What Time of Day is Best for Your Maui Beach Wedding
You’ve decided on your wedding date, and now you need to decide what time of day to have your ceremony! You’ll want to plan the time of your ceremony to coincide with the best times for both comfort and lighting. The Maui sun is quite harsh and intense from about 10am - 4pm (varying by about a half hour depending on the time of year). If possible, you’ll want to avoid having your beach ceremony during these hours. Being out in the open sun is not only uncomfortable for the couple and guests, but it can also cause undesirable shadows and harsh light that can be unflattering for portraits.
The hour after sunrise or the hour before sunset, referred to by photographers as “the golden hour”, offer the most gentle and beautiful light for photography purposes. It’s also the time of day that is most comfortable to be on the beach without overheating and burning in the sun. Ideally, you should plan your beach ceremony times around the golden hour.
Sunrises typically have softer, more pastel colors, and the beaches will be less crowded. It is also generally cooler in the morning, and the infamous Maui wind tends to be a bit less! As the sun rises more fully toward the end of your session, the look in photos will be more bright. Truthfully, sunrise beach weddings are my favorite!!! I love that the beaches are typically less crowded, the light is sometimes more flattering, and there is something very special about starting the day by witnessing two people vow their love for each other.
Softer colors during a Maui sunrise elopement.
Bright, blue skies and turquoise water toward the end of a sunrise beach session.
Sunsets usually offer more vibrant, intense colors in the sky, however, the beaches will be more crowded (and it’s important to keep in mind that a vivid sunrise or sunset can never be promised!). It may be quite warm on the beach at the start of your ceremony, although it might cool off a bit as the sun lowers. A warm golden glow is more likely to occur during sunset, depending on what location you choose for your ceremony.
A golden glow during the end of a Maui beach elopement.
This couple was rewarded with a stunning sunset at the end of their intimate beach wedding.
For sunrise beach weddings, I recommend that the ceremony starts within the 30 minutes after the scheduled sunrise time. The ceremony start time should occur within the 75 minutes before the scheduled sunset time for sunset beach weddings. When clients book their Maui wedding with me, I provide one-on-one assistance in choosing a ceremony start time, as well as the location, that will suit your needs. And if you can’t plan your ceremony around ideal lighting conditions, don’t despair! As a professional photographer, I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve that ensure photos taken in harsh light are just as stunning as those captured during the golden hour.
Want to chat about the best time of day for your Maui beach wedding?
