Weddings are one of the few milestone events that we can actually control the date of. We have no say in the timing of our birthdays, graduations, promotions, etc., so it’s thrilling to be able to take time to consider the options for one of the most important dates of your life!
There’s lots of reasons why a certain date might be popular for a wedding in the upcoming year. Some people believe in lucky days or numerology. Another couple might plan their wedding date around the movement of celestial bodies, such as scheduling their wedding on a full moon. Others just find certain dates fun or beautiful; for example, 2/20/2022 was a palindrome date, the same forwards and backwards—one of only 38 in the 21st century!
Some couples may want to celebrate at the same time as another holiday. Incorporating silly “holidays” can be a fun way to celebrate your unique relationship; iff you and your partner both love ice cream, it might be fun to have an ice cream bar at your reception during National Ice Cream Day.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, more and more couples have decided to stray from traditional weekend weddings and instead schedule their special days in the middle of the work week. Not only do weekday weddings tend to be a little cheaper, but they’re also reportedly easier to schedule (and reschedule if needed). So don’t feel limited to just weekend dates when picking your wedding date!
When planning your wedding, picking the perfect date can be a challenge. Keep reading for our top suggestions for wedding dates in 2023.
January
Weddings tend to be more affordable in January, being one of the less popular months to tie the knot. If you want a unique date, this might be the month for you. Winter weddings are also especially beautiful with a blanket of white on the ground and Rochester historically has more snow in January than in December.
Planning around the holidays, some couples love the symbolism of new beginnings of the new year when choosing a January wedding. Other couples would rather put a little more time between their future anniversaries and Christmas celebrations. Some of our favorite suggestions are the following:
January 1st (Sunday) – New Years Day
January 6th (Friday) – Full moon
January 13th (Friday) – One of two Friday the 13ths in 2023
January 18 (Wednesday) – National Gourmet Coffee Day
January 23rd (Monday) – Fun “counting” date; 1/23
February
The shortest month of the year is also the season of love, with Valentine’s Day falling in the middle of February. The early sunset also makes for a beautiful and romantic starlit ceremony and reception without staying up all hours of the night. If you’d like to take advantage of a long weekend, Presidents’ Day is toward the end of the month.
Be sure to keep the Super Bowl in mind. Even if you aren’t interested in sports, your guests might be more focused on the score of the big game than in the celebration of your love!
February 2nd (Thursday) – A fun date; 2/2
February 3rd (Thursday) – Fun “counting” date; 2/3
February 5th (Sunday) – Full moon
February 14th (Tuesday) – Valentine’s Day
February 19th (Sunday) – Day before Presidents’ Day (long weekend)
February 25th (Saturday) – National Chocolate Covered Nut Day
March
Spring officially begins in March! What better time to celebrate the start of your marriage than the start of the season of new life? Spring is the start of peak wedding season, with most weekends being highly coveted dates from this point forward.
There’s cultural significance in the month of March as well. Those who are of Irish heritage may want to honor their background by celebrating on or around Saint Patrick’s Day. The Dutch also consider tulips a very romantic flower and they’re typically just starting to bloom in March!
Consider any of these dates:
March 3rd (Friday) – Fun date; 3/3
March 7th (Tuesday) – Full moon
March 14th (Tuesday) – Pi Day (3.14)
March 17th (Friday) – St. Patrick’s Day
March 20th (Monday) – Fun palindrome date; 3202022 and first day of Spring
April
Meteorologists haven’t verified that “April showers brings May flowers”, so don’t let the threat of rain deter you from an April wedding! April is a beautiful month with the weather finally getting warmer and the world coming back to life after a long winter. In fact, April is Earth Month! Incorporating eco-friendly plans into your wedding might be the perfect way to celebrate in this month.
April is also a very busy month with religious holidays to work around, with Holy Week and Easter from the 2nd to the 9th. Be sure to keep these in mind, as well as increased travel prices from spring break, usually in late April. Good dates in April include these below:
April 1st (Saturday) – April Fool’s Day
April 4th (Tuesday) – Fun date; 4/4
April 6th (Thursday) – Full moon
April 22nd (Saturday) – Earth Day
April 28th (Friday) – Arbor Day
May
In Rochester, the weather is typically starting to be consistently warm by May. Flowers are in season and more readily available, colleges let students out for the summer, and the peak of wedding season is rapidly approaching as everyone starts to get excited for summer.
Another long weekend, Memorial Day, is also able to be taken advantage of for your wedding. It’s later in the month, so the weather is only going to get warmer and warmer! Really, you can’t go wrong with any date in May, but some fun ones might be the following:
May 4th (Thursday) – Star Wars Day; “May the 4th be with you”
May 5th (Friday) – Cinco de Mayo, full moon, and fun date; 5/5
May 19th (Friday) – National Devil’s Food Cake Day
May 25th (Thursday) – National Wine Day
May 28th (Sunday) – Day before Memorial Day
June
Did you know that June is named after the ancient Roman goddess of marriage, Juno? No wonder it’s one of the most popular times to get married! Schools release in June, and the hottest weather of summer is saved for July and August, so it tends to be a very relaxing month.
June is also nice in the sense that there’s only one holiday to work around; Father’s Day is on the 18th in 2023. Any other time is free for the taking in this month! Some of our favorite dates include the following:
June 4th (Sunday) – Full moon
June 6th (Tuesday) – Fun date; 6/6
June 17th (Monday) – Fun date; 6 + 17 = 23
June 21st (Wednesday) – First day of Summer
June 26th (Monday) – Tropical Cocktail Day
July
With warm weather and long, sunny days, any date in July will be perfect for your wedding. Fourth of July traditions can also be easily incorporated into your wedding and reception. Fireworks, music, and family are Independence Day staples, and perfect for celebrating your new marriage!
July is one of the best months for outdoor weddings in Rochester with everything colorful and fully in bloom. You can’t go wrong with any July date, but consider any of these:
July 1st (Saturday) – Long weekend before 4th of July
July 3rd (Monday) – Full moon
July 7th (Friday) – Fun date; lucky number 7s
July 22nd (Saturday) – Summer Leisure Day
July 25th (Tuesday) – National Wine and Cheese Day
August
While August tends to mark the end of the summer with students returning to classes at the end of the month or shortly after, there’s still plenty of time to enjoy a summer wedding. Especially nice is that there’s no major holidays to schedule around in August!
If you like creamsicles, watermelon, chocolate chip cookies, or root beer floats, the national celebration of each of these items is celebrated in August. Incorporating the celebration of root beer floats into your reception would be a fun and memorable event!
A few recommended dates are below:
August 1 (Tuesday) – Full moon
August 3rd (Thursday) – National Watermelon Day
August 4th (Friday) – National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
August 6th (Sunday) – National Root Beer Float Day
August 8th (Tuesday) – Fun date; 8/8
August 14th (Monday) – National Creamsicle Day
August 31 (Thursday) – Full moon and blue moon
September
The weather starts to cool off slowly and we welcome fall in as we head into September. Leaves start turning toward the middle to end of the month, painting the world in beautiful reds and golds as the perfect backdrop for your outdoor wedding while the weather is still warm enough.
It’s also a great time to plan a wedding just before getting into the chaos of the late fall and winter holidays that are just around the corner. Give your guests something to look forward to once summer is over, but Christmas is still too far away!
Our favorite suggestions for September weddings are the following:
September 3rd (Sunday) – Day before Labor Day (long weekend)
September 9th (Saturday) – Fun date; 9/9
September 23rd (Saturday) – First day of Fall
September 26th (Tuesday) – National Leave a Note Day
September 29th (Friday) – Full moon
October
October is one of the most popular months to get married in. It’s no wonder why; fall is in full swing with crisp weather and peak autumn leaves in the second or third week of the month. The flavors of fall are also a favorite; cider and donuts and pumpkin spice everything are perfect for this time of year.
Part of what makes your wedding special is incorporating things that you and your fiance love. If you’re big fans of Halloween, then this is the time to add some spooky decor or other elements into your special day.
Some fun days for a wedding would be any of these below:
October 8th (Sunday) – Day before Indiginous Peoples Day (may be a long weekend)
October 10th (Tuesday) – Fun date; 10/10 and National Angel Food Cake Day
October 13th (Friday) – Friday the 13th, the last one of 2023
October 28th (Monday) – Full moon
October 31st (Tuesday) – Halloween
November
It can be difficult to plan a wedding around Thanksgiving toward the end of November. The holiday is a pretty big deal with family often traveling to be together for the day. If you schedule it right, you may be able to ease the travel burden by scheduling your wedding close enough that they can come for Thanksgiving and the ceremony both in one trip!
Despite working around the holiday, November can be a lovely month to get married! According to old wedding superstitions, a wedding in this month is a sign of good fortune in the marriage to come.
We recommend the following dates for your November wedding:
November 4th (Saturday) – National Candy Day
November 11th (Saturday) – Fun date; 11/11
November 20th (Monday) – Beautiful Day
November 27th (Monday) – Full moon
December
It’s the most wonderful time of the year— and that includes a wonderful time for your wedding! The holiday season puts everyone in a good mood and ready for love and generosity. Plus, many are already taking off time from work for the holidays, so it’s an ideal time for a weekday wedding!
If you’re a friend of Christmas romance movies, then a Christmas wedding might already be part of your plan! December often sees the first dusting of snow on the ground and festive decor like holly and garland make for lovely wedding decorations as well.
For a December wedding in 2023, we think these dates would be especially magical:
December 8th (Friday) – National Brownie Day
December 12th (Tuesday) – Fun date; 12/12
December 21st (Thursday) – First day of Winter
December 24th (Sunday) – Christmas Eve
December 25th (Monday) – Christmas Day
December 26th (Tuesday) – Full moon
December 31st (Sunday) – New Year’s Eve