In the Russian Orthodox Church, weddings are not celebrated on certain days or during certain seasons.  This is not out of disdain for marriage, but so as to ensure that days and seasons of spiritual rejoicing or of fasting and repentance are not overshadowed by the joy of a wedding.  As a general rule, the days on which weddings are not permitted by the Russian Orthodox Church are:

• Tuesdays
• Thursdays
• Saturdays
• the days of Great Lent (seven weeks before Pascha, or Easter)
• the days of the Apostles’ Fast (beginning on the second Sunday after Pentecost)
• the days of the Dormition Fast (14-27 August)
• the days of the Nativity Fast (28 November-7 January)
• The period between Christmas and Theophany (7-19 January)
• the days of Cheesefare Week (the week before the beginning of Great Lent)
• the days of Paschal (or Easter) Week (Bright Week)
• 14 February (the Eve of the Great Feast of the Meeting of the Lord)
• The Eve of the Great Feast of the Ascension of the Lord
• The Great Feast of Pentecost
• 10-11 September (the Eve and the Feast of the Beheading of St John the Baptist)
• 20 September (the Eve of the Great Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God)
• 26-27 September (the Eve of the Great Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, and the day of the Great Feast itself)
• 13 October (the Eve of the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God)

The dates of some feast-days and fasting periods vary from one year to another.  The parish rector will be able to provide precise dates for a particular year. 

In our Australian and New Zealand Diocese, weddings are most commonly celebrated on Sundays and Fridays.  Dates for the Sundays and Fridays available for weddings during 2018 and 2019 are given below.

Readers should note that the availability of a date will also depend on local custom and observances.  In this parish, for example, a wedding would not be possible on 8 August or 9 August, the Eve and the Feast of the Great-Martyr Panteleimon.

As the Nativity Fast continues until Wednesday 6 January, Sunday 3 January is unavailable.  Because of the Holy Days from the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Thursday 7 January) until the Great Feast of the Baptism of Christ (Tuesday 19 January), Sunday 10 January and Sunday 17 January are unavailable.

24 January

31 January

7 February

As Sunday 14 February is the Eve of the Great Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, that Sunday is unavailable.

21 February

28 February

7 March

As Cheesefare Week begins on Monday 8 March, Sunday 14 March is unavailable.  As Great Lent begins on Monday 15 March, the remaining Sundays in March are unavailable.  As Pascha falls on Sunday 2 May, all four Sundays in April and the first Sunday in May are unavailable.

9 May

16 May

23 May

30 May

6 June

13 June

As Pentecost falls on Sunday 20 June, that Sunday is unavailable.  As Sunday 27 June is the Eve of the Apostles' Fast, that Sunday is unavailable.  As the Apostles' Fast begins on Monday 28 June and continues until Sunday 11 July, the first two Sundays in July are unavailable.

18 July

25 July

1 August

8 August

As the Dormition Fast begins on Saturday 14 August and continues until Friday 27 August, Sunday 15 August and Sunday 22 August are unavailable.

29 August

5 September

12 September

19 September NOTE: This will be the day of commemoration of Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom, patron saints of family, love and faithfulness.

As Sunday 26 September is the Eve of the Great Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, this Sunday is unavailable.

3 October

10 October

17 October

24 October

31 October

7 November

14 November

21 November

As the Nativity Fast begins on Sunday 28 November, that Sunday and all the Sundays in December are unavailable.

As the Nativity Fast continues until Wednesday 6 January, Friday 1 January is unavailable.  Because of the Holy Days from the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Thursday 7 January) until the Great Feast of the Baptism of Christ (Tuesday 19 January), Friday 8 January and Friday 15 January are unavailable.

22 January

29 January

5 February

12 February

19 February

26 February

5 March

As Cheesefare Week begins on Monday 8 March, Friday 12 March is unavailable.  As Great Lent begins on Monday 15 March, the remaining Fridays in March and all the Fridays in April are unavailable.  

Pascha falls on Sunday 2 May.  As Bright Week continues until Saturday 8 May, Friday 7 May is unavailable.

14 May

21 May

28 May

4 June

11 June

18 June

25 June

As the Apostles' Fast begins on Monday 28 June and continues until Sunday 11 July, Friday 2 July and Friday 9 July are unavailable.

16 July

23 July

30 July

6 August

As the Dormition Fast begins on Saturday 14 August, Friday 13 August is unavailable.  As the Dormition Fast continues until Friday 27 August, Friday 20 August and Friday 27 August are unavailable.

3 September

10 September

17 September

24 September

1 October

8 October

15 October

22 October

29 October

5 November

12 November

19 November

26 November

As the Nativity Fast begins on Saturday 28 November, all the Fridays in December are unavailable.

As the Nativity Fast continues until Thursday 6 January, Sunday 2 January is unavailable.  Because of the Holy Days from the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Friday 7 January) until the Great Feast of the Baptism of Christ (Wednesday 19 January), Sunday 9 January and Sunday 16 January are unavailable.

23 January

30 January

6 February

13 February

20 February

27 February

As Cheesefare Week begins on Monday 28 February, Sunday 6 March is unavailable.  As Great Lent begins on Monday 7 March, the remaining Sundays in March are unavailable.  

As Pascha falls on Sunday 24 April, all four Sundays in April are unavailable.

1 May

8 May

15 May

22 May

29 May

5 June

As Pentecost falls on Sunday 12 June, that Sunday is unavailable.  As Sunday 19 June is the Eve of the Apostles' Fast, that Sunday is unavailable.  As the Apostles' Fast begins on Monday 20 June and continues until Monday 11 July, Sunday 26 June and the first two Sundays in July are unavailable.

17 July

24 July

31 July

7 August

As the Dormition Fast begins on Sunday 14 August and continues until Friday 27 August, Sunday 14 August and Sunday 21 August are unavailable.

28 August

4 September

11 September

18 September NOTE: - This will be the day of commemoration of Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom, patron saints of family, love and faithfulness.

25 September

2 October

9 October

16 October

23 October

30 October

6 November

13 November

20 November

As the Nativity Fast begins on Monday 28 November, Sunday 27 November and all the Sundays in December are unavailable.

As Friday 7 January is the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ, that day is unavailable.  Because of the Holy Days from the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Friday 7 January) until the Great Feast of the Baptism of Christ (Wednesday 19 January), Friday 14 January is unavailable.

21 January

28 January

4 February

11 February

18 February

25 February

As Cheesefare Week begins on Monday 28 February, Friday 4 March is unavailable.  As Great Lent begins on Monday 7 March, the remaining Fridays in March and the first four Fridays in April are unavailable.  

Pascha falls on Sunday 24 April.  As Bright Week continues until Saturday 30 April, Friday 29 April is unavailable.

6 May

13 May

20 May

27 May

3 June

10 June

17 June

As the Apostles' Fast begins on Monday 20 June and continues until Monday 11 July, Friday 24 June July and the first two Fridays in July are unavailable.

15 July

22 July

29 July

5 August

12 August

As the Dormition Fast begins on Sunday 14 August and continues until Saturday 27 August, Friday 19 August and Friday 26 August are unavailable.

2 September

9 September

16 September

23 September

30 September

7 October

14 October

21 October

28 October

4 November

11 November

18 November

25 November

As the Nativity Fast begins on Monday 28 November, all the Fridays in December are unavailable.