Analyzes show that September 1 is the most common day to get married.
Research by MailOnline showed that an average of 1,501 couples tie the knot on that date every year.
Famous faces getting married on this day include Stevie Wonder, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seth Meyers and Whoopi Goldberg.
Christmas Day, on the other hand, is the least popular (5).
All 366 days of the year – including February 29 – are plotted on a heatmap so you can see how your anniversary compares according to data collected by the Office for National Statistics.
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The figures represent the total number of weddings recorded each day in England and Wales between 1999 and 2020, as well as the annual average.
This includes same-sex marriages from March 2014, when the Same Sex Couples Act came into force.
The most popular days (with an average of more than 1,000 weddings) are shown in red, while the least popular days (less than 100) are colored dark blue.
Rounding out the top five after September 1, the most popular days to get married were August 25 (1,486), August 18 (1,423), July 28 (1,422) and August 4 (1,421).
British behavioral scientist Patrick Fagan, a Sunday Times bestselling author, said late summer is generally the most popular days for weddings.
“I can imagine that it is mainly people who want to celebrate their wedding when the weather is nice, but not too hot,” Fagan told MailOnline.
“I’m not sure why August 11 and 18 don’t fit the pattern very well, although I do see that they are still quite popular, so that could just be noise in the data.”
Mr Fagan himself got married on September 4 – a fairly popular day with just under 1,270 weddings – as it had special meaning for him and his wife.
Ivo Vlaev, professor of behavioral sciences at the University of Warwick, agrees that weather and seasonality play a role.
‘August and September are popular due to favorable weather, which makes outdoor ceremonies and receptions more enjoyable,’ Professor Vlaev told MailOnline.
American comedian Seth Meyers married human rights lawyer Alexi Ashe on September 1, 2013 (photo)
‘Couples prefer dates with less weather uncertainty (summer) to avoid the potential ‘loss’ of a rainy wedding day, which can be a significant emotional and financial setback.
‘The end of July and August also coincide with the school holidays, making it easier for families with children to attend.’
Unsurprisingly, the data shows that Christmas Day is the least popular day to get married, with an average of only five couples getting married on December 25.
The second least popular is Boxing Day (23 weddings), followed by New Year’s Day (37 weddings) – probably because engaged couples know loved ones will be celebrating or still recovering from festive indulgences.
“It is no surprise that Christmas is the least popular, probably due to high travel costs, family commitments and the cold weather,” says Professor Vlaev, who is engaged but has yet to choose his wedding date.
Other unpopular choices are January 13 (135 marriages) and February 29 (183).
February is also generally avoided, although there is one notable outlier that month that won’t come as a shock.
Musician Stevie Wonder married fashion designer Kai Millard on September 1, 2001, but filed for divorce eleven years later
American actress Whoopi Goldberg and Dutch cameraman David Claessen (photo) married on September 1, 1986
“It’s nice to see Valentine’s Day breaking the trend and being popular in winter, but not really surprising why,” Mr Fagan said.
Aside from practical reasons, choosing personally significant dates – such as the same day a couple first met – can be important.
Memorable numbers (for example, the first of the month) can also help spouses remember their wedding anniversary for years to come.
“Some dates may have cultural or personal significance and contribute to their popularity,” Professor Vlaev added.
Furthermore, couples may even choose dates that are popular within their social circles, as seeing friends or family getting married during these months can influence their decision.