Love guide · 择日
Choosing a Lucky Wedding Date
For many Chinese families, the date matters as much as the venue. Here's how couples, and their parents, think about it.
Popular lucky dates
- 20 May (5.20): 我爱你, "I love you". Marriage registries in China see huge queues.
- 21 May (5.21): 我愿意, "I do".
- Qixi (7th day of the 7th lunar month): Chinese Valentine's Day, based on the legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.
- Dates containing 8 (prosperity), 9 (久, lasting) or 6 (smooth).
- Symbolic years: 2014 (爱你一世, "love you for a lifetime") triggered a wedding boom.
Dates to avoid
- Ghost Month: the 7th lunar month, when spirits are believed to roam. Qixi itself is the romantic exception.
- Days with 4 (死), e.g. the 4th, 14th and 24th.
- Many families also avoid the Qingming festival period and the year's inauspicious days in the Tong Shu almanac (通胜).
🗓 Shortlist dates in seconds with our Lucky Date Finder. It checks digits, lunar days and Ghost Month automatically.
Lucky numbers for the big day
| Use | Great choices | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Red envelope (红包) amount | 520, 888, 1314, 1688, 9999 | Anything with 4; 250; odd amounts |
| Table numbers | Skip 4 and 14 (use 3A / 15, or name tables instead) | 4, 13, 14 |
| Ceremony time | Times with 8 or 9 (e.g. 9:18, 10:08) | 4:44 |
Personal date selection
Traditionally a master selects the date (择日) using both partners' birth charts (八字). Our number tools give you a strong shortlist. For a personal selection, ask our almanac experts.
Wedding planner or venue?
Sponsor our Lucky Date Finder and appear in front of couples choosing their day.
Sponsor the tool