Summer is here, at least in the Northern Hemisphere — and wedding season is upon us.
The most popular wedding dates of 2025 are Saturday, August 23, and Saturday, September 3.
While these days are presumably picked for fair weather and the poetic notion that love should come to fruition whilst the world that surrounds us is in full bloom and at apex ripeness, there is a curious cosmic alignment to these auspicious dates.
It’s fitting that Saturday is the preferred day of the week for a hitching — it belongs to Saturn, our planet of karma, punishment, the long game, hard work, fortified foundations, and iron-clad commitments.
Psychic, Tarot reader, and astrologer Inbaal Honigman explains that two planets in particular have a direct bearing on how love relationships start, peak, and end.
“Naturally, the love planet Venus is important. This is the planet that influences our emotional well-being, the way we relate to others, and how comfortable we are in a relationship. When Venus is in a romantic sign, such as Pisces or Cancer, people will be feeling more inclined to get into relationships.
“On the other hand, when Venus is in a very independent sign, such as Aries or Sagittarius, the inclination would be more towards breakups.”
From June 6th to July 5th, Venus will luxuriate in the pleasure pastures of Taurus. During this transit, we are drawn to the stable and the surefire and are more likely to commit, settle down, or just plain settle.
From July 31 to August 26th, Venus will dip into the tidal pools of Cancer, a sign associated with divine domesticity, matching pajamas, soup mugs, and reciprocal soul-nourishing.
This transit encourages an all-in, ready-to-move-in approach to relationships. It’s about as cozy as the cosmos ever gets, folks — so ride it till it bucks you.
Speaking of…when Venus enters the bold b–ch and bronco heart of Sagittarius on December 1, we’re primed to see relationships end and wedding plans halted as the energy shifts from obsessive Scorpio to fancy free Sag.
On the upswing or upright horseshoe, this transit also supports love as an unexpected discovery, rather than a well-plotted course — and elopement over the dog and pony show of a traditional wedding.
Who doesn’t love a plot twist?
Mercury, our planet of the mind and the mouth, is another power player in the game of love.
“This is the planet that impacts the way we introduce ourselves, how we talk to others, and whether we tell the truth. When Mercury is in a communicative sign such as Gemini or Virgo, people are likely to talk themselves into somebody’s favor.
“However, when Mercury is in a quieter sign such as Aquarius or Taurus, the vibe will be much more single,” explained Honigman.
If we factor in the shadow period, Mercury will be retrograding in Leo for the bulk of the summer (June 30th to August 25th). In Leo, Mercury is made of jazz hands, crocodile tears, long-winded soliloquy, and unabashed declarations of love.
Mercury retrograde in Leo loves nothing more than doomed romance and the comeback arch of long-lost love, so there could be reunions aplenty — or at least a reconcilatory fling before moving on and marrying up.
Mercury stations retrograde on August 11th, and will just about clear its shadow in time for the two most popular wedding dates of 2025.
Couples choosing to solidify their bond in late August and/or through September and October, will have likely come through the calamity of this transit bettered by it — and closer for it.
“What’s interesting is that while wedding trends often follow practical patterns, like warm weather and weekends, there’s often a subtle alignment with astrology too. August 23rd, this year’s most popular wedding date, comes just after Mercury retrograde ends, which could feel like a natural moment of clarity and renewed connection for many couples,” Ella Citron-Thompkins from Diamonds Factory told The Post.
She noted that winter and particularly the Christmas season are among the least popular times for nuptials, and often herald the need for deep rest, quiet, and introspection.
More existential than marital, if you will.
“It’s fascinating to see how the cosmic and the cultural sometimes overlap, even when we don’t consciously plan it that way,” Citron-Thompkins said.
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website.
Read the full article here
