1 September is the most common wedding anniversary date, with an average of 1,557 marriages taking place on the date, new analysis has revealed.
The research, from drinks and gifting retailer Bottled and Boxed, analysed 22 years of marriage registration data from the Office for National Statistics to identify the dates when couples across England and Wales are most likely to be celebrating their wedding anniversaries each year.
Every date in the top 10 falls between late July and early September, showing how heavily the most common anniversaries are concentrated in late summer.
The most common wedding anniversary dates are:
- 1 September: 1,557 average marriages
- 25 August: 1,541
- 26 August: 1,517
- 28 July: 1,481
- 18 August: 1,476
- 4 August: 1,474
- 5 August: 1,412
- 2 September: 1,403
- 29 July: 1,403
- 12 August: 1,378
August is the most common month for wedding anniversaries, accounting for 15.7% of all marriages analysed, with an average of 1,254 couples married per day.
July follows with 13.1%, while September accounts for 12.7%. Combined, July, August and September account for 41.5% of wedding anniversaries, or more than two in five.
January is the quietest month of the year, accounting for just 2.7% of anniversaries, with an average of 216 couples married per day.
Christmas Day is the least common wedding anniversary date, with an average of fewer than five marriages taking place on 25 December.
Boxing Day follows with an average of 22, while New Year’s Day sees an average of 37. These three dates sit well below the next least common date, 13 January, which averages 134 marriages.
The least common wedding anniversary dates are:
- 25 December: 5 average marriages
- 26 December: 22
- 1 January: 37
- 13 January: 134
- 11 January: 172
- 18 January: 181
- 17 January: 191
- 2 January: 208
- 4 January: 211
- 10 January: 212
Despite its association with romance, Valentine’s Day ranks 55th overall, with an average of 1,095 marriages. New Year’s Eve ranks 207th, Halloween ranks 228th, and Bonfire Night ranks 196th.
The research also revealed that some repeating dates rank much higher than others. 7 July ranks 33rd and 9 September ranks 22nd, but later-year repeating dates are much less common, with 10 October ranking 210th, 11 November ranking 237th and 12 December ranking 265th.
Steve King, managing director at Bottled and Boxed, said: “Anniversaries are one of the biggest gifting moments of the year, but unlike birthdays, they are not evenly spread across the calendar.
“For anyone buying for a partner, family member or close friend, the data shows just how busy late summer can be for anniversary gifting. If you’re choosing something more thoughtful, premium or personalised, it is worth planning ahead rather than leaving it until the date is almost here.
“It also shows that the dates which feel romantic or memorable on paper are not always the ones couples choose in practice. For many people, the date itself may matter less than the season, the setting, and being able to celebrate with the people closest to them.”
