Getting Married at San Francisco City Hall
With its grand staircase, enchanting lights streaming in from the windows, and romantic architecture, San Francisco City Hall, is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places to get married. This is why people from all over the globe come to get married at the amazing northern Californian hall.
If you are looking to get married at this gorgeous hall, then here are a few things to consider:
What Options Do Intending Couples Have?
San Francisco City Hall offers 4 ways to get married and they include:
- Full Wedding
This is only available during evenings weekends and weekdays. The hall costs between $10000 to $30000. This package is private.
- 2-Hour wedding ceremony
City Hall is available for a 2-hour private wedding ceremony on Saturdays only from 9 am to 12 pm. The maximum number of guests is 200 and you will have to pay $5000. But this is a great option to fully get to full building to yourself. Giving you lots of time and space to capture some amazing images without anyone else there!
- 1-hour wedding ceremony
Intending couples can have a 1-hour wedding ceremony in this hall on weekdays from 9am-3pm. There’s the Mayor’s Balcony which accommodates a maximum of 40 guests while 60 guests can comfortably be hosted at the 4th-floor gallery.
The hall can also take 100 people standing for this package. It’s a semi-private ceremony and costs $1000, this includes the chair rental fee.
- Civil ceremony
If you rather wish for a public, shared space, then the hall makes provision for this. The public ceremony is performed at the Rotunda (top of the staircase) and officiated by a public judge. It is available on weekdays between 9am to 3:30 pm. It costs $90 and accommodates only 6 people.
How To Get Married In San Francisco City Hall
The process for having a civil wedding includes:
- Book an Appointment
The marriage license costs $110 while the civil ceremony costs $90. Appointments can be made 90 days before the wedding day. However, it’s advisable to book the civil ceremony first as the date usually gets filled up quicker. While openings are usually available until two weeks, you can book once you have chosen a date.
If you are opting for the marriage license on the same day as the civil ceremony, then it’s best to book your marriage license appointment an hour before the civil ceremony appointment. But it’s always better to have them on separate days to avoid stress.
- Plan For the Day
Choose your wedding bouquet, and your dress, and hire a photographer (me! I love shooting at City Hall). Also, write down your vows, send out invites, and generally make arrangements for your big day. Happy to help you plan out your whole day!
- Arrive Early
It’s always ideal to arrive at least 10 minutes before the ceremony is to commence. Check into the Office of the County Clerk located in Room 168. Here, you will queue behind others and get checked in at the first desk.
After this, a number is issued and you will have to wait outside the hallway. Upon hearing your number, you are to go in with 1 or 2 witnesses (es). Proceed to the left desk where the marriage commissioner is waiting to officiate your wedding. The witness(es) signs the marriage license after which the couple signs a commemorative certificate.
- Wait Your Turn
After signing the commemorative certificate, you are to proceed to the rotunda and wait for the marriage commissioner. There are usually 2 to 3 wedding ceremonies for every half-hour slot and the commissioner will wait until everyone is done before proceeding.
Once the commissioner arrives and it’s your turn, you are to repeat after the commissioner, exchange rings, and just like that, you are married!
Things to note before getting married at San Francisco City Hall
Here are things you should take note of when getting married at San Francisco City Hall
- The Hall Is Usually Crowded
If it’s a public ceremony, then there will likely be other couples getting married at the same time. Asides the wedding ceremonies, there are also tour groups going about, ongoing photoshoots, and just random working-class people moving about.
You can book a private ceremony if you would rather avoid the crowd or the 1-hour ceremony which allows you private use of the space but does not restrict people from moving around the hall.
- Secure The Last Ceremony of The Day
For civil ceremonies, it’s always best to go for the last slot, which is the 3:30 pm slot. While for the 1-hour ceremony, it’s best to go for the 3 pm slot. This is because SF City Hall is usually less busy towards the end of the day, as there are no more ceremonies and the tourists would have gone.
This leaves you enough time to take the best pictures by the balcony and staircase. This time is also ideal to leave and go take photos for sunset after your ceremony somewhere else beautiful in the city!
- There’s A Strict Rule for The Guest List
Before now, the 6-guest limit for civil ceremonies has always been strict, but it’s become even more strict in recent times. So, plan to have not more than 6 guests if you are having a civil wedding.
How To Have the Best Wedding At San Francisco City Hall
- Write a Personal Wedding Vow
Civil weddings usually last between 5 to 10 minutes; this is not enough time to appreciate and soak at the moment. To ensure you capture all the beautiful and emotional moments of this special event, write your own vow.
- Plan a First Look
One of the best ways of making your wedding day special is planning a first look. Arrive separately, plan a meeting point, and ensure there’s no chance of bumping into each other before the agreed time.
When it’s time, walk up to each other and have a photographer (preferably me!) capture the beautiful moment you first see your significant other. The anticipation and surprise add to the magic of the moment.
- Have Champagnes and Desserts Ready
Just because it isn’t a traditional wedding doesn’t mean you have to leave out the wedding traditions, especially those that are beautiful. Pop a bottle of champagne, cut your cake, and have your best friend give a speech!
- Take A Tour Around
While SF City Hall is stunning, there are other amazing places you can visit and take nice pictures. I love taking my clients out around the city to capture some amazing images after your City Hall Wedding. While we’ll capture tons of incredibly images inside of City Hall, there are so many other stunning places around the city to get other photos!
- Wear Your Dream Dress
Having a civil wedding doesn’t mean you have to dress down. It’s the time to dress the way you have always wanted to dress at your wedding. Whether it’s a jumpsuit or a wedding gown, just as long as it’s something you love, it will add spark to your beautiful ceremony. City Hall is grand and stunning, make sure you wear the dress of your dreams!
When To Plan for A San Francisco City Hall Wedding?
Many ditch traditional weddings with all the details, stress, and complexities involved for a simple, elegant, and beautiful wedding at SF City Hall. However, if you are planning to secure a space at SF City Hall, you still need to plan. Here is how far in advance you need to plan:
Civil Ceremony
When planning a civil ceremony at SF City Hall, it’s important to start early. Book your civil ceremony and marriage appointment three months ahead and confirm with your guests if they will be available. Next, book your vendors which include makeup artists and hairstylists, florists, and photographers two months ahead.
When it’s a month to the date, confirm the date and availability with your vendors. Next, plan logistics such as time of arrival, transportation, parking, and so on two weeks to the big day. On the big day, take the day off and go get married!
1-Hour Ceremony
For this, you can book your ceremony and marriage license 6 months ahead. Send out invites to guests and confirm the availability of your guests. You can begin booking vendors 5 months before the event.
Secure the reception venue, book a photographer, florist, officiant, makeup artist, hairstylist, and others. Confirm details and timelines of vendors 2 months to the date and when it’s 1 month to go, finalize all logistics. On the main day, take the day off and celebrate.
Where To Host Your Reception After the Wedding
Now that the wedding ceremony is over and you are married, it’s time to party! There are lots of venues and restaurants for this purpose ranging from the 1900 ancient taverns to modern outdoor patios. Here are some of my favorite venues to consider:
- Foreign Cinema: This features a modern indoor space and open-air patio and is ideal for a medium to a large-sized gathering.
- Leo’s Oyster Bar: Leo’s Oyster bar has a tropical boho look and can host a mid-sized wedding reception
- Flour + Water: It’s a unique farmhouse indoor space that is ideal for a small wedding reception
- The Workshop: If you like a mid-century look, then this is for you. It’s great for hosting a small wedding.
- Stable Café: With a garden backyard and a nice indoor space, Stable Café is great for small weddings.
Conclusion
There you have it! All the tips you need to have the most special and memorable wedding ever at one of the most beautiful wedding halls. Armed with all the information I have shared, it’s time to book your wedding at San Francisco City Hall and have the wedding of your dreams! If you’re interested in booking with me please reach out! I absolutely love shooting at City Hall and creating stunning images you’ll cherish forever!
If you’d like to check out some of my full galleries from City Hall you can check them out here:
