Carnival
- Monday 25th August - August Bank Holiday (National except Scotland)
- Friday 31st October - Weekend Nearest to Halloween
- Wednesday 5th November - Guy Fawkes Night
- Sunday 9th November -Remembrance Sunday
- Tuesday 11th November - Remembrance Day
- Sunday 30th November - St Andrew's Day (Scotland)
- Wednesday 24th – Friday 26th December - Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day
- Wednesday 31st December - New Year's Eve
2026
- Thursday 1st January - New Year's Day
- Friday 2nd January - Public Holiday Scotland
- Sunday 1st March - St David's Day (Wales)
- Tuesday 17th March - St Patrick's Day (Northern Ireland)
- Sunday 15th March - Mother's Day
- Wednesday 1st April - April Fools' Day
- Friday 3rd April – Monday 6th April - Good Friday, Easter Weekend, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday
- Monday 4th May - Early May Bank Holiday
- Monday 25th May - Spring Bank Holiday
- Sunday 21st June - Father's Day
- Sunday 12th July - Battle of the Boyne (Northern Ireland)
- Monday 13th July - Bank Holiday (Northern Ireland)
- Monday 3rd August - Summer Bank Holiday (Scotland)
- Sunday 30th August - Notting Hill Carnival
- Monday 31st August - Summer Bank Holiday (National Except Scotland)
- Saturday 31st October - Halloween
- Thursday 5th November - Guy Fawkes Night
- Sunday 8th November - Remembrance Sunday
- Wednesday 11th November - Remembrance Day
- Monday 30th November - St Andrew's Day (Scotland)
- Thursday 24th – Saturday 26th December - Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day
- Thursday 31st - New Year's Eve
Now you are fully prepared to select the perfect date for your wedding, make sure you are first in line for choosing your wedding venue and head over to the Guides for Brides Wedding Planner to start planning your perfect day.