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SO, IT’S FRIDAY the 13th. Unless you had planned to board a flight, take a ferry or spend the day walking under ladders, it’s unlikely you took a blind bit of notice of the date — and even then, perhaps gave it no more than a passing thought.
Long considered the unluckiest day of the calendar in the Western world, plenty of people do still take note of the date; many airlines, for instance, have no ‘row 13′ on their planes; and it was certainly unlucky for Tupac Shakur, who met his end on a Friday the 13th back in 1996. However, as with all superstitions, there’s nothing to show that the date is particularly dangerous. According to a new survey from Chill Insurance, claims for motor accidents, for instance, are pretty much on a par with any other Friday of the year.
When it comes to big events though, do we still take notice of the date? After all, how many of us would actually walk under a ladder when there’s an option to walk around it?
Well, it turns out there are still quite a few triskaidekaphobics out there. Figures obtained from the General Register Office show that there’s 23 per cent fewer marriages planned for today, compared to last week or next Friday (there’s 189 ceremonies listed, compared to 257 on the 6 September and 234 for the 20th). A glance at some other random Fridays would seem to bear out the trend — on 16 August the figure was 230, and on 27 September there are 210 marriages listed to go ahead (so far).
So how are wedding venues bearing up amid this veritable marriage drought? We put in a few calls…
First on the list, the popular Rathsallagh House in Co Wicklow:
“Yes, we have a wedding booked — there was no problem booking it,” wedding co-0rdinator Miriam O’Keeffe says.
Funnily enough, it wasn’t the date, but we found that entire year was initially slow to book out, because there was a 13 in the year.
“Things have picked up hugely since then though, so I guess that’s gone out of peoples’ minds — we even have a booking for a Friday the 13th next June, and one for the year after that too I think, so it’s not really a thing.”
It’s a similar story at the Trim Castle Hotel in Meath:
“Yes, we do indeed have a wedding,” says event manager Laura Mulvaney. “It might take longer to sell, but we always book it.”
And do people need to be offered a discount to tie the knot on such a cursed date?
“No, no… It might have been the case where a few years ago that if it wasn’t selling coming up to the date we’d offer a discount, but that’s not the case anymore.”
Next on the list, Bewleys Hotel — in the heart of Dublin 4:
“Yes we have a lovely couple getting married,” says Banqueting and Conference Co-ordinator Karen Lecaille.
“It wouldn’t have taken longer to book — we did have a few people who would have said ‘no’ straight away and picked other dates, but I suppose some people are less superstitious than others.”
So, there you have it — people who are wary of Friday the 13th choose not to get married on the date, while those who don’t mind, do.
Heathens.
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I’m actually going to a wedding today. The grooms sister died in a car crash last December (2 days before Christmas) so they decided to get married coz life is too short!!! they don’t care at all about the date …. They’re just happy to be getting married. Can’t wait for the fun later :-)
Had a shoulder operation on Friday the 13th. Didn’t die
Yet
You are on of the lucky ones, I hear the shoulder operation mortality rate on friday the 13th is through the roof
My sister got married on friday the 13th. Both her and her husband were born on friday the 13th and were 13 years together at the time. When they were deciding on dates it was an obvious one for them really.
You had 13 green thumbs… I made it 14. Should I have left it at 13 for tradition?
Know someone getting married today as it happens.
I think the date 13/9/13 looks good.
It’s my sons 3rd birthday today . :)
I hope you got him a big cake and loads of jelly n ice cream
I did indeed Leslie:)
In Spain the ‘unluckiest of days’ is Tuesday 13th, so no problem for me today. When it’s Tuesday 13th, I just remember that I’m in Ireland, so no problem for me that day either…
I got married on Friday the 13th last year. In laws were very upset and tried to get us to change. It was a lovely day, no one died and we’re still married.
Im off to a wedding today, and they booked it cause everyone else was afraid of the date so they’d have no issue with booking services and people and get a few bargins to boot. Best of luck later mags!!
I was born on Friday the 13th. Does that mean I can claim today as my birthday? I think so.
Happy birthday Amy.
My parents got engaged on friday 13th, i had my first date with my hubby to be on friday 13th and now getting married next june friday 13th.. Its been lucky for us so far!
stupid superstition, unless your a Knight Templar that it
Apparently if theres a Friday the 13th in the month, that month will always start on a Sunday.
And the 11th is always a Wednesday. Shall we continue….?!
Actually I was impressed, until I done the maths, now I just feel rather silly. I need to get out more, possibly to maths class
Ah now I feel guilty for making you feel silly
Dont, it happens on a quite consistant basis actually : )
My mate got married a number of years ago on Friday the 13th. His brother who was best man got up for his speech and told us he did so because he was after getting a 15% discount from the hotel. The groom wasn’t a happy camper.
It wasn’t easy trying to removing 15% of his wedding present money from the card underneath the dinner table………..
@Keith, i gave your initial comment a sympathy green thumb.
We have all had those moments at some stage :D
I dont need your pity!!! I prob need help with some basic maths if its going : )
I aporeciate your green thumb and will appreciate it more when I try to dislodge my foot out of my mouth…
I was born in Friday the 13th.
Is that in itself unlucky, or am I supposed to solidify the notion with a miscellany of misfortunes?
*on
They should have called you Damien just to really make it spooky.
We should set up a “Friday the 13th” birthday club and wreak havoc on the village
Passed my driving test on Friday the 13th 25 years ago & have been terrorising the public since.
My fiancé passed his driving test today :) very lucky for some!!
A couple are having their wedding in our garden marquee today
Can’t possibly get married today and drive away a 131 or 132 reg car. You might burn in hell for that….
Slight factual error in your article; The second paragraph seems to suggest that Tupac Shakur is dead?! haha
I didn’t even notice the date till I seem this lol ;-)
My cousin is getting married today
When we were booking our wedding Friday 13th of july was one of the dates available but we decided to wait until the following Friday.
At least you’re well matched I guess!
My neighbour got married on Friday 13th July it absolutely lashed rain before, durning and after the event. No outdoor photos for them:(
Welcome to ireland
I got married 4 times on Friday 13th, widowed three times, its a non issue.
Went to a wedding on Friday the 13th a couple of years ago, wife to be was extremely superstitious so her husband to be booked the date of their wedding, needless to say she’s a little less superstitious now!
I’m afraid to get married any day
I work in the ‘wedding business’ and you’d be amazed how many couples postponed their marriages because it was 2013.
I got married on Friday the 13th last year. For various reasons it was the fourth date we tried to get married on. Nothing But good luck for us.
My brother and his fiance actually wanted to marry today but it was booked up at the venue they wanted. My bosses daughter is getting married today and doesn’t seem fazed by the date. I can’t see why a number would affect your luck in any way. If that’s the case then we’d all be sorted for the other 364 – 362 days a year…wouldn’t we?
As if being married wasn’t enough to contend with…..
Whatever about the day of Friday 13th. According to a few hotels we spoke to, they were offering discounts of up to 20% for the whole year of 2013 because couples were inclined to wait a few months and drag it into 2014 if they could. Jan, Feb, March next year then attracted a premium and people were going for it. Same old crap as this 131 and 132 car reg business.
I got married on Friday 13th, also the RSVP date was April 1st!!!
All good news stories here because the rest of us are too busy sorting out the drama brought on by Friday the 13th to post
Doesnt matter what date it is, i’m unlucky anyway!! Wouldnt win an arguement with myself if i was schizophrenic!!
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