Marriage Dates December 2026: Seven Shubh Days Before Kharmas, with Timings

Shubh vivah muhurat dates in December 2026

The dates and windows below are published by Drik Panchang for New Delhi. They account for the tithi, the nakshatra, the weekday and the solar month, but not the couple’s horoscopes or the lagna, which the family pandit checks. Other cities differ by a few minutes.

The Kharmas cut-off in mid-December

Every year, when the sun enters Sagittarius, Dhanu, in mid-December, the month of Kharmas begins, also called Dhanurmas in parts of the south and Malmas in some regions. Weddings are not held during it in most North Indian families. It lasts until Makar Sankranti in January, which in 2027 falls on 15 January. That is why there are no dates after 12 December 2026 in this list, and why the first date of 2027 is 15 January.

In practice, that makes the first twelve days of December the last window of the winter season for almost a month. Families who want a winter wedding before the New Year must fit it into those twelve days. Our guide to Kharmas and the no-wedding periods explains the rules and the regional exceptions.

Reading the December windows carefully

Not every December date has a full-day window, and that matters for planning:

• 2 December (Wednesday) has a long window from 10:32 am through the night into 3 December.
• 3 and 4 December have morning windows only, ending at 10:53 am and 10:22 am respectively, which suits a morning ceremony.
• 5 December (Saturday) has a window from 11:48 am through the night, making it the most flexible weekend date.
• 6 December (Sunday) has a very short window, 7:00 am to 7:42 am, which few families can use for a full ceremony.
• 11 and 12 December run together from 3:04 am on the 11th to 3:27 am on the 13th, giving Friday night and all of Saturday.

So the realistic weekend dates are Saturday 5 December and Friday night or Saturday 11 to 12 December. Expect both to be heavily booked.

Weather and where to marry in early December

Early December is cool and dry in most of North, Central and West India, with clear days and cold nights in the north. Outdoor evening events in Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh need heaters, and air quality can still be poor in the plains. Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa are at their best and at their busiest. In the south, the northeast monsoon is usually easing in Tamil Nadu by December but can still bring rain early in the month. Kerala is pleasant.

Winter is also the season for winter wedding ideas: warm colours, fire pits, indoor-outdoor venues and late-evening ceremonies under heaters.

Christmas and New Year pricing

December weddings meet the holiday season. Goa, Udaipur, Jaipur, Kerala and the hill stations fill with holiday travellers from about the third week of December, and hotel rates rise sharply around Christmas and New Year. Because the auspicious dates end on 12 December, most wedding dates fall just before that peak, but guests who plan to stay on for a holiday will meet holiday rates. If your guests are travelling, book their rooms with the wedding block and agree the rates in writing.

Night muhurats in December

Several December windows run through the night: 2 into 3 December, 5 into 6 December and 11 into 13 December. A night ceremony in a North Indian December means cold. Plan a covered mandap with heaters, warm shawls for the elders, hot drinks served through the pheras, and a reception or dinner timed before the ceremony so that guests are fed and can leave before the coldest hours. For the couple and the immediate family, a night ceremony is beautiful and quiet; for elderly guests, an evening reception and a family-only ceremony later is often kinder.

Guests and rooms in December

Early December rooms are easier to secure than Christmas week rooms, but popular wedding cities are busy every weekend from late November. Block rooms early, ask for the block to be held until a cut-off date, and make sure the block covers the night before and the night of the ceremony for guests who will attend a night muhurat. Our outstation guest planning guide covers how to run a room block.

NRI families and December

December is the favourite month for NRI families, because it fits winter holidays in North America, the United Kingdom and the Gulf. With only seven auspicious dates before Kharmas, NRI families should decide early whether the wedding will be in early December or wait for mid-January. Our guide to the best time for an NRI wedding covers the trade-offs.

If you miss December

If none of the December dates works, the next window opens on 15 January 2027 and runs through a strong February. Many families find that a late January or February date gives them more choice of venues and vendors than a crowded early December. Our January 2027 marriage dates and February 2027 marriage dates pages list them.

A countdown for an early-December 2026 wedding

Small and intimate December weddings

The short December window favours smaller weddings. A family wedding of 50 to 150 guests can use venues that large weddings cannot, such as heritage homestays, boutique hotels and private homes, and can often find a date that the big venues have already sold. For couples whose families are relaxed about the guest list, an intimate early-December wedding with a larger reception in January or February is a practical way through a crowded season.

Regional calendars differ

This list follows the North Indian calendar calculated for New Delhi. South Indian families, who also treat Margazhi, the month that overlaps December and January, as inauspicious for weddings in many communities, follow their own panchangam; Bengali families follow the panjika; and every family follows its own priest. Check before booking.

Before you fix a December date

• Confirm the date and exact time with the pandit, especially on the short windows of 3, 4 and 6 December.
• Book the venue and pandit together, before the decorator and photographer.
• Agree guest room rates in writing before the Christmas surge.
• Plan heaters and a covered space for evening events in the north.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many marriage dates are there in December 2026?

Seven, by the Drik Panchang calendar for New Delhi: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11 and 12 December.

Why are there no wedding dates after 12 December 2026?

Kharmas, the solar month when weddings pause, begins in mid-December and lasts until Makar Sankranti on 15 January 2027.

Which December 2026 dates fall on a weekend?

Friday 4, Saturday 5, Sunday 6, Friday 11 and Saturday 12 December, though 4 and 6 December have only short morning windows.

When is the next marriage date after December 2026?

15 January 2027, the day of Makar Sankranti, with a muhurat from 7:15 am to 2:13 pm for New Delhi.

Can we marry during Kharmas?

Most North Indian families avoid it, though practice varies by community and family. Ask your priest.

What is the best December 2026 date for a night wedding?

Saturday 5 December, with a window from 11:48 am through the night, or the 11 to 12 December window, which covers Friday night and all of Saturday.

Is December a good month for a destination wedding?

Early December is excellent for Rajasthan, Goa and Kerala weather, but those destinations are at peak demand, so book early.

Sources and further reading

• Drik Panchang: 2026 Hindu marriage dates with muhurat (New Delhi)
• India Meteorological Department, Pune: climate information

Planning a December 2026 wedding before the Kharmas cut-off? Tell us your date and guest count and we will send a tailored plan and quote.