We’ve had the first romantic stirrings of St. Valentine’s Day and the earthier goings on of May Day and now it is time to celebrate commitment with June - the month most associated with marriages in Western culture.
There is no definitive reason why June is associated with tying-the-knot. Some claim it is because June is linked to the Roman goddess of marriage; Juno, and so marriages conducted during this month are bound to be particularly blessed. Less charmingly, when personal hygiene was viewed in a more relaxed manner than today, people were likely to take their regular ablutions once a year during the spring/early summer - by marrying in June the couple were still comparatively fragrant.
Queen Victoria, June Marriages are Lucky
If June is a fortunate time to marry, May was seen as an unlucky month for matrimony and Queen Victoria refused to allow any of her children to marry during May. The reasons given for May marriages being mired in misfortune seems to vary. It has been claimed its poor reputation was because of the excesses of Beltane held on May 1st were hardly a good start to married life. Whilst others believe it was because the Roman festival of the dead fell in May. Similarly, it was considered bad luck to marry during Lent as this was seen as a time of abstinence.
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