Our most bookmarked blog of the year is back! Newly updated, our 2026 Jewish holiday calendar is the one to have on hand when choosing the date for your upcoming wedding. We cover which days of the week you should and shouldn’t choose for your simcha, all the important Jewish holiday dates for 2026 and how they affect your wedding plans, and our practical tips for destination Jewish weddings with all of this in mind.
At Elegante by Michelle J we plan weddings in London and throughout Europe for Jewish couples of all levels of observance, and will always work with you to find the perfect date for your simcha celebrations. Depending on the levels of observance of you, your families and guests, some of these factors may be more important than others.
Which days of the week can I have a Jewish wedding on?
Most Jewish couples choose to plan their weddings around Shabbat. Saturdays are considered off-limits for religious couples and their families, and the vast majority of the couples we work with celebrate their wedding on a Sunday. Other popular days are Thursdays because they lead into shabbat, and Tuesdays which are considered ‘twice blessed’ and therefore sometimes favoured.
When we plan Jewish destination weddings, it is very common for everyone to fly in on Thursday or Friday and celebrate with a welcome event on one of those afternoons or evenings. We then generally have an event-free day on Saturday to honour Shabbat, and the simcha itself comes on Sunday. If you want to plan a single-day wedding on a Sunday, either at home or overseas, consider that many people (guests, suppliers, Rabbi) will not want to travel on the Saturday – this should be factored in if they are coming a long way to celebrate with you.
For many of our couples’ destination weddings, the Rabbi, some members of the supplier team and the majority of the guests travel out on a Friday to avoid doing so on shabbat. The implication of this is that they must be accommodated for an extra night, and this should be factored in when budgeting for suppliers and their travel.
2026 Jewish Holiday Calendar
Our 2026 Jewish holiday calendar indicates the main religious celebrations, which should be avoided when planning your wedding date. These dates are considered holy and, even if you yourselves don’t identify as strongly religious, you likely have family members and guests that do – not to mention the fact that some of your suppliers will not work on these holiday dates. Refer to the table below to identify when you can and can’t plan your simcha.
All Jewish holidays begin at sundown of the preceding night and finish at nightfall.
*The three weeks leading up to Tisha B’av are usually the first thing we work out for our couples when planning their wedding date, as they fall in the summer which is a popular time for weddings. Once we have identified these dates, the summer time from May to September is generally all acceptable.
Jewish Wedding FAQs: Dates & Holidays
Can you have a Jewish wedding on a Saturday?
Traditional Jewish law prohibits it because weddings involve practices not permitted on Shabbat – working, conducting business and traveling long distances are not allowed which makes having a simcha difficult. It is sometimes possible to have a wedding after Shabbat ends on Saturday night, but this is dependent on whether the Rabbi will allow it and your Jewish suppliers can facilitate it.
Why are weddings not allowed on Jewish holidays?
Jewish holidays are generally times of community celebration, and mixing personal festivities with this is discouraged. Often, the day before a holiday is also avoided.
Can you get married during the Omer period?
The Omer (between Passover and Shavuot) is generally avoided for weddings, however some customs allow weddings on or after Lag B’Omer. It is important to check your community’s guidance on this, and consult with your rabbi.
Are there any Jewish holidays where weddings are allowed?
Some communities and Rabbis do allow weddings on certain dates such as Purim and Hannukah, since they are not biblically mandated rest days – it really depends on each individual case, however.
Are there any days considered ‘good luck’ for Jewish weddings?
Tu B’Av is traditionally a day of love (Jewish Valentine’s Day) and so is often favoured for weddings. Rosh Chodesh (new month) and the first half of the month are also considered auspicious. As we mentioned earlier, Tuesdays are sometimes viewed as extra special too.
What if we are having an interfaith wedding i.e. only one of us is Jewish? How do the holidays affect us then?
Restrictions on dates always apply if you are having a Rabbi-led ceremony, regardless of whether you are both Jewish or not. It is possible to find more flexible rabbis, so it’s always worth checking and working with your wedding planner to figure out the best dates for you.
Remember THESE 15 important things when planning an interfaith or multicultural wedding.
Can I have a welcome party on a Friday evening even though it leads into Shabbat?
Shabbat technically begins at sundown on Friday evening, however most of our couples marry during the summer months where this is much later in the day. For couples who are not strictly observant, Friday nights are often treated just like any other evening. If you wish to throw a Shabbat-friendly Friday welcome party, that is also possible by structuring it as a dinner or more low-key gathering OR by gathering guests before sundown for speeches, drinks and music, then allowing each guest to choose what they do and where they go after the sun sets – either continue the party or go to dinner and observe Shabbat.
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