Sunset Ceremonies (for photos)

First, the incontrovertible facts. Sunset times will vary throughout the year and visibility from any given location is dependent upon the time of year and the weather. Many parts of the island are not orientated towards any sunset direction and many hotels are not situated where an actual sunset is visible. Though most all locations will get some view of "sunset light" either directly or reflected from the sky.

Can you plan for a "sunset wedding"? Yes you can, by choosing the right location or combination of locations but, the most you can realistically do is "hope" for a sunset even if you are at the appropriate location at the right time of year. Consequently, we suggest you consider how much of a priority a sunset is first given the other desires of your wedding.

For the best photos, we recommend starting your wedding at least 1 hour before the actual sunset time. The reasons are threefold: 1) If there are clouds on the horizon with a low sun, it gets darker earlier and faster. 2) At our latitude, unlike most places in the U.S., when the sun goes down, it's night-time soon after. 3) We like the sun at least chest high in photos and not at people's feet but, that our personal preference and may not be yours. Generally, we like to have the sun about 10 to 15 degrees above the horizon for the best odds of getting sunset light photos just in case there are clouds on the horizon which would block an actual sunset.

FYI: A "Sunset" calculator is located on our "Hawaii Resources" webpage.

West Oahu - visible all year round at all locations.
Honolulu/Waikiki - visible during most of the late Fall, Winter, and early Spring.
East Oahu - visible during a few weeks in Winter.
North Shore - from late Spring, Summer, and early Fall.
Windward Oahu - and not visible at all.