More than 39,000 couples chose to get married Sunday in the U.S. That's 10 times more than normal.
The reason is that Sunday's date was 10/10/10. Romantics believed the day was a perfect 10 for getting married.
Some couples even went so far as to say their "I dos" at 10:10 a.m. Sunday, which seems like gimmicky overkill.
It was the most sought-after wedding date since July 7, 2007, a 07/07/07 date that is a less perfect but presumably more lucky.
The 10/10/10 date is considered lucky in some Asian cultures. Followers of numerology also consider it special. There's the geek factor -- the date is made up entirely of ones and zeros, the binary language of computing. And, like in Olympic gymnastics judging, popular culture considers "10" a perfect score, ever since Bo Derek starred in the movie of the same name.
ADVERTISEMENT
Then, there's the best reason for a 10/10/10 wedding: It's easy for the husbands to remember.
Remembering the wedding anniversary is the most important task of male mates, even more than providing food, shelter and half of the reproductive infrastructure.
I forgot one anniversary out of 26 -- a mere 3.8461 percent of them -- and it's clear that I will be making reparations for life. I blame it on having a nonsymmetrical, hard-to-remember wedding date of 6/2/84. Sure, they're all even numbers, but they're not in the right order!
So, if you're planning to marry in the next couple of years, might I suggest -- for the benefit of the groom -- 11/11/11 or 12/12/12?
Or, if those don't work, think of a date hubby will remember. For instance, if he's a gambler or a convenience store clerk, July 11 (7/11), is an option.
Don't do Valentine's Day; it's a cliche. Don't do Christmas Day; it muddies the gift-giving. Don't do Independence Day; the bride won't appreciate the fireworks puns.
Just think of a date easy to remember. Then, tattoo it on your arm.
Reach Bakken at (701) 780-1125; (800) 477-6572, ext. 125; or send e-mail to rbakken@gfherald.com .
