Quick Answer
Why is May considered an unlucky month to marry in Italy?
An old Italian superstition holds that May is an unlucky month for weddings, a belief tracing back to ancient Rome, where May overlapped with Lemuria — a festival dedicated to placating restless spirits of the dead. Some families still factor this into date-setting today, though many modern Italian couples disregard it entirely.
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Why is May considered an unlucky month to marry in Italy?
Also called: mese di maggio superstition, Roman wedding superstition.
Long before wedding planners worried about venue availability, ancient Romans were already avoiding May for marriages — the month collided with Lemuria, a festival meant to appease unsettled spirits, and the overlap left May with a lingering reputation as unlucky for beginning a marriage. The superstition outlived the festival by roughly two thousand years, echoed today in the English phrase "marry in May and rue the day."
Roman origins and how the belief persists
- •The superstition is generally traced to Lemuria, an ancient Roman festival held in May to placate the restless spirits of the dead — a poor omen for starting a new marriage.
- •The belief persisted in Italian folk tradition long after its Roman origins, and echoes of it appear in other European cultures too, including the English rhyme warning against May marriages.
- •Adherence today varies widely — some families, particularly older generations, still steer wedding dates away from May, while many modern couples pay it no attention at all.
Planning notes
- •If older family members hold this superstition, it is worth a quick conversation before locking in a May date, simply to manage expectations.
- •Do not assume it will affect venue or vendor availability — May remains a popular wedding month in Italy overall, superstition aside.
- •Treat this as a family-specific consideration rather than a broad planning constraint.
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Where does the May wedding superstition come from?
It traces back to ancient Rome, where May overlapped with Lemuria, a festival dedicated to appeasing restless spirits of the dead — considered a bad omen for starting a marriage.
Do most Italian couples avoid getting married in May?
No — May remains a popular wedding month in Italy overall. The superstition persists mainly among some families and older generations rather than shaping bookings broadly.
Is this superstition unique to Italy?
The Roman origin is specifically Italian, but the belief echoes into other European traditions too, including the English saying "marry in May and rue the day."
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By Mayank JaiswalLast updated