Friday the 13th Weddings

According to old English folklore dating back to the 1800s, "A couple married on a Friday are doomed to a cat and dog life.” (Yikes!) With eerie tales of bad luck, it's no surprise that some couples are spooked by this supposedly unlucky day. A recent survey on TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com found that 1,345 fewer couples are getting married on July 13 than on the following Friday, leaving just 2,845 unfazed by the superstition. For those with no qualms about setting a potentially disastrous date, it's simply an opportunity to work with an offbeat wedding theme (gothic black and red decor, 13 tables, symbols of luck).

Upcoming Friday the 13th Dates

Superstitious or not, it doesn't hurt to keep these Friday the 13th dates on your radar:

September 13, 2013
December 13, 2013
June 13, 2014
February 13, 2015
March 13, 2015
November 13, 2015

Other Unlucky Wedding Dates

Friday the 13th isn't the only wedding date that couples avoid. Consider these age-old superstitions:

The Ides of March
For ancient Romans, an "ides” was simply the date of a full moon -- until Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15 in 44 B.C. Since then, "Beware the Ides of March” has become a mantra of this superstitiously unlucky date, which just so happens to fall on a weekend the next three years.

Friday, March 15, 2013
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Sunday, March 15, 2015

Leap Years
Greeks and Romans thought that starting any new life event -- from getting married to baptizing a child -- in a leap year would bring bad luck.

Next Leap Year: 2016