San Mateo County chapel extends hours for most popular wedding day of the year

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (KGO) -- In many cultures, the number eight is associated with good luck. That's why Saturday, 8-18-18, has been regarded as the luckiest day of the year to get married.

The date alone is both sequential and special for a number of reasons. For one, it brought us the most popular wedding day of the year.

The date was so popular, the San Mateo County Clerk's office opened its doors on a weekend. County employees called it a labor of love.

"Originally we opened it from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.," Jim Irizarry said. "The response was so overwhelming that we extended it for another couple of hours for first-come-first-serve. All of those slots are full."

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Irizarry is the Assistant Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Chief Elections Officer for San Mateo County.

"Two weeks ago we started getting calls from the public, seeing if we were going to be open," he explained. "In the overwhelming amount of calls, we decided to have the day open."

On any given day, Irizarry said the clerk's office marries roughly four couples a day. By the time doors closed at 6 p.m. on Saturday, the office married 20 couples.

"We just booked this last night," new groom, Matt Dietly said.

He and his new wife, Nichole Backus got engaged in December. The two are planning a destination wedding for a later date, but nabbed an early spot for their nuptials.

Some tell ABC7 News it's the easy-to-remember palindrome, others say it's the luck of double-18's. Many also recognize the number eight resembles an infinity sign, when turned on its side.

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"Tradition has it that 8's are a very lucky number and help provide prosperity and health to those couples that get married on such a day," Irizarry explained.

However, the newly married Dietly's said there wasn't any outside motivation. Instead, they just wanted to be married.

"No, but a happy coincidence," Dietly said. His new wife Nichole agreed, "A happy coincidence, yeah!"

The two were just one of an estimated 30-thousand couples who registered to wed on what is believed to be the luckiest day of the year. That estimation comes from The Know, a social network for those planning weddings.

California is the 9th most expensive place to tie the knot. According to 24/7 Wall Street, a typical California wedding costs nearly $33,000. A typical wedding costs $39,000.

Some of the factors include the wedding dress, and of course the ring.

Hawaii is at the top of the list.