Shabbat, the festivals, the Omer and the Three Weeks: the days Jewish weddings traditionally skip, with exact dates for 2026 and 2027 so you can pick yours with confidence.
The short answer
Jewish weddings aren’t held on Shabbat (Friday sundown to Saturday nightfall) or on the major festivals.
Most couples also skip Passover and Sukkot entirely, including the in-between days, plus the High Holidays and the public fast days.
Two longer stretches are traditionally quiet: part of the Omer between Passover and Shavuot, and the Three Weeks in midsummer.
Saturday night weddings are fine, once Shabbat has ended.
Customs differ between communities, so confirm your date with your rabbi or officiant before you book the venue.
You’ve found a venue you love, it has one Saturday left in June, and someone at the table asks, “Wait, is that during the Omer?” It happens to a lot of couples.
The Jewish calendar has a rhythm of its own, and a few days and seasons are traditionally kept free of weddings. None of it is hard once you see the whole year at a glance. Here’s what to avoid, why, and the exact dates for 2026 and 2027.
Can Jews get married on a Saturday?
Not during the day. Shabbat runs from sundown on Friday to nightfall on Saturday, and weddings aren’t held on Shabbat in any traditional movement, because a wedding involves a contract, travel and work that Shabbat sets aside. The same goes for the festivals themselves (My Jewish Learning).
A Saturday night wedding is a different story. Once Shabbat ends, usually around 40 to 60 minutes after sunset depending on your community, you can begin. In winter that can mean a ceremony at 6pm; in June it can mean 9:30pm or later, which is why summer Saturday-night weddings often start with a late cocktail hour.
One detail for your Ketubah: a ceremony after sunset falls on the next Hebrew date. Our guide to the Hebrew date of your wedding explains how that works.
Which Jewish holidays rule out a wedding?
The festivals (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, Passover and Shavuot) are off the table, like Shabbat. Traditional practice also avoids the intermediate days of Passover and Sukkot, following the principle that one joyful occasion shouldn’t be mixed with another (Exploring Judaism).
A few more days are usually skipped:
Public fast days: Tzom Gedaliah, the Tenth of Tevet, the Fast of Esther, the 17th of Tammuz and Tisha B’Av.
The Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This is a custom rather than a law, but most families avoid it.
The day before a major festival, when everyone is cooking, travelling or preparing.
Chanukah and Purim don’t prevent a wedding. Chanukah weddings are lovely; Purim itself is usually too busy to be practical.
What is the Omer, and can you get married during it?
The Omer is the 49 days counted from the second day of Passover to Shavuot. It became a time of semi-mourning, so weddings are traditionally not held for much of it. Which part depends on your community:
Many Ashkenazi communities avoid weddings for the first 33 days, up to Lag BaOmer.
Others observe the later part instead, starting at Rosh Chodesh Iyar.
Sephardi communities generally wait until the day after Lag BaOmer.
Almost everyone allows weddings on Lag BaOmer, and many also allow them on Rosh Chodesh Iyar and Rosh Chodesh Sivan.
The Conservative movement lists Lag BaOmer and both Rosh Chodesh days as permitted, with more liberal congregations ending the restriction earlier (Exploring Judaism). That’s why Lag BaOmer is one of the busiest wedding days of the Jewish year. If you want it, book early.
What are the Three Weeks?
The Three Weeks run from the fast of the 17th of Tammuz to Tisha B’Av, and mark the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Ashkenazi communities don’t hold weddings during the whole period (Chabad). Sephardi communities usually avoid only the last nine days, from the first of Av.
The Conservative movement permits weddings from the day after the 17th of Tammuz until the end of that month, with only the Nine Days closed. It’s one of the places where asking your rabbi really matters.
Jewish wedding dates to avoid in 2026
If you’re still planning for this year, the remaining dates to keep clear are:
Every Shabbat, Friday sundown to Saturday nightfall
Sunday, December 20, 2026: the Tenth of Tevet, a fast day
Chanukah (the evening of December 4 to December 12, 2026) is open for weddings.
Jewish wedding dates to avoid in 2027
Dates are for weddings outside Israel. Jewish days begin at sundown, so each festival starts on the evening before the first date listed.
Monday, March 22: the Fast of Esther (Purim is Tuesday, March 23)
Wednesday, April 21 to Thursday, April 29: the day before Passover and the whole festival, including the intermediate days
Friday, April 23 to Thursday, June 10: the Omer. Lag BaOmer, Tuesday, May 25, is open in almost every community, and many also allow Rosh Chodesh Iyar (May 7–8) and Rosh Chodesh Sivan (Sunday, June 6). Which other days are open depends on your custom.
Thursday, June 10 to Saturday, June 12: the day before Shavuot and Shavuot
Thursday, July 22 to Thursday, August 12: the Three Weeks, from the 17th of Tammuz to Tisha B’Av. The Nine Days begin Wednesday, August 4.
Friday, October 1 to Sunday, October 3: Rosh Hashanah (from sundown on Friday)
Monday, October 4: Tzom Gedaliah, followed by the Ten Days of Repentance
Sunday, October 10 to Monday, October 11: Yom Kippur (from sundown on Sunday)
Friday, October 15 to Sunday, October 24: Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
Every Shabbat throughout the year
Chanukah 2027 begins on the evening of December 24 and is open for weddings. We checked every date against the Hebcal Jewish calendar; it’s a good place to double-check any day you’re considering.
Do Reform and interfaith couples need to follow these dates?
Not always. Many Reform rabbis officiate during the Omer or the Three Weeks, and some interfaith and secular couples don’t follow these customs at all. Almost every rabbi will still avoid Shabbat and the major holidays, and many families have older relatives who will notice a wedding during the Three Weeks.
The simplest approach: shortlist two or three dates, then send them to your officiant before you sign with a venue. It takes five minutes and saves a difficult conversation later.
How far ahead should you choose your date?
As soon as you can, because your Hebrew date goes onto your Ketubah. With Love Letters, every Ketubah is made to order in three to six weeks, with a digital proof within one to five days of ordering. Your rabbi can check the Hebrew date and the text before anything is printed. Our Ketubah ordering timeline shows how it all fits around your wedding date.
Once your date is set, you can design your Ketubah and we’ll take care of the Hebrew date for you.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get married on a Friday?
Yes, as long as the ceremony and celebration end before sundown, when Shabbat begins. Friday weddings are common in Israel, usually around midday.
What is the most popular day for a Jewish wedding?
Sunday is the most common in North America, followed by Saturday night. Tuesday is traditionally considered especially lucky, because in the creation story it is the day God says “it was good” twice.
Can you get married during Chanukah?
Yes. Chanukah doesn’t restrict weddings, and the candlelight makes for a beautiful setting.
What if a close family member has recently passed away?
Mourning customs can affect the timing of a wedding. Speak to your rabbi, who can guide you through the options with care.
