Your ceremony time, calculated around Cabo's light
Cabo San Lucas · Free tool
In Cabo, the light decides half the wedding. The ideal ceremony starts about ninety minutes before sunset: comfortable light for the vows, portraits right into golden hour, and sunset behind the first dances.
Sunset
Suggested ceremony start
Golden hour
Blue hour
Ana's note
Approximate local times for Cabo San Lucas. The exact minute shifts a little each year, so confirm the time for your specific date.
Pacific-facing venue: the sun drops straight into the water and the whole sky turns color. I plan the portraits right after your first kiss for the full-color sunset.Pacific-facing venue: the sun drops into the water behind the cliffs. The ceremony light stays comfortable and the sunset lands on the first dances.Pacific-facing venue: sunset straight into the ocean, with the color reflected on the water through golden hour.The Cape sits on Monuments Beach, on the Pacific: nothing blocks the sun until it hits the horizon, and the arch glows behind the couple.The rooftop looks out over the marina, Land's End and the Pacific — the sun sets in front of you and the city lights come on as you celebrate.Golden hour wins here: the resort faces the bay, the light comes off the water, and the white buildings stay bright and clean in the frame.The beach faces the water, so the light softens as the day ends and the couple portraits fall straight into golden hour.Golden hour on the bay: the light softens and the crowds thin out. I avoid the harsh middle of the day.A calm protected cove: golden hour catches the warm light without the open-Pacific wind. Early morning is the quiet backup.The terrace faces the water and the light softens as the day ends; the bluff means we plan the walking order between spots.Ceremony about ninety minutes before sunset: even light for the vows, golden hour for portraits, and blue hour for the first dances.Ceremony about ninety minutes before sunset: even light for the vows, warm light for the portraits, and blue hour for the first dances.Inland beneath the Sierra: direct sun dips behind the ridge 30 to 45 minutes earlier than on the coast, so we time portraits ahead of it. The gardens glow at golden hour.Inland in Ánimas Bajas: the sun dips behind the Sierra 30 to 45 minutes earlier than on the coast — we plan portraits ahead of it, in that warm golden light.Wherever you're marrying, the rule is the same: about ninety minutes before sunset, with portraits right into golden hour.
Why the ceremony time matters so much here
Most beach destinations have a golden hour. Cabo's is different: the Pacific side faces due west, so the sun sets directly into the water and the color, from orange to gold to deep red, reflects on the ocean. The light also drops fast. When it goes, it goes. That is why we plan the day around it on purpose.
How I use this on your wedding day
Ceremony: starting about ninety minutes before sunset gives you comfortable light for the vows and puts you in golden hour right after the first kiss.
Portraits: I block thirty to forty-five minutes for the two of you, timed to end at sunset. We slip out during cocktail hour and you are back before the first course.
First dance: plan it for blue hour, the twenty minutes after sunset, when the sky turns deep indigo and the string lights start to glow.
For Pacific-facing venues, plan the ceremony to start about ninety minutes before sunset. That gives comfortable light for the vows, portraits in golden hour, and sunset behind the first dances.
What time does the sun set in Cabo San Lucas?
Sunset ranges from about 5:40 pm in December to about 7:25 pm in June and July. Pick your date above for the exact time.
When is golden hour in Cabo?
Golden hour is the last hour before sunset. If the sun sets at 6:30, the best light starts around 5:30. It is the softest, warmest light of the day.
Does Cabo change its clocks?
Baja California Sur uses Mountain Time and does not change clocks the way the US does, so the sunset does not jump by an hour in spring and fall. It still moves a few minutes through the year.
Plan Around the Light
Let's put you in the best light of the day.
Tell me your date and venue, and I will build your timeline around the light.
