Why Sunday?

Jewish weddings are often held on Sunday evenings.  Wedding guests might wonder: "Why Sunday?  Don't they know we have work tomorrow?"

What you may not know is that choosing a date for a Jewish wedding can require the strategy of a five star general.  Jewish law prohibits weddings on certain dates.  One of the most basic rules is that weddings may not be held on the Sabbath.  The Jewish Sabbath runs from sundown on Friday evening to sundown on Saturday evening.  In the spring and summer, the sun lingers in the sky for quite a while, which doesn't leave much time for a Saturday evening wedding.  So Sunday is often the next best choice for a full length wedding celebration.

But the restrictions don't end there.  Jewish weddings may not be held on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, Shavuot, and the day before each of these holidays.  After Passover, weddings generally may not be held during the Omer period, from Nissan 23 to Sivan 2, meaning much of April and May is off limits.

Jewish weddings also should not be held from the 17th of Tammuz through the 9th of Av on the Jewish calendar.  These dates correlate to about three weeks in June and July.

While picking a Jewish wedding date may seem like a challenge, the good news is that the choices are narrowed down.  Check out Chabad for more specifics on choosing a date for your Jewish wedding.  And it's always a good idea to talk to your rabbi before committing to a specific date.

 

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