Best Wedding Ceremony Time in Minneapolis, MN for Golden-Hour Photos (2026)
What time should a Minneapolis, MN wedding ceremony start for the best photos? The answer changes every month, because sunset does. The trick photographers use: start the ceremony about 90 minutes before sunset so it ends right as golden hour begins and you shoot couple portraits in that warm, soft light. Below is the month-by-month timing for Minneapolis, MN in 2026 (all times local).
| Month (2026) | Sunset | Ideal ceremony start |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4:59 PM | 3:29 PM |
| Feb | 5:42 PM | 4:12 PM |
| Mar | 7:20 PM | 5:50 PM |
| Apr | 7:59 PM | 6:29 PM |
| May | 8:36 PM | 7:06 PM |
| Jun | 9:01 PM | 7:31 PM |
| Jul | 8:56 PM | 7:26 PM |
| Aug | 8:18 PM | 6:48 PM |
| Sep | 7:22 PM | 5:52 PM |
| Oct | 6:26 PM | 4:56 PM |
| Nov | 4:43 PM | 3:13 PM |
| Dec | 4:32 PM | 3:02 PM |
Sunset times computed from NOAA solar formulas for Minneapolis, MN. Golden hour = the ~60 minutes before sunset. โIdeal startโ assumes a ~30-minute ceremony ending as golden hour begins.
Build your full Minneapolis, MN day-of schedule โ
How to use these times
A June wedding in Minneapolis, MN has sunset around 9:01 PM, so an evening ceremony starting near 7:31 PM puts your portraits in perfect light. A December wedding has a much earlier 4:32 PM sunset โ plan a mid-afternoon ceremony and a candlelit reception. Whatever the month: find sunset, count back ~90 minutes, start there. Get ready at the venue, build a buffer hour into the morning, hand the photographer a family shot list, and keep the ceremony unplugged.
Frequently asked questions
What time is golden hour in Minneapolis, MN?
Golden hour is the ~60 minutes before sunset. In Minneapolis, MN thatโs roughly 9:01 PM in June and 4:32 PM in December โ see the full month-by-month table above.
What time should my Minneapolis, MN ceremony start?
About 90 minutes before sunset for an evening wedding. For a June Minneapolis, MN wedding thatโs around 7:31 PM; use the table for your month.
Keep your Minneapolis, MN wedding song on the wall
However the light falls, the song stays. Print your first-dance lyrics on canvas with your names and date โ a wedding song canvas, hand-printed in the USA, from $48. More free tools: wedding planning tools.