The Most Popular Wedding Date In 2022 Might Surprise You

"Married in July with flowers ablaze," the old rhyme warns, "bitter-sweet memories in after days." Superstitions about the best time of year to get married date back to Ancient Rome, where May was seen as the worst month to get married in, per Family Tree Magazine. 

June, legend has it, is the luckiest. June was named for the Roman goddess Juno, who, according to Almanac.com, was "the protector of women in all aspects of life, but especially in marriage and childbearing." June also became a popular month when traditional Celtic engagements were shortened from lasting from May 1 — historically May Day and the Cross-Quarter Day of Beltane — until Aug. 1, the next Cross-Quarter Day as well as Lammas Day, per Almanac.com.

Other cultural traditions have affected the popularity of various wedding dates. Japanese families consult koyomi, an astrological calendar, to help them "pick the most propitious day," per The Knot.

Tuesday, Martha Stewart adds, is seen as a lucky day to get married for some in the Jewish faith while Friday is skipped because of the start of Shabbat, their day of rest. Martha Stewart also points out that a Celtic folk rhyme cites Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday as the days of "wealth," and "health."

With major factors like the COVID-19 pandemic and changing weather patterns coming into play, wedding traditions are starting to shift. Summer weekdays may have been the popular days to get married before, but fall weekends reign supreme in 2022.

Fall weekend weddings have been rising in popularity for a multitude of reasons, including a preference for a fall foliage backdrop for photos and cooler weather for outdoor weddings, per The Knot. Fall is also seen as a time with fewer conflicts since most vacations happen during the summer and around the winter holidays.

But many are trying to figure out why exactly Oct. 22, 2022, is the most popular wedding date in 2022. According to the 2021 Real Weddings Study by The Knot, "around 90,000 U.S. couples will marry on this date," joining Oct. 1 and Oct. 8 as some of the most popular wedding dates. This same study showed that the majority of participants, 35%, said they had their wedding in the fall. 

Per Wedding Wire, October has been the most popular wedding month since at least 2019. Even though the last weekend in October has historically been the time for peak fall foliage in many areas of the United States, pretty trees aren't the only things drawing couples to Oct. 22, 2022, as their wedding date. Numerology and angel numbers may be coming into play.

To understand why 10/22/22 is such a significant date in numerology, you need to look at the numbers not just individually but as a whole. 

Glamour UK spoke with Chris and Suzanne Styles, the founders of Numerology For Women, about the power of repeating numbers. They explained that repeating numbers are often referred to as angel numbers and are believed to carry messages from the higher power you believe in, even if that power is the universe. 

Zee, a psychic and founder of Zee to Zen, adds that 22:22 specifically "represents harmony and serenity." According to Numerology Nation, 22 is also known as the "master builder" number.

When these two numbers combine, they're thought to point you in the right direction to manifest your dreams. Twenty-two is also associated with the planning and accomplishment of goals as well as a reminder of the "importance of cooperative teamwork," Chris and Suzanne told Glamour UK.

The numbers 1 and 0 also contribute to the symbolic meaning of Oct. 22, 2022. As Angel Number explains, 1 is a sign of new beginnings, while 0 is believed to be the number of "eternal energy, flow of life, and freedom." The outlet adds that, when you see "1022," it's a sign that you don't have to doubt your decisions anymore and can trust what your gut is telling you.

When it comes to lucky dates, 10/22/22 is so packed with symbolism and positive energy that we can see why it's thought to be 2022's luckiest day to get married. But, as The Knot points out, you haven't officially "set your wedding date" until you've booked your venue. So, if you're wondering where wedding planning actually starts, it's at the venue.

If you've dreamed of an outdoor wedding, weather is going to be a factor. Summers are hotter everywhere, so holding off until fall or winter has become a major trend. It may be difficult to snag a Saturday in October at your city's most popular outdoor wedding location, warns A Practical Wedding. Popular locations and dates are going to require flexibility in one direction or the other.

Otherwise, as A Practical Wedding suggests, be prepared for a longer engagement. You won't be alone: Per the 2021 Real Wedding Study done by The Knot, the average engagement is about 16 months, with more than half of respondents saying they were "engaged for over one year."