Sun Planning for Outdoor Events
Choose the perfect location and timing for outdoor events. See exactly where the sun will shine and where shade will fall during your event.
Plan weddings and parties in the sun
Nothing ruins an outdoor celebration like unexpected shade falling across the ceremony just as vows are being exchanged. With Coffee in the Sun, you can check exactly where the sun will be during your event and plan every detail around the light. Planning a wedding reception at 4 PM next Saturday? See which part of the venue will be bathed in golden light and which will be in shadow. Imagine you are organizing a summer wedding in a courtyard surrounded by buildings. The couple wants golden hour photos at 7 PM, but will the courtyard still have direct sunlight at that time, or will the western building block the low sun? Open the app, navigate to the venue, set the date to your wedding day, and scrub to 7 PM. Within seconds you will know exactly where the last rays of sunlight fall — and that is where you position the ceremony arch. This level of planning turns potential disappointment into picture-perfect moments that the couple will remember for a lifetime.
Choose the best time for your event
Use the Time Travel feature to find the ideal time window for your outdoor event. Scrub through hours to see how shadows move across your venue, and pick the time slot that gives you the most sunlight — or the perfect mix of sun and shade for guest comfort. For a casual afternoon barbecue, you might want the patio in full sun from 1 PM to 4 PM so guests can soak up the warmth, but with some shade available for those who prefer to stay cool. For a formal seated dinner, you might prefer the soft, warm light of the hour before sunset rather than the harsh overhead sun of midday. Coffee in the Sun lets you preview all of these scenarios without any guesswork. Scrub from noon to sunset and watch the shadow patterns shift across the venue. You will quickly identify the sweet spot — the window of time when the light is exactly right for the atmosphere you want to create. This information is invaluable whether you are planning a birthday gathering for twenty or a corporate function for two hundred.
Scout outdoor venues remotely
Event planners can evaluate multiple venues from their phone without spending days driving from location to location. Compare how different venues handle sunlight at the same time of day. See which rooftop terrace, park, or courtyard gets the best light for your event type — all without visiting in person. Imagine you are scouting a rooftop venue for a corporate event in October. The client wants sunset cocktails with a city view, but will the rooftop be in shadow by 5 PM because of the taller building next door? Open Coffee in the Sun, navigate to the rooftop address, set the date to mid-October, and check. In under a minute you will know whether this venue delivers on its promise or whether you need to look elsewhere. You can then immediately check two or three alternative venues and compare their light conditions side by side. Save your top picks to favorites so you can pull them up during client meetings and present your findings with confidence.
Check weather alongside sun position
Sun position is important, but weather matters just as much for outdoor events. Coffee in the Sun includes integrated weather forecasts with temperature, UV index, and cloud cover, so you can plan events knowing both where the sun will be and whether the weather will cooperate. A venue that gets full sun from 2 PM to 6 PM sounds ideal, but if the UV index is going to be extremely high that day, your guests may struggle without adequate shade and hydration. Conversely, a day with light cloud cover might actually be more comfortable for a long outdoor reception while still providing plenty of brightness and warmth. By combining the shadow map with the weather forecast, you can make nuanced decisions about timing and setup — when to schedule the outdoor portion of your event, whether to rent additional shade structures, and how to arrange seating for maximum guest comfort.
Plan shade and seating arrangements
Knowing exactly where shadows fall during your event is not just about finding sunlight — it is equally important for planning shade. At a summer festival running from noon to 8 PM, some areas will shift from full sun to full shade as the afternoon progresses. With Coffee in the Sun, you can map these transitions and use them to your advantage. Place food and drink stations in areas that will be shaded during the hottest hours to keep everything cool. Position the main stage or performance area in a spot that avoids direct sun glaring into the audience's eyes during the show. Set up the children's play area where it will have shade by mid-afternoon when the heat peaks. You can even plan your seating chart around the light — place older guests or those who prefer shade at tables that will be in shadow by the time the main course is served, while keeping the sun-lovers at tables that stay bright through dessert. This attention to detail separates adequate event planning from truly exceptional experiences.
Step-by-step: plan an outdoor event with Coffee in the Sun
Here is a practical workflow for using the app to plan any outdoor gathering. First, open Coffee in the Sun and navigate to your venue. Zoom in so you can see the full layout of the event space, including surrounding buildings that will cast shadows. Next, use Time Travel to set the exact date of your event. Now scrub slowly from the start time to the end time. As you move through the hours, watch how shadows progress across the space. Note which areas stay sunny the longest and which fall into shadow first. Save the venue to your favorites for quick reference later. Based on what you see, decide where to place key elements: the bar in a spot that stays shaded to keep drinks cool, the dance floor in a spot that catches the last golden light of the evening, and the photo area where the light is most flattering around the time guests will want pictures. If you are comparing multiple venues, repeat this process for each one and compare your favorites. The entire evaluation takes five to ten minutes per venue and gives you confidence that the light at your event will be exactly what you planned for.
Save and revisit your favorite event venues
If you are a professional event planner or someone who hosts gatherings regularly, building a library of vetted venues is incredibly valuable. Every time you evaluate a new venue in Coffee in the Sun, save it to your favorites. Over time, you will build a curated collection of outdoor spaces where you know exactly what the light does at every hour and in every season. When a client calls with a last-minute request for a sunny brunch venue on Saturday, you can open your favorites, check which saved locations have the best morning light, and give a confident recommendation within minutes. You can also revisit saved venues to check conditions for different dates — a rooftop that was perfect for a July evening event might also work beautifully for an October afternoon gathering. Combined with the weather overlay that shows temperature and cloud forecasts, your favorites list becomes a comprehensive planning tool that helps you deliver consistently successful outdoor events, no matter the occasion or time of year.
