Best Wedding Ceremony Time in Philadelphia, PA for Golden-Hour Photos (2026)
What time should a Philadelphia, PA 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 Philadelphia, PA in 2026 (all times local).
| Month (2026) | Sunset | Ideal ceremony start |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5:01 PM | 3:31 PM |
| Feb | 5:37 PM | 4:07 PM |
| Mar | 7:08 PM | 5:38 PM |
| Apr | 7:39 PM | 6:09 PM |
| May | 8:09 PM | 6:39 PM |
| Jun | 8:31 PM | 7:01 PM |
| Jul | 8:27 PM | 6:57 PM |
| Aug | 7:56 PM | 6:26 PM |
| Sep | 7:08 PM | 5:38 PM |
| Oct | 6:20 PM | 4:50 PM |
| Nov | 4:43 PM | 3:13 PM |
| Dec | 4:36 PM | 3:06 PM |
Sunset times computed from NOAA solar formulas for Philadelphia, PA. Golden hour = the ~60 minutes before sunset. โIdeal startโ assumes a ~30-minute ceremony ending as golden hour begins.
Build your full Philadelphia, PA day-of schedule โ
How to use these times
A June wedding in Philadelphia, PA has sunset around 8:31 PM, so an evening ceremony starting near 7:01 PM puts your portraits in perfect light. A December wedding has a much earlier 4:36 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 Philadelphia, PA?
Golden hour is the ~60 minutes before sunset. In Philadelphia, PA thatโs roughly 8:31 PM in June and 4:36 PM in December โ see the full month-by-month table above.
What time should my Philadelphia, PA ceremony start?
About 90 minutes before sunset for an evening wedding. For a June Philadelphia, PA wedding thatโs around 7:01 PM; use the table for your month.
Keep your Philadelphia, PA 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.