According to Jewish law, weddings are not scheduled for Chol Hamoed (whether the Chol Hamoed of Passover and Sukkot).

The Talmud1 explains the reason for this injunction: "We do not confuse joy with joy." A wedding is a joyous occasion, and Chol Hamoed is a joyous occasion. Celebrating a wedding on Chol Hamoed, would deprive the festive day (and the wedding too) of the individual attention it deserves.

Incidentally, the Talmud infers this rule from the story of Jacob's marriage to Leah and Rachel. The morning after his wedding, Jacob realized that he had been duped by his father-in-law, Laban, who had presented to him a veiled Leah instead of Rachel—who was his choice for wife. When he demanded of Laban that he give him Rachel's hand in marriage, too, Laban responded: "Complete the [wedding] week of this one, and we will give you this one too."2 Jacob couldn't marry Rachel immediately, for that would have confused the joy of the two marriages.

For a complete listing of recommended and not-recommended dates for a wedding, see Approved Dates for a Wedding.

Rabbi Eliezer Posner