Vivah Muhurat 2026 — Auspicious Hindu Wedding Dates

Choosing the right vivah muhurat (विवाह मुहूर्त) is one of the most important steps in Hindu wedding planning. An auspicious muhurta is believed to bless the marriage with longevity, harmony, and prosperity.

This guide covers all major auspicious wedding dates in 2026, what makes a muhurta favorable for marriage, and how to verify the right time for your specific wedding.

What Makes a Wedding Muhurta Auspicious?

A vivah muhurat depends on several panchang elements aligning favorably:

Favorable Tithis (Lunar Days)

Not all tithis are suitable for marriage:

Auspicious: Dwitiya (2), Tritiya (3), Panchami (5), Saptami (7), Dashami (10), Ekadashi (11), Trayodashi (13)
Shukla Paksha (waxing moon) is strongly preferred over Krishna Paksha
Avoid: Chaturthi (4), Ashtami (8), Chaturdashi (14), Amavasya (new moon), Purnima (some traditions)

Favorable Nakshatras

The Moon's nakshatra at the time of the wedding is critical:

Best: Rohini, Mrigashira, Magha (with exceptions), Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Swati, Anuradha, Mula (with exceptions), Uttara Ashadha, Uttara Bhadrapada, Revati
Avoid: Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, Moola (first quarter), Bharani

Favorable Lagnas (Ascendants)

The ascendant at the time of the wedding affects the marriage's quality:

Best lagna for marriage: Taurus, Gemini, Virgo, Libra, Sagittarius, Pisces
Venus (karaka of marriage) should be strong and unafflicted
Jupiter should aspect the lagna or the 7th house when possible

Planets to Check

Venus: Must not be combust (too close to the Sun). Venus combust periods are avoided for weddings.
Jupiter: Its transit and strength matter; Jupiter retrograde is generally avoided.
Mars: Mars should not afflict the 7th house (house of marriage).

Periods to Avoid

Adhik Maas (extra lunar month): No weddings during the extra month
Shraadh Paksha (Pitru Paksha): 15 days of ancestral worship — no weddings
Kharmas (Solar ingress into Sagittarius and Pisces): Solar transit into Sagittarius and Pisces creates Kharmas — inauspicious for weddings
Major inauspicious yogas: Visha Yoga, Vaidhriti Yoga

Auspicious Wedding Dates 2026 — By Month

April 2026

April has limited wedding muhurtas due to Venus's position and the approach of Akshaya Tritiya.

| Date | Day | Tithi | Nakshatra | Notes | |------|-----|-------|-----------|-------| | Apr 18 | Sat | Shukla Panchami | Mrigashira | Good muhurta, verify Venus | | Apr 19 | Sun | Shukla Shashthi | Ardra | Limited — check local panchang | | Apr 29 | Wed | Shukla Tritiya | — | Akshaya Tritiya — entire day auspicious |

Note: Akshaya Tritiya (April 29) is considered swayamsiddha — self-auspicious — for weddings. No muhurta calculation needed. One of the most popular wedding days of the year.

May 2026

| Date | Day | Tithi | Nakshatra | Notes | |------|-----|-------|-----------|-------| | May 3 | Sun | Shukla Saptami | Uttara Phalguni | Excellent nakshatra for marriage | | May 4 | Mon | Shukla Ashtami | Hasta | Good nakshatra, but Ashtami — verify | | May 7 | Thu | Shukla Ekadashi | Swati | Good muhurta | | May 8 | Fri | Shukla Dwadashi | Anuradha | Friday (Venus day) + good nakshatra | | May 10 | Sun | Shukla Chaturdashi | Jyeshtha | Avoid Jyeshtha | | May 17 | Sun | Krishna Saptami | Uttara Ashadha | Verify Venus, good nakshatra |

June 2026

Summer wedding season is popular in diaspora communities.

| Date | Day | Tithi | Nakshatra | Notes | |------|-----|-------|-----------|-------| | Jun 1 | Mon | Shukla Saptami | Rohini | Rohini is the most auspicious wedding nakshatra | | Jun 5 | Fri | Shukla Ekadashi | Uttara Phalguni | Strong combination | | Jun 6 | Sat | Shukla Dwadashi | Hasta | Very good | | Jun 7 | Sun | Shukla Trayodashi | Swati | Good | | Jun 14 | Sun | Krishna Panchami | Uttara Ashadha | Good nakshatra | | Jun 28 | Sun | Shukla Tritiya | Hasta | Excellent combination | | Jun 29 | Mon | Shukla Chaturthi | Chitra | Avoid Chaturthi for weddings |

July 2026

| Date | Day | Tithi | Nakshatra | Notes | |------|-----|-------|-----------|-------| | Jul 3 | Fri | Shukla Ashtami | Anuradha | Good nakshatra, Ashtami — verify tradition | | Jul 5 | Sun | Shukla Dashami | Mula | Avoid first quarter of Mula | | Jul 26 | Sun | Shukla Tritiya | Swati | Good combination | | Jul 27 | Mon | Shukla Chaturthi | Anuradha | Good nakshatra, Chaturthi — verify |

November 2026

November has limited wedding dates due to Pitru Paksha ending and Diwali season.

Pitru Paksha 2026: Check local panchang for exact dates — no weddings during Shraadh Paksha.

| Date | Day | Tithi | Nakshatra | Notes | |------|-----|-------|-----------|-------| | Nov 20 | Fri | Shukla Panchami | Uttara Ashadha | Post-Diwali season resumes | | Nov 22 | Sun | Shukla Saptami | Uttara Bhadrapada | Good | | Nov 27 | Fri | Shukla Dwadashi | Rohini | Rohini + Friday — excellent | | Nov 29 | Sun | Shukla Chaturdashi | Mrigashira | Good nakshatra |

December 2026

December is a peak wedding season for both India and diaspora communities.

| Date | Day | Tithi | Nakshatra | Notes | |------|-----|-------|-----------|-------| | Dec 6 | Sun | Shukla Saptami | Uttara Phalguni | Excellent | | Dec 7 | Mon | Shukla Ashtami | Hasta | Good nakshatra, Ashtami — verify | | Dec 11 | Fri | Shukla Dwadashi | Anuradha | Very good — Friday + Anuradha | | Dec 13 | Sun | Shukla Chaturdashi | Mula | Avoid Mula | | Dec 27 | Sun | Shukla Tritiya | Hasta | Good combination | | Dec 28 | Mon | Shukla Chaturthi | Swati | Good nakshatra |

2026 Periods with No Wedding Muhurtas

These periods should be completely avoided for Hindu wedding ceremonies:

| Period | Dates (approx.) | Reason | |--------|-----------------|--------| | Holashtak | ~Mar 14–21, 2026 | 8 days before Holi — inauspicious | | Kharmas (Pisces) | ~Mar 14 – Apr 13, 2026 | Sun in Pisces | | Shraadh / Pitru Paksha | ~Sep 30 – Oct 14, 2026 | Ancestral fortnight | | Kharmas (Sagittarius) | ~Dec 16 – Jan 14, 2027 | Sun in Sagittarius |

Note: Venus combust periods (when Venus is too close to the Sun) are also avoided. Check the specific Venus combustion window for 2026 with your priest or using KAAL.

How to Verify Your Wedding Date

A wedding muhurta must be matched to both partners' birth charts (janam kundali). What is generally auspicious may conflict with specific planetary placements in one person's horoscope. This is called *dosha matching.

Steps to Finalize Your Muhurta

Start with the shortlist — use this guide to identify candidate dates
Match horoscopes (kundali milan) — 36-point compatibility check (ashtakoota)
Verify Venus and Jupiter — they must be strong and unafflicted on your date
Check lagna at ceremony time — the exact time matters, not just the date
Consult a Jyotishi — for final muhurta with exact start time for the Saptapadi (seven steps)

What KAAL Shows You

KAAL displays daily panchang — tithi, nakshatra, yoga, and karana — so you can quickly verify whether any date on your shortlist has a favorable nakshatra and tithi combination.

Download KAAL on iPhone

Vivah Muhurat FAQ

Can a wedding happen on Ashtami (8th tithi)? Opinions vary by regional tradition and family custom. Many pundits advise avoiding Ashtami; some permit it with the right nakshatra. Always verify with your family pandit.

Is Akshaya Tritiya the best day to get married? Yes — Akshaya Tritiya (April 29, 2026) is considered the most auspicious wedding day of the year because the entire day is swayamsiddha (self-auspicious). No additional muhurta calculation is needed.

What if our date falls in a "no-wedding" period? Rescheduling is strongly recommended. The Kharmas and Pitru Paksha restrictions are widely observed. A wedding held in these periods is generally considered inauspicious and is likely to face family objection.

Does the muhurta matter more than the couple's compatibility? Both matter. Muhurta and kundali milan work together — a great muhurta with poor compatibility, or excellent compatibility with a bad muhurta, are both suboptimal. The ideal is both.

Find auspicious wedding muhurtas and daily panchang with KAAL — the modern Hindu calendar app with precise timings for your location.