Sunrise vs. Sunset: When is the Best Time of Day to Elope?
What’s the best time of day to elope? This is a question that every eloping couple asks when they are beginning to plan their elopement! While I wish there was a quick and easy, black and white answer, there’s simply not; it’s completely dependent on the specifics of your elopement day, and your unique vision. Whether you should elope at sunrise or sunset will differ based on the location of your elopement, what activities you’d like to include, what your timeline looks like, and how much photography coverage you’ve included in your day.
I’ve created this informational guide to give couples a more in-depth answer, and to help them determine what is right for their day. I’ll be talking about how lighting affects elopement photos, how time of day impacts a timeline, privacy considerations to make, and more. I hope you’ll leave this guide able to make a clear decision about what time of day you’d like to elope, and with an understanding of what that will mean for your elopement experience!
Hi, I’m Autumn!
I’m an Idaho Elopement Photographer + Planner
I help couples create experience focused elopements in the mountains of Idaho. I’ve photographed 75+ elopements and hiked 100’s of miles in Idaho’s backcountry. I’m a Leave No Trace aware photographer and lifelong outdoor adventurer.
How Time Of Day Impacts Your Elopement Photos
First, I’d like to share a little bit of my expertise with you on how the time of day of your elopement will impact your photographs. As an elopement photographer I’ve seen every type of lighting under the sun (pun intended), and I’ve experienced every type of weather scenario imaginable! Oftentimes, I find that my couples aren’t aware of just how much the lighting at their location will affect how their photos turn out. Lighting is everything to a good photograph!
You may be wondering why sunrise and sunset are the only two options I’m presenting in this guide—what about late morning? Early afternoon? How about mid-day? The reason for this is that the soft nature of light at sunrise and sunset make these times of day ideal for photography! The lighting as the sun rises or sets is significantly more gentle, delicate, and flattering than it is during any other part of the day, thanks to the position of the sun in the sky. Here are the main stages of sunrise that I’ll be referencing in this guide, and the order they happen in:
- Blue hour (just before sunrise, when the sun is just below the horizon; lasts around 15-20 minutes): creates cool tones such as blues, purples, and pinks
- Sunrise
- Golden hour (just after sunrise, when the sun is just above the horizon; lasts around 15-20 minutes): creates warm tones such as oranges and yellows
- Daylight
And then sunset is simply the opposite! The length of time that blue hour and golden hour last depend on the location, especially if you’re in the mountains or another type of landscape where the sun may be blocked from view earlier/later than it would be if you were in a wide-open space. The appearance of each lighting stage also depends on the weather: if the sky is completely covered in clouds, you may not experience any golden hour, since the sun is hidden and the light isn’t shining through the clouds. Certain locations are better at sunrise, and certain locations are better at sunset; it just depends on how the location is oriented to the east and to the west. The way the lighting appears will also vary by landscape.
Both golden hour and blue hour create deep, rich color tones in photographs, and are incredibly flattering on skin—much more so than the harsh sun rays of midday, or the deep shadows of nighttime. Now, of course you can’t really sandwich your whole elopement into either sunrise or sunset, but you can choose to place the most important moments during these times, which is what I’ll be guiding you through next! Most couples I work with choose to place their ceremony, private vows, or couples photos during these times, as those are the big moments of the day when you typically want the lighting to be at its best + most flattering for you.
Now that you have a better grasp on why sunrise and/or sunset are undoubtedly the best time of day to elope, let’s discuss each one so that you can decide which is the better option for your unique elopement experience!
What to Know About Eloping at Sunrise
Is Sunrise The Best Time of Day to Elope for You?
While any couple can obviously choose to elope at sunrise, it may be a better option for some couples than others according to your lifestyle, habits, and the way you want to lay out your elopement timeline.
Sunrise elopements are a great choice for:
- People who enjoy getting up early
- People who function well with less sleep
- People who want the rest of the day to explore, gather with loved ones, or do activities
- People who are nervous to say their vows and would rather not wait around for it
- People who are down to get ready quickly and VERY early
You may want to skip the sunrise elopement and opt for sunset if:
- You despise getting up early
- You know you don’t function well with less sleep, and it may cause you additional stress
- You want to elope with guests, but don’t want to make them get up early
- You’d rather do the majority of your elopement activities & experiences before you end the day with your ceremony or private vows
- You’d rather get a good night’s sleep than see an alpenglow
- You’d rather take your time getting ready for the day
Interested in having me photograph your elopement?
Reach out to schedule a free consultation to learn more about the best time of day to elope in Idaho.
How a Sunrise Elopement Affects Your Timeline
In addition to considering how getting up early for sunrise will affect the two of you, and the way you want to experience your day, it’s important to think through the practicalities of how it will play a role in your timeline! I believe that eloping at sunrise is such a wonderful way to start your wedding day off on a beautiful note; you get to go out into nature (whether via a hike or a trip in your car) and watch the Earth wake up. I love the idea of starting your elopement day with a hike or an early morning adventure—you’ll get the opportunity to be present with each other as you witness the world go through the stages of sunrise, the light getting brighter by the minute as you start to see the beautiful expanse of your surroundings. It’s a truly magical experience, and what better way to begin your wedding day?
A lot of my couples who elope at sunrise say that they liked not having to wait around to get married, which I think is such a great point. You might be feeling antsy, excited, nervous, or a combination of all three as you wait to exchange your vows and tie the knot—so why not have it be the first part of your day? If you’re anxious, then you can get it over with, and if you’re just incredibly excited and don’t want to wait a moment longer, then you won’t have to!
Eloping at sunrise also gives you the option to do things later in the day with your loved ones, and you’ll already have the most important, official part of the day out of the way. You can spend time exploring together, laughing together, sharing love and support with your favorite people, without having to worry about making sure you get to your ceremony on time. Maybe this looks like you and your partner enjoying a delicious brunch after your sunrise ceremony, then meeting up with your guests for a day out on a nearby lake. Or maybe you have your family wait at the trailhead to meet you after your sunrise hike, holding celebratory signs and bottles of champagne! There are so many fun ways to involve the people you love in your special day in really beautiful, meaningful ways.
If you’re unsure whether or not you’d like to invite family to your elopement, I recommend reading a blog post I recently published, called How to Elope With Family: Planning Advice, Timeline Tips, & More.
Lighting & Early Morning Conditions
The final pieces of considering a sunrise elopement are the early morning lighting and weather conditions. In my opinion, the absolute most amazing part about eloping at sunrise in the mountains is the alpenglow! If you’re not familiar with what alpenglow is, it’s essentially the soft, pink light that the rising or setting sun creates when reflecting onto high, snowy mountain peaks. An alpenglow is very short-lived, typically only lasting about 10-15 minutes before the sun rises or sets over the horizon. I photograph a ton of sunrise elopements in Stanley, Idaho because the alpenglow is so strong there, and it’s simply magical in the background of elopements. I personally think sunrise is the best time of day to elope in Stanley!
Another thing to consider about early morning conditions is the fact that mountain skies often have clouds in them at sunrise. These clouds aren’t something to be afraid of; you might think that clouds will block the sun and prevent you from getting any golden hour glow, but that’s not necessarily the case! Clouds catch and display the colors at sunrise, and usually result in an even more beautiful sunrise than you’d get on a day with completely clear skies.
Weather-wise, a lot of the time sunrise on mountain lakes are accompanied by mist, clouds, and fog; just like cloudy sunrises, this isn’t something to be disappointed by. It actually creates a really beautiful, moody effect in photographs that is gorgeous in its own way. Along with the fog and clouds will most likely come cooler temperatures, even if the rest of the day is forecasted to be warm and sunny. You’d be surprised just how cold it can get up in the mountains, especially when the sun hasn’t fully taken its position in the sky yet! Sunrise will always be colder than sunset, so be sure to bring along plenty of layers to keep you warm. One last thing to keep in mind is that in the spring, it tends to rain more in the early morning than it does in the evening. If you’d rather elope at a time when the sunrise weather is more predictable, you may want to opt for a summer elopement instead.
Example Sunrise Elopement Timeline
Elopement timelines are a whole other topic. There are a thousand ways to layout a sunrise elopement! Here is an example timeline to help you think through what a sunrise elopement at a drive-to location could look like:
3:30a – Hair and makeup starts
5:00a – Put on wedding attire and prepare to leave
5:30a – Drive to sunrise location (sunrise 6am)
6:00a – Sunrise first look
6:30a – Ceremony with mini-celebration to follow (whiskey & donuts)
7:30a – Couple photos
8:30a – Head to breakfast
9:00a – Breakfast at airbnb with private chef
10:00a – Elopement wraps up
What to Know About Eloping at Sunset
Is Sunset The Best Time of Day to Elope for You?
Now, let’s discuss what a sunset elopement looks like, and whether it’s a better option for you than a sunrise elopement!
Sunrise elopements are a great choice for:
- People who want to take their time enjoying their elopement day, before getting to their ceremony
- People who dislike getting up early
- People who function best when they get a full night of sleep
- People who don’t want to be tired during the later parts of their elopement day
- People who want to take their time getting ready
You may want to skip the sunset elopement and opt for sunrise if:
- You’re willing to sacrifice some sleep in order to witness an alpenglow
- You want to start your day as early as possible to make the most out of it
- You’d rather tie the knot first, and not have to wait around for it
- You don’t really care about having a long time to get ready; you’d rather get started with the day
Let’s connect about your elopement!
Reach out to schedule a free consultation to learn more about eloping in Idaho.
How a Sunset Elopement Affects Your Timeline
Just as eloping at sunrise is a wonderful way to start your elopement day, eloping at sunset is an equally amazing way to end it. That’s why there really is not a right or wrong answer here; both have their benefits! A lot of couples that I’ve worked with who eloped at sunset, liked that they were able to spend their day leisurely getting ready for their elopement. If you’d rather get a good night’s sleep and be able to spend the morning/early afternoon putting on your makeup, getting your hair done, snuggling up in your Airbnb, having a cozy breakfast together, etc., then a sunset elopement is the perfect option for you.
Sunset elopements also just have a peaceful feeling about them. By the time sunset rolls around, the day’s events have washed over you, and you’re well-practiced at being photographed. Evening photos always have a reminiscent, reflective feel to them, and I think that’s because your wedding day is coming to a close; you’ve already created so many incredible memories together that you can reflect on. I love bringing lanterns to sunset elopements, because incorporating them into evening photos is a great way to bring an elopement to a close—plus, they add a little bit of soft, enchanting light to your photographs.
Privacy Considerations
While sunset will always be less private than sunrise due to the fact that more people are awake and are usually out visiting locations, it can still be quite easy to find seclusion at sunset if you put in the effort. Especially because during the summer months, sunset is late in Idaho! By 7pm, most people have headed home for dinner and are settling in for the night, so trailheads and trails aren’t usually as busy. You may still find people in the more easily-accessible areas, but there are usually far fewer people than there are in the daytime. A great way to elope at sunset for the most privacy is to hike into a location in the afternoon, and stay there until sunset—you’ll be pretty likely to have it to yourself. Most people hike during the day and don’t stay in locations until it’s dark out, unless they’re camping, so chances are you’ll have plenty of time to explore in private. Hiking out after your ceremony, guided by the light of headlamps, is a fun way to end your elopement!
Lighting & Late Evening Conditions
If you read the earlier section about sunrise lighting, you might be wondering if alpenglow happens at sunset, too. The answer is yes, but it’s generally not as strong. However, the soft lighting of sunset lasts longer than that of sunrise, typically delivering soft, beautiful light from about 1.5 hours before the sun sets until about 30 minutes after the sun is below the horizon. So even though you may have a smaller chance of seeing a strong alpenglow, sunset is just a wonderful time to be in the mountains; I love that point when you can feel the warmth of the day fading into the cool of late evening. It’s such a peaceful, serene, and reflective experience! In terms of weather, spring in Idaho tends to see more rain in the morning and less in the late afternoon. As a general rule, evening time usually has more predictable weather than sunrise, so if you’d prefer a better chance of clear skies and more accurate weather forecasts, a sunset elopement may be better for you than sunrise.
Sunset Elopement Timeline
As mentioned above, elopement timelines are a big topic. There are lots of ways to elope at sunset! Here is an example timeline for an evening hiking elopement:
12:00p – Get ready starts
1:30p – Prepare to leave for hike
2:00p – Drive to trailhead
3:00p – Leave trailhead on hike
5:00p – Arrive to location and pick out ceremony site
5:15p – Change into wedding attire
5:30p – First look
6:30p – Ceremony with mini-celebration to follow (charcuterie board & coffee)
7:00p – Sunset couple photos
8:00p – Pack up and hike back to trailhead
10:00p – Arrive back to trailhead
10:15p – Elopement wraps up
Sunrise vs. Sunset Elopements: Why Not Have Both?
I know you’ve likely spent this entire blog post trying to decide between a sunrise and sunset elopement, but what if I told you that you didn’t have to choose? If I had just one piece of advice to give couples, it would be that you should use both sunrise and sunset on your elopement day.
Each time of day has its own unique conditions and lighting patterns that create completely different, but equally beautiful, photographs, and it’s impossible to choose just one!
As a couple, you may also be different at sunrise versus sunset on your elopement day; sunrise elopements often lead with couples photos or private vows, which may be when you’re feeling more reserved, as you’re just starting to interact with each other in front of the camera. Sunset elopements often come with more time beforehand, so by the time sunset rolls around, you may be more comfortable being photographed. The photographs produced during sunset elopements tend to be more relaxed and peaceful than sunrise photos for that reason!
By taking advantage of both sunrise and sunset on your elopement day, you get the best of both worlds. You get stunning sunrise alpenglow photos, and a serene sunset experience that brings your elopement to a close with more intimate, and close-feeling images. The best way to do this, in terms of photography coverage and activities, is to split your day into two halves: have your photographer come along for a few hours at sunrise, and then meet back up with them at sunset. Your family can be involved however you’d like throughout the day!
Example Split Elopement Timeline
Here is an example timeline for a sunrise ceremony with family, followed by an afternoon break, and then an evening hike with private vows:
5:00a – Getting ready starts
6:30a – Put on wedding attire and prepare to leave
7:00a – Drive to ceremony location
7:30a – Ceremony with family at sunrise
8:00a – Family photos
8:30a – Couple photos
10:00a – Brunch with family at local restaurant
Afternoon Break
5:00p – Drive to trailhead
5:30p – Leave trailhead on hike
7:00p – Arrive to location and change into wedding attire
7:30p – Private Vows
8:00p – Sunset couple photos
9:30p – Pack up and hike back to trailhead
11:00p – Arrive back to trailhead
11:15p – Elopement wraps up
In conclusion: What is the best time of day to elope?
All in all, there is no wrong option here—it’s up to you, and what you’d like your unique elopement experience to be like. I know it can be difficult to lay out your timeline, and to start bringing your dreams to life, so as an Idaho elopement photographer, I would love to guide you through it. Inquire with me here or below to get started planning your elopement, and let’s talk through what a sunrise & sunset experience could look like for you!
