When "Golden Week" was around the corner, many of the 2010 graduates in art class 214 of Shanxi Changzhi No.6 Middle School, in Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, found themselves in a dilemma. Li Jiaqi and Tao Cheng, both in art class 214, were about to hold their respective weddings on the same day, October 1, this year, and many of their classmates were invited by both.

The concept of couples choosing the same wedding date is not rare in China. In general, to guarantee the availability of their friends and family, usually newly-weds prefer public holidays for their weddings, especially longer holidays, like the three-day-long International Workers' Day holiday in May, and week-long National Day holiday, or the "Golden Week", in October.

In addition, a fortuneteller's advice also influences a couple's choice for their wedding date to a large extent. "I chose to hold my wedding on the first day of National Day holiday, because my family and friends are available, and this day is lucky for marriage as well," Li Jiaqi said.

According to statistics published by Sound Vision, the most popular month for weddings in the US is June, followed by August and September.

Kieran Whitehouse, an online English language tutor from the UK, also said the best month to hold a wedding in the UK is July or August, when both workers and school children have their summer holidays. The relatively favorable weather – more sunshine and less rainfall – in these months is another reason for their popularity. 

The weather plays a key role probably because couples from countries like the US and UK prefer outdoor weddings. In contrast, Chinese couples prefer indoor weddings, usually held in a hotel's dining hall, thus weather is less important in their decision-making.

(Top Photo: A couple attends their wedding in Dazong village, Zhangwang town, Tengzhou City, Shandong Province, October 1, 2018. /VCG Photo)