Free tool

Golden Hour Calculator

Enter your city and wedding date to get your full light timeline, golden hour window, blue hour, civil twilight, and the ideal ceremony start time for beautiful portraits.

Location

City or suburb

Quick picks

Wedding Date

Date

Light changes dramatically across the year. Summer weddings have late sunsets; winter weddings are trickier.

Your Preferences

Ceremony location

Outdoor ceremonies need to finish before golden hour for the best portrait light.

Including a first look?
A private moment before the ceremony adds 30-40 min to portrait time.

Ceremony length (minutes)

Why this matters: most couples set their ceremony time by habit or venue policy. Knowing your golden hour in advance means you can negotiate your start time and get 45 minutes of magic light instead of harsh midday sun.

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Enter a city and date to see your light timeline.

Understanding your light windows

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Blue hour

The 20-30 minutes just before sunrise and just after sunset. Soft, cool, even light. Great for romantic portraits but brief.

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Golden hour

The 60 minutes before sunset (and after sunrise). Warm, directional, flattering light. The most sought-after window for portraits.

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Harsh midday

10am to 3pm the sun is high and harsh with strong shadows. Ceremonies in this window need shade or cloud cover to look their best.

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Civil twilight

After sunset until the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon. You can still read a book outside. Good for reception entrance shots.