Can You Get Married During Ghost Month?

Don't get married in the Chinese Hungry Ghost month!

In folklore, the seventh lunar month is called ghost month, during which the gate of hell will open from the 1st day to the 30th day. This period, dominated by Yin, is suitable for burning incense candles and paper money to worship ancestors and the deceased. Therefore, Chinese people, especially the older generation, believe that there are many taboos and customs in the ghost month. For example, it is not appropriate for wedding, moving, breaking ground, residence relocation, etc.
 
In terms of numerology, there is neither major abnormal change in cosmic magnetic field and astrology or generation of very unlucky magnetic field in the seventh lunar month, so wedding is fine in this month.
 
But as far as common sense is concerned, the deceased are to be respected. The seventh lunar month is overlaid with a sad atmosphere of memorizing the ancestors and mourning the deceased. Joyous occasions like wedding are disrespectful to the deceased and would deeply hurt those who love the deceased.
 
Psychologically, even if ghost month is not a taboo for the bride and the groom, they have to think about relatives, friends, and local customs and habits. Wedding is a very celebratory thing and it will be regrettable if any dispute or unhappiness happens.
 
There are many auspicious days for wedding, so do not act in a hurry and get married in ghost month.

What you should do to avoid bad effect if you want to get married in the Ghost month?

If you do have to hold the wedding in ghost month, pay more attention to some taboos and think more about the relatives and friends:
 
1. The brides and the grooms should not pick up the property on the ground at will. It is said that the ghosts would find the living beings marrying in the ghost month to "get married", so they would ask the family members alive to deliberately drop the property and let the brides or the grooms pick it up; then, the ghosts would appear in the dream of the brides or the grooms and force the latter to agree with the "ghost marriage", so be vigilant about it.
 
2. The brides marrying in the seventh lunar month should choose pink or pastel yellow rather than bright red or pure white dresses, because bright red can attract the jealous female ghosts while white can invite the evil spirits. If the brides or the grooms fall ill on the wedding day because of this, it will be bad for their future. 
 
3. Generally, the louder the bride weeps when she leaves her parents' home, the better. But a bride marrying in the ghost month should weep softly to not attract ghosts or affect her parents' health. It is also unlucky to have children crying or screaming in the auditorium.
 
4. The wedding banquet should be organized at noon rather than in the evening. If a dragonfly or butterfly happens to fly into the banquet, do not catch or kill it. Otherwise, the ghost could visit the new couple.
 
5. In general, people of Tiger sign should not visit the house of the new couple marrying in the ghost month. However, a friend or a boy under Tiger sign can be invited to press bed, so as to balance the Yin in the ghost month.
 
6. Friends and relatives should not banter or tease the newlyweds on wedding night. The newlyweds' house should be as bright as possible, and avoid candles for romance.
 
7. The word ''ghost'' should not be mentioned on the wedding in ghost month, so as to avoid something bad.
 
8. While taking wedding photos in ghost month, new couples should try to avoid taking pictures by the water and finish the outdoor scene before dusk. This is also applicable to the leap seventh lunar month.
 
9. For the wedding in the leap seventh lunar month, the wedding banquet should be held at noon since the elders are reluctant to go out in the evening in the seventh lunar month. Also, try to avoid the 1st, 15th and 30th day of this month because every family is busy preparing for the worship on those days. 
 
10. If the marriage certificate has been obtained but the wedding is to be held in the seventh lunar month or the leap seventh lunar month, it can be postponed to the eighth lunar month, so as to avoid dispute in the future. (Generally speaking, it is fine to hold the wedding within 100 days upon the date of getting the certificate.) In fact, the wedding taboos in ghost month are just to remind people to be more careful and cautious. As long as respect and goodwill are shown, the "ghosts" will not be provoked. If parents or newlyweds do not believe in "ghost month" at all, the wedding can be held more easily and the banquet can be postponed after the seventh lunar month if the guests are considered.
 
11. A prudent attitude in ghost month can help you to pursue good fortune and avoid disaster. If you still worry about it, you may choose some Feng Shui items to resolve it.

Related Reading: Auspicious Dates for Wedding in 2021 How to Select Year and Month for Marriage? How to Choose an Auspicious Wedding Date? Taboos to Avoid during Hungry Ghost Month Can You Move House During Ghost Month?

Chinese Calendar

SuMoTuWeThFrSa
25十六/16 26十七/17 27十八/18 28十九/19 29二十/20 1廿壹/21 2廿二/22
3廿三/23 4廿四/24 5廿五/25 6廿六/26 7廿七/27 8廿八/28 9廿九/29
二月 (Feb) 10初壹/1 11初二/2 12初三/3 13初四/4 14初五/5 15初六/6 16初七/7
17初八/8 18初九/9 19初十/10 20十壹/11 21十二/12 22十三/13 23十四/14
24十五/15 25十六/16 26十七/17 27十八/18 28十九/19 29二十/20 30廿壹/21
31廿二/22 1廿三/23 2廿四/24 3廿五/25 4廿六/26 5廿七/27 6廿八/28

Lastest Questions and Answers

Wedding before Ghost Month (1 Reply ) Asked by Y***a | 1/28/2020 8:31:02 AM

Hi, I wanna ask about how if wedding day is one day before ghost month? For example today is wedding day, and tomorrow is the begining of ghost...