congrats

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

People who don’t understand 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 do understand and use astrology, even a little bit, know that some days are simply better than others. Whether it’s a church wedding with all the trimmings, a small commitment ceremony, or an elopement in Vegas, the planets will have their say!

Astrological wisdom holds that the beginning of something, whether a human life or a marriage, 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 married 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 wedding 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. The first thing I do is check the synastry between the two charts for an astrological “glue” that holds the relationship together. I also look for any potential trouble spots. I will be looking for a date that supports the “glue,” and does not irritate the trouble spots.
  2. I am looking for an easygoing day. I want a chart that, if it were a person, would be a kind, gentle, well-adjusted person who would get along well with both members of the couple.
  3. 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.
  4. 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. Look for easy, peaceful transits, and avoid harsh ones for both partners.
  5. Planets in angular houses are the most powerful planets in the chart. Pick a time for your ceremony when the benefics, Venus and Jupiter, are angular and well aspected 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 Ascendant, 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.

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