The Surprising Way Your Zodiac Sign Can Help You Pick a Lucky Wedding Date

Choosing a wedding date is one of the first—and most important—planning tasks to complete. Your date will guide nearly every subsequent decision, like which vendors you hire, where your nuptials take place, and what your color palette looks like. Given the significance of your wedding date, it's not to be chosen lightly. But how do you even begin to find the best time to get married? Believe it or not, picking a wedding date can be tied to astrology. 

Your zodiac sign can say a lot about your wedding planning style or how compatible you are with your S.O., but it can also guide you toward a lucky wedding date too. Whether you religiously check your daily horoscope or you're simply looking for an auspicious date, there's a surprising astrology hack you can use to find a lucky day to wed.

Start with your birthday. 

To put this zodiac trick to the test, use your birthday as a starting point. "If you're not sure when to get married, consider choosing a wedding date within six weeks of your birthday," says astrologist Susan Miller. "This is a lucky time for you, because the sun is returning to where it was when you were born." 

So, what does this really mean? The sun's energy can translate into good fortune, which is strongest when it returns to where it was in the sky at the time of your birth. You can track this using an online birth chart generator. Using the day and time you were born, these generators create a map of the sky at the exact moment you were born. Your birth chart determines your main zodiac sign (also known as your sun sign), as well as additional placements like your moon sign, rising sign, and planetary houses. Together, these create your astrological profile which can provide insight into how the stars influence your personality. 

"The sun is a strong force in your life; it's the giver of life and strength," Miller adds. "The sun is in the center of our universe, so it's lucky to have the sun near where it was when you were born."

Avoid Mercury in retrograde. 

There is one caveat to be aware of when searching for the best wedding dates using astrology: Mercury in retrograde. Simply put, Mercury in retrograde occurs three times a year when the planet Mercury moves in the opposite direction of Earth. You might be familiar with this buzzy phrase—people often blame their misfortunes on this unlucky time. "When Mercury is in retrograde, our thinking is foggy, so we tend to rush and lose things," Miller explains. "We're not supposed to sign contracts during Mercury in retrograde, and marriage is essentially a contract. When you're choosing a wedding date, you ideally want a strong Mercury because this will protect you."

If you're superstitious, consider avoiding a wedding date during this period. But how can you pick the best astrological wedding dates that aren't during Mercury in retrograde? A simple Google search will tell you exactly when Mercury will be in retrograde for any given year. Just like your birthday, this can be used to guide your process for selecting a good wedding date. 

Keep an open mind. 

Remember that these astrology wedding date tricks are subjective. Miller stresses that it's okay if this exact timing doesn't work out. If your birthday is in winter and you've always wanted a summer wedding, you can pick a date that works best for your vision and your personal timeline. These tips can simply serve as a fun experiment to help guide your date selection process. And, if you have a soft spot for astrology or lucky dates based on numerology, this zodiac hack will make your wedding day feel even more special.