Sunset Photos in October: Timeline & Tips

Why autumn weddings win with the light

October gives you exactly the light that portraits love: soft contrasts, warm tones, long shadows, low sun. The Golden Hour in autumn is reliably plannable — if you smartly arrange ceremony, congratulations and photo blocks.

The 3 golden rules

1) Plan the ceremony 90–120 minutes before Sunset

This gives you enough room after the recessional for congratulations and lets you comfortably use the window from Golden Hour to Sunset. In cities with an open west view (rooftop terraces, fields, lakes) the light remains usable longer than in narrow valleys or courtyards.

2) 15–20 minute buffer between recessional and couple photos

This buffer catches spontaneous hugs, group requests and short walks. It’s your anti‑stress lever so couple photos don’t start under time pressure.

3) Backup plan for early dusk

Schedule a First Look and “Early Portraits” in the afternoon. That way you already have secure couple shots in the bag if clouds roll in, the schedule runs over, or the Golden Hour is hidden. After dinner the Blue Hour offers a second, atmospheric option.

Understanding October: Sunset, dusk, clock change

• Early vs. late October: In the south (Munich, Vienna, Zurich) sunset tends to be a bit later than in the north (Hamburg, Berlin). Roughly expect 18:45–19:05 in early October and 17:50–18:10 shortly before the clock change. After the last weekend in October, sunset will feel “earlier,” usually between 16:40 and 17:00 — the clock is set back one hour on October 26.
• Think about dusk: Even after Sunset there’s 20–40 minutes of soft, blue residual light (Blue Hour). That’s ideal for city lights, fairy lights and intimate couple moments.

Practice: example timelines

So you have concrete starting points, here are three cleanly structured options. Adjust them to your location (north/south, open horizon vs. canyon of buildings) and check the exact Sunset time for your venue.

Early October (example Sunset 18:45)

• Ceremony 17:00
• Recessional/congratulations 17:30
• Buffer 17:30–17:45
• Couple photos 17:45–18:30 (Golden Hour)
• Group photos 18:00–18:25 (alternative in even shade)

Late October before clock change (Sunset ~18:00)

• Ceremony 15:30
• Buffer & short reception 16:05–16:20
• Couple photos 16:20–17:05

Late October after clock change (Sunset ~16:30–16:45)

• Ceremony 14:15
• Buffer 14:50–15:10
• Couple photos 15:10–15:55

Pro photographer tips for strong sunset shots

Scout a spot with a west view and as free a horizon as possible. Use backlight for warm halos and lens flares; a sheer veil, flowers or a loosely tied bouquet add movement to the image. Pack a warm jacket/blanket in neutral tones. Group shots work better in even half‑shade — reserve the Golden Hour for the two of you.

If the Golden Hour falls through

No stress: switch to a Blue‑Hour set. 10–20 minutes after Sunset you can combine city lights, fairy lights or candles with a soft sky. Indoors, warm ambient light (candles, string lights) plus a subtle fill flash creates mood in portraits. Later in the evening a 5‑minute window between dessert and the next program item is worth it for one last night portrait.

WedSet in practice

Add the Sunset time as a reference in your planning board and create a separate photo block as an “Event” with clear info: "Please reserve 30 minutes for couple photos". With the to‑do list you can assign and remind tasks like “location scout”, “shuttle to the viewpoint” or “get string lights”. You can do this quickly via the To‑Do feature: To‑Dos planen und teilen. That way guests and vendors know where to be and when — and you stay in the flow.

Mini checklist (short & sweet)

Check Sunset for your location, set ceremony offset (90–120 min.), plan a 15–20 min. buffer, fix a backup plan (First Look/indoor), create the photo block as an Event + add To‑Dos, sync all vendors.