Sunset and photo window
New Bedford, Massachusetts, local clock. Within a few minutes for the South Coast, the South Shore, Cape Cod, and Rhode Island.
Wedding 101
the worksheet
Our date
Sunset that day
Ceremony ends
Portraits step out
DateSunsetGolden hour fromLast lightCeremony ends by, no first lookWith a first lookSunset portraits at
Jan 14:24 PM3:24 PM4:55 PM2:24 PM3:24 PM3:54 PM
Jan 154:38 PM3:38 PM5:09 PM2:38 PM3:38 PM4:08 PM
Feb 14:59 PM3:59 PM5:29 PM2:59 PM3:59 PM4:29 PM
Feb 155:17 PM4:17 PM5:45 PM3:17 PM4:17 PM4:47 PM
Mar 15:34 PM4:34 PM6:02 PM3:34 PM4:34 PM5:04 PM
Mar 156:50 PM5:50 PM7:18 PM4:50 PM5:50 PM6:20 PM
Apr 17:09 PM6:09 PM7:37 PM5:09 PM6:09 PM6:39 PM
Apr 157:24 PM6:24 PM7:53 PM5:24 PM6:24 PM6:54 PM
May 17:42 PM6:42 PM8:12 PM5:42 PM6:42 PM7:12 PM
May 157:56 PM6:56 PM8:28 PM5:56 PM6:56 PM7:26 PM
Jun 18:12 PM7:12 PM8:45 PM6:12 PM7:12 PM7:42 PM
Jun 158:20 PM7:20 PM8:54 PM6:20 PM7:20 PM7:50 PM
Jul 18:22 PM7:22 PM8:56 PM6:22 PM7:22 PM7:52 PM
Jul 158:17 PM7:17 PM8:50 PM6:17 PM7:17 PM7:47 PM
Aug 18:02 PM7:02 PM8:33 PM6:02 PM7:02 PM7:32 PM
Aug 157:44 PM6:44 PM8:13 PM5:44 PM6:44 PM7:14 PM
Sep 17:17 PM6:17 PM7:46 PM5:17 PM6:17 PM6:47 PM
Sep 156:53 PM5:53 PM7:21 PM4:53 PM5:53 PM6:23 PM
Oct 16:26 PM5:26 PM6:53 PM4:26 PM5:26 PM5:56 PM
Oct 156:03 PM5:03 PM6:31 PM4:03 PM5:03 PM5:33 PM
Nov 15:39 PM4:39 PM6:07 PM3:39 PM4:39 PM5:09 PM
Nov 154:24 PM3:24 PM4:53 PM2:24 PM3:24 PM3:54 PM
Dec 14:14 PM3:14 PM4:45 PM2:14 PM3:14 PM3:44 PM
Dec 154:14 PM3:14 PM4:46 PM2:14 PM3:14 PM3:44 PM
  1. Between two rows, split the difference: sunset moves about a minute a day. Check the exact minute for your venue and date before you print the run of show.
  2. Golden hour starts about an hour before sunset. Last light is the end of civil twilight, when the sky stops helping the camera.
  3. With no first look, the ceremony should end about two hours before sunset: the family photos and the portraits happen in daylight, and the cocktail hour covers them.
  4. With a first look, most of the portraits are done before the ceremony, and an hour before sunset is enough.
  5. An outdoor ceremony should end no later than thirty minutes before sunset, or the recessional walks out in the dark.
  6. Sunset portraits are a fifteen-minute step-out at thirty minutes before sunset. Put it in the run of show so the MC and the caterer know where you went.
  7. The clocks change in March and November. On the weekend of the change, sunset jumps an hour; the table shows the clock in force for each date.
Wedding 101 by Ensemble Events ยท ensemble-events.com/wedding101Source: US Naval Observatory, 41.6362 N, 70.9342 W, calendar year 2027