June tends to be the most popular month for weddings throughout history. The reason has less to do with nice weather and more to with being clean, timing the kids for harvest, and an ancient Roman goddess named Juno.
An article from Associated Content explains that Juno was the Roman goddess of marriage. For this reason, many Romans chose to honor her by tying the knot in June. Like a lot of traditions, this one stuck.
Timing the kids
Still, honoring Juno isn't the only reason why June is such a popular wedding month. According to Associated Content, couples often married in June so they could time the conception of their first child. This way, the wife wouldn't be too far along in her pregnancy to perform the manual labor required during harvest time. How romantic!
The yearly bath
SuperWeddings.com offers a different theory. Apparently, during the 1400s and 1500s, people took their "annual bath" during May. So, "the over-all population was smelling relatively fresh in June, making it a good time to hold a special event like a wedding!"
Whatever the reason, it's worth noting that June might not be the most popular month for weddings anymore.
August might be in the lead
However, the Hallmark card people -- and who better to trust on this? -- say August has crept ahead over the last three years. No month has a lock, with the leader (be it June or August) having slightly more than 10 percent of all weddings. Hallmark's order of preference: August, June, July, September, October, May, April, November, December, March, February, January.
Comments
Interesting and illuminating! Now I know why my wiffy wanted to get hitched in June. Thanks June!
I think we should be thankful that we don't live in the 1400s when people only took a bath once a year. There must have been some powerful aromas at big gatherings, like weddings.
I've been to so many weddings in June, it's true. I never thought about why. But maybe that is why the month of june makes me a little sad because "always the bridesmaid, never the bride."
i wonder if people know why they do lots of things, or they do things because its tradition but they dont know what's behind the tradition. Like the part about getting ready for harvest.
there are too many weddings if you ask me. but what happens after the wedding? that's the moment of truth.
I am in the wedding business. We make flower girl dresses for children and boy's suits. I am biased BUT I think weddings are wonderful times when families can gather together to celebrate the love between two people. June is a wonderful time - the kids are out of school, the weather is generally lovely in most places but with with budgets in mind, a wedding competes with Graduation parties, Law firm outings and office picnics. We have seen a rise in October so much so that it has become a very busy month indeed. Off-season pricing in October, November and January isn't too bad either.
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