The Planner · Location Briefing
Your wedding location, read by light
Enter where you're marrying and the date — I'll read the light, weather, tides and the best nearby spots for portraits.
Sun, tides and map data are accurate for any future date. Weather shows a live forecast within ~2 weeks; further out, you'll see honest seasonal averages — check back closer to the day.
Plan your wedding day around the light
The single biggest thing that shapes how your wedding photographs turn out isn't the camera or the venue — it's the light. And the light on your day is governed by three things you can actually plan for: where the sun sits at your ceremony time, what the weather is doing, and — if you're marrying on the coast — what the tide is doing to your beach. This tool reads all three for any location across Newcastle, the Hunter Valley, Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie and the Central Coast, so you can lock a ceremony time that gives you the best possible photographs.
Enter your location and date above and you'll get a personalised briefing in seconds — no sign-up, no cost. It's the same reading I do for every couple before their day, opened up so you can do it yourself at any stage of planning.
What you'll get
A daylight arc
See the sun's full path across your wedding day — sunrise, solar noon, golden hour and sunset — with your ceremony time plotted on the curve so you know exactly when the light is at its best.
Live weather or seasonal averages
Within two weeks of your date you'll see a real forecast — temperature range, rain chance, wind and UV. Further out, honest seasonal averages for the region so you can plan with realistic expectations.
A tide chart for beach ceremonies
If you're marrying on the coast, the tide chart shows water height across the day with your ceremony marked — so a high tide never narrows your beach unexpectedly.
Nearby portrait locations
A shortlist of the best nearby spots for couple portraits — beaches, headlands, parks and urban corners — each with a note on why it works and how far it is from your ceremony.
Wet-weather backups
Covered and indoor options close to your venue, so if the forecast turns you already have a plan B in mind before the day.
Frequently asked
How far ahead can I check the weather?
Reliable forecasts cover roughly the next two weeks. For dates further out, the briefing shows honest seasonal averages for the region — temperature ranges, rainfall patterns and typical conditions — so you can plan around the season, then check back closer to the day for a live forecast.
Why does golden hour matter for wedding photos?
Golden hour — the last hour or so before sunset (and the first after sunrise) — gives soft, warm, directional light that flatters skin tones and adds depth. Midday sun is harsh and creates squinting and heavy shadows. The daylight arc shows you exactly where golden hour falls on your timeline.
Do I need to worry about tides for my wedding?
If you're marrying on a beach — Birubi, Fingal Bay, Merewether, Catherine Hill Bay — the tide can narrow your ceremony space significantly at high water. The tide chart plots water height across the day so you can schedule around low or mid-tide for the widest, driest sand.
Which regions does this cover?
Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, the Hunter Valley, Port Stephens, the Central Coast and Sydney. Enter any suburb, venue name or postcode and the briefing reads the light, weather and tides for that exact spot.