Wedding sunset & golden hour calculator
The exact sunset, golden hour, and blue hour for your venue and date, plus the ceremony start time that puts your portraits in the best light of the day.
Sunset at --
How the light moves
Sun height above the horizon through your evening
Plan your ceremony around it
Drag the time and see what changes
Get your light plan by email
Your golden hour, sunset, and ceremony schedule, ready to forward to your planner and venue.
Why we plan every wedding around sunset
The light in your photos is decided the day you pick a ceremony time. Here is the math photographers use.
Golden hour is the money light
When the sun drops below about 6 degrees, shadows soften, skin warms up, and backgrounds glow. Most of the portraits couples frame come from this window.
End the ceremony early enough
Family photos and hugs take 30 to 45 minutes. If your ceremony ends right at golden hour, that time gets eaten. End about 45 minutes before it starts.
Season moves everything
Sunset in Chicago swings from about 4:20 PM in December to 8:29 PM in late June. A date change of two weeks in spring or fall can shift your best ceremony time by 15 minutes.
Chicago golden hour by month
Times for the 15th of each month in 2026, Central Time. Use the calculator above for your exact date and venue.
| Date | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Golden hour length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 15 | 4:01 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:15 PM | 43 min |
| February 15 | 4:44 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:52 PM | 39 min |
| March 15 | 6:20 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:24 PM | 37 min |
| April 15 | 6:54 PM | 7:31 PM | 8:00 PM | 37 min |
| May 15 | 7:24 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:36 PM | 40 min |
| June 15 | 7:45 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:01 PM | 42 min |
| July 15 | 7:42 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:57 PM | 41 min |
| August 15 | 7:12 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:20 PM | 38 min |
| September 15 | 6:23 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:27 PM | 37 min |
| October 15 | 5:30 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:36 PM | 38 min |
| November 15 | 3:47 PM | 4:29 PM | 4:59 PM | 42 min |
| December 15 | 3:35 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:51 PM | 45 min |
Golden hour FAQ
What time is golden hour on my wedding day?
Golden hour is the stretch before sunset when the sun sits less than 6 degrees above the horizon. The light turns warm, soft, and low, which is the most flattering light of the whole day. Enter your venue and date above and the calculator gives you the exact start time for your location.
When should our wedding ceremony start for golden hour photos?
Work backward from golden hour. Your ceremony should end about 45 minutes before golden hour starts, which leaves time for family photos and a breather. The calculator does this math for you and shows the best ceremony start for your date.
Do we need a first look?
If your ceremony ends close to sunset, a first look lets you finish couple and wedding party portraits before the ceremony, so you only need a short golden hour escape afterward. For winter weddings in the Midwest, a first look is usually the difference between relaxed portraits and rushed ones.
How long does golden hour last?
It depends on your latitude and the season. In Chicago it runs about 42 minutes around the June solstice and about 45 minutes in late December. Closer to the equator it is shorter.
What is blue hour?
Blue hour is the short window after sunset when the sun is 4 to 6 degrees below the horizon. The sky turns deep blue, and string lights and candles glow against it. It is the best time for a quick nighttime portrait or a shot of your venue lit up.
Do clouds change golden hour?
Clouds do not change the timing, only the look. Thin clouds often make sunset more colorful, and heavy overcast turns golden hour into soft, even light that is still great for portraits.
You have the light. We will catch it.
Love & Moore photographs and films weddings across Chicago and beyond, planned around your golden hour.