Choosing a wedding date

tags: election, relationship, wedding date

So you’re engaged— congratulations! Now that you have decided to tie the knot, one of your first tasks is setting the date.

People who don’t know how to use astrology assume that one date is just as good as another. They choose according to weather or travel conditions. Without a doubt, these are important considerations. But we who understand astrology, even a little bit, know that some days are just better than others for getting hitched, whether it’s a church wedding with all the trimmings, a small commitment ceremony, or eloping in Vegas. And we include the planets in our plans as well.

Astrological wisdom holds that the beginning of something, whether a human life or a formal partnership, is a crucial moment which contains within it the seeds of what is to come. It pays to know in advance whether there will be a “hallelujah chorus” or a trainwreck in the sky (or something in-between) on the day of your celebration. As above, so below.

While astrology cannot guarantee the newly joined couple will see their golden anniversary, having a good astrological date is excellent insurance that the caterer shows up, the flowers are perfect, and everything goes as planned.

This good day then becomes the marriage chart for the newlyweds— they are off to a good start.

The same principles apply to all commitment ceremonies, legally recognized or not, gay or straight. The planets do not discriminate.

The basics

1. Plan the union for an easygoing day. We all know that there are days when everyone seems to be in an easy mood (kiss), and there are days when folks are more tightly wound (quack). As above, so below— these “kisses and quacks¹“ show up in the heavens, and we can look ahead to see what the planets will be doing on a potential wedding day. You need some kind of astrological calendar to find this. I have a list of transits for 2007 that you can download and use, or you can purchase an astrological calendar. Here’s 2008 as well.
2. We have individual kiss and quack days as well. As the planets move around the skies, they “zing” areas that are sensitive just for you— shown by your birth chart. Some of these transits are easy, and others are difficult. Maximize easy, peaceful transits, and minimize harsh ones for both partners.
3. The strongest planets flavor the chart most powerfully. Make sure the benefics, Venus and Jupiter, are well-placed and in good shape in the wedding chart.

Good

• Waxing Moon trine or sextile Sun, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, or Neptune. Moon conjunct Sun, Venus, Jupiter, Neptune.
• Venus is strongest in the signs of her rulership and exaltation: Taurus, Libra, Cancer and Pisces.
• One of the easiest ways to strengthen the chart is to pick a time when Venus or Jupiter is close to the Midheaven or 7th house cusp of the chart. The Midheaven is especially important.
• Venus (love) trine or sextile Saturn (stability, endurance and tradition). Other planets in easy aspect to Saturn are also good. Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter.
• Venus, Sun, Moon, Mercury, or Saturn trine, sextile, conjunct, or opposite Jupiter is lucky, optimistic and bounces back from trouble easily. Mars with Jupiter is especially lucky.
• Venus conjunct, trine, sextile or opposite Mars supports a healthy sex life.
• Venus, Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, or Saturn in easy aspect to Neptune supports compassion and spiritual growth.

Avoid

• Venus retrograde
• Waning or void of course Moon
• Venus conjunct, square or opposite Saturn. Saturn stabilizes but can be like a wet blanket on Venus. It may work if there are other planets in supportive aspects (trine, sextile) to the conjunction or opposition. You definitely don’t want anything else squaring it.
• Moon conjunct or square Mars, Saturn, or Pluto.
• Venus in the signs of her detriment and fall: Scorpio, Aries, Capricorn and Virgo. These signs may work if Venus is very well aspected, strongly placed, and in harmony with both natal charts.
• Mars under stress (squares, oppositions, some conjunctions) is passionate and sexual, but can also indicate fighting and arguments.
• Saturn, Uranus, or Mars in an angular house (unless Mars is conjunct Venus).

Finer points

• Having the rulers of the 1st and 7th houses in a favorable aspect is good.
• If you can’t put Venus or Jupiter on an angle, see if you can put the Venus/Jupiter midpoint there.

Unfortunately, we can’t arrange the planets to our liking. We have to work with the planets and what they are doing, and there is no perfect chart. A few klunkers are unavoidable. In fact, a chart without klunkers tends to be weak and lacks focus. Imagine how boring life would be if there were only sweet, and no bitter.

But you don’t want the klunkers driving the bus in your marriage chart. Let’s say in your chart the Moon trines Venus— good! But she squares Uranus— hmmm… The thing to do here is look for a time when Venus is in an angular house and Uranus is not. Remember, the angular houses are much more powerful. Planets in angular houses “have the microphone” in the chart. In a harmonious wedding chart, the happier planets hold the mike. In a discordant chart, planets under stress hold the mike.

If you want to request a wedding date consultation, please click here for instructions. PLEASE DO NOT USE THE “COMMENTS” ON THIS PAGE TO REQUEST A CONSULT.

¹ Thanks, Lance for letting me borrow a term from Skywatch!

Comments:

1. at one time i had a strong reciprocal interest in a co-worker. reviewed her natal chart…moon conj pluto in the 7th! she acted as tho she was strongly hiding her “self” as well as her past. both being scorpio, our personalities definitely clashed. our Pluto’s were in nearly exact opposition. Just too much tension there for mere morals. whew!

   
   
   — larryc    29 November 2006    #

2. We here married the first time 10/14/1998 @ 8:35 a.m. in Juno Beach FL.

   I plan to ask my wife to renew our vows again in 2007 and want the date time and place to be good.

   Godd for love money sex and health… low on tension and anger.

   Jack Cahn

   
   
   — Jack Cahn    10 December 2006    #

3. Congratulations to you and your wife, Jack. I hope this tutorial helps you plan.

   If you are asking me to help you make the choice, please visit this page.

   Blessings,

   
   
   — Molly    11 December 2006    #

4. Hello:
   I am new to astrology but am really interested in it. I have a question with respect to getting married during a mercury retrograde? We are thinking about October 20 or 27, 2007. Please advise
   Thanks You

   
   
   — Anna    6 February 2007    #

5. Hi Molly!

   I only just found this tutorial and checked my upcoming wedding chart on May 5th 2007 (11am Brisbane time). There’s a few kisses and a few quacks, of course.

   We have Moon conjunct Jupiter in rulership (though Rx), and both trining Saturn. In our natal charts, each of our Moons trines the others Saturn closely. Moon and Saturn are the 1st and 7th house rulers.

   Sun/Merc in Taurus in the 10th house.

   Venus trine Neptune.

   Mars is conjunct Uranus! Whilst also being the apex of a T-square involving a Venus/Pluto opposition! Yikes!

   There’s no changing dates now so we’ll just have to hold our breaths and jump – wheeeeeee!

   Katy

   
   
   — Katy May    26 March 2007    #

6. Nice article about wedding date..

   
   
   — Fitra Ria Indah Sari    31 August 2007    #

7. Hi Molly ~

   My husband and I eloped on July 26th , 2007 @ 6pm and it all just felt perfect and right and without a hitch.

   We had broken up many times during full moons (as I look back -weekend of March 3rd 2007 one of them) and had a tumultuous past but not only got back together on July 25th, got married as I mentioned the following day. I believe I read somewhere that Jupiter was doing something good on that day.

   My stats are 03/18/1968 @ 8:30am EST usa and his are 01/05/1978 @ 3 or 4 am EST.

   Would love to know we had a blessed day if possible. We feel like we did and are. :)

   Thanks!

   
   
   — Devi    20 September 2007    #

8. I’m worried – already set a wedding date as 11/03/07 – moon’s waning….didn’t even think about it until now. Is there anything I can do. Cannot change dates….

   
   
   — Marie    20 September 2007    #

9. Devi, I would not have picked July 26. But I wish you both the best.

   Marie, you can’t change the sky. If you can’t change your date, your best bet is to let it go and decide not to worry about it. Mazel tov.

   
   
   — Molly    21 September 2007    #

10. very cool idea. never considered astrology for picking a wedding date – love it!

    
    
    — link ho    5 October 2007    #

11. I glanced over the article and didn’t see a mention of mercury rx as being a bad thing. We are getting married June 4,08 and though nervous about the date, of course am hoping for the best….and there are a number of good aspects for the day as is outlined above…fingers and heart hoping!

    Do you think Merc rx is one of the worst things to have in a wedding chart?

    Thx!!

    
    
    — Gem    3 December 2007    #

12. Hello Molly,

    My fiancee and I have been engaged for about a year and a half and are now faced with picking a date. We would be interested to know your thoughts on the best date for our union.

    My stats are 11/18/1970 @ 7:35pm CST USA. His are 04/08/1975 not sure of the time but he was born in Nicaragua.

    Thank you,
    Lynna

    
    
    — lsaldana    19 February 2008    #

13. hi there, molly!

    my partner and i are planning to marry in the morning of september 8th, 2008, while the moon is waxing in sagittarius and before it goes void of course.

    i’m a sag, he’s a leo. the other alternative is to wait until april when the moon is waxing in taurus.

    thoughts? thanks in advance! cate.

    
    
    — cate    14 March 2008    #

14. Hello Molly:

    My husband and I will be celebrating 10 years of marriage this year & we are planning to have our wedding since we never had one when we first married. We are thinking of having it on July 12, 2008 (which is the date we prefer), but can also do July 26. I am a Cancer & he is a Libra.

    Please tell me your thoughts…

    Thanks – Jeanette

    
    
    — Jeanette    27 March 2008    #

15. we both got married on 10-09-2007 was that a good date to get married. we did not have any choice as it was the marriage register office choice. do mail me molly thx

    
    
    — Simran    14 April 2008    #

16. She is a cancer and i am a scorpio. We have planned to marry on the 9th of May 2008. What do you think of this date?

    
    
    — John    20 April 2008    #

17. The last line of this article, here it is again:

    If you want to request a wedding date consultation, please click here for instructions. PLEASE DO NOT USE THE “COMMENTS” ON THIS PAGE TO REQUEST A CONSULT.

    
    
    — Molly    20 April 2008    #