Are you planning to have a wedding with just a few friends and family?
Or maybe you are from out of town and are looking for a beautiful place to elope?
San Francisco City Hall could be the perfect place for you!
San Francisco City Hall offers an elegant yet affordable setting, perfect for small and big parties. The beautiful Beaux-Art style architecture of City Hall makes it a wonderful backdrop for your wedding photos. An abundance of high arched windows letting natural light pour in and white marble structures make it one of the most elegant wedding venues in San Francisco.
The most popular Ceremony Location at San Francisco City Hall is the Rotunda located on the second floor, at the top of the grand staircase. You are allowed up to 6 guests at that location. This is a public area so you have to be prepared that other people will be witnessing your ceremony. If you wish to invite a bigger group of friends and family I recommend reserving 4th floor or Mayor's Balcony as each location can accommodate up to 100 people.
In order to get married at City Hall you need to obtain a marriage license. The only way to do it is by making a reservation at City Hall. Wedding day can be plenty stressful without additional office appointments which is why I recommend to get your license a few days before your wedding day.
San Francisco City Hall is a very popular place to get married so if you have a specific date in mind make a reservation as soon as 90 days before the wedding. City Hall does not allow reservations 90 days prior the date unless you are reserving 4th Floor or Mayor’s Balcony for the ceremony. In order to maximize photo opportunities and showcase an amazing architecture of the building without having a bunch a people in a background, try to avoid the busiest days which are Mondays and Fridays. Time of the day is as important as the day of the week. I find early mornings (9:30am) or late afternoon (3:30pm) to be the quietest.
Bring as few things as possible. You won’t look relaxed in your photos if you are constantly worrying about your stuff. The only things that you really need are your marriage license, IDs for both of you, and smiles on your faces :) You need to be at the County Clerk’s Office (room 168) 10 min before your ceremony appointment to check in. Lately they do not allow early checkins so even if you show up half an hour earlier it doesn’t guarantee that you will be the first couple in your time slot. After you receive the “B” number wait in the hall. When your number is called you can bring your witness or two to the office. This will be the time when your witness will sign the marriage license. Commissioner will check your documents and IDs, ask you few simple questions and tell you where you should wait for him/her. After you leave the office gather your guests and wait with them and the other couples at the designated location close to the Rotunda. The Commissioner will call you by name when it’s your turn. Ceremony is short and sweet so take in every second of it, because after those few minutes you will be MARRIED!!!!! For more information about City Hall wedding ceremony please visit San Francisco County Clerk's website.
(available Monday – Friday)
The essential element of capturing the beauty of your City Hall wedding and making sure that you will look back on your photographs and treasure them for years to come is an experienced wedding photographer. Someone who can capture those intimate moments between you and your soulmate, know the camera angles so you can look the best possible on your wedding photos, organize your family and friends on a group photos and guide you through city hall wedding procedures. To help couples capture lasting memories of their special day I have created these simple photography packages.
- 60 min session including: ceremony coverage and portraits inside City Hall
- High Resolution Files delivered electronically
-Online Gallery (password-protected)
- Rights to the photos
- 2 Hours of photography coverage at San Francisco City Hall
- High Resolution Files delivered electronically
- Online Gallery (password-protected)
- Rights to the photos
- 4 Hours of photography coverage on multiple locations in SF
- High Resolution Files delivered electronically
- Online Gallery (password-protected)
- Rights to the photos
In order to reserve the date, a $100 retainer is required. If you wish to customize your package and extend the photography coverage it's an additional $350 per additional hour.
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO GET MARRIED AT SF CITY HALL?
Ceremonies at city hall hall are performed from Monday though Friday from 9:30 am till 3:30pm, but building is open from 8am to 5pm. If you like to avoid the crowds try to book your ceremony appointment first thing in a morning or late in an afternoon. Mondays and Fridays are usually the most busy days at San Francisco City Hall.
HOW SOON CAN I BOOK MY CEREMONY APPOINTMENT?
City Hall does not accept ceremony reservations beyond 90 days in advance, unless you are reserving a private space (4th Floor or Mayor's Balcony) you can book the ceremony a year in advance. Remember to book your license appointment first.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET MARRIED AT SAN FRANCISCO CITY HALL?
Marriage license:
In order to get married in California, you must have a California marriage license issued within 90 days of the date of your ceremony. You can download and complete the application and bring it to your appointment in person at City Hall. Marriage license is $120
Ceremony Appointment:
For smaller wedding ceremonies (6 guests or fewer guests), make an appointment to have a small civil marriage ceremony or domestic partnership ceremony at City Hall. You can get married in San Francisco’s historic City Hall by a Commissioner from the Office of the County Clerk. Ceremony appointment is $103.
For larger wedding ceremonies and evening / weekend / holiday ceremonies
If you have more than 6 guests or want to get married on a weekend or a holiday, you need to book a space through City Hall Events. Prices start at $1000 for 1 hour rental of 4th Floor or mayors Balcony.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO GET MARRIED AT CITY HALL?
To get married at San Francisco City Hall, you will need:
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PUBLIC AND CONFIDENTIAL MARRIAGE LICENSE?
The significant difference is that the confidential marriage license is confidential, and only the married couple can procure copies of it from the recorder's office. Comparatively, the public license is part of public record, which means anyone can request copies, provided they pay the required fees.
CAN YOU BE OUR WITNESS?
I've been a witness to many of my clients. I would be honored to do it for you too!
WHERE IN THE BUILDING CEREMONIES ARE PERFORMED?
San Francisco City Hall is a grand building, but there are three main locations where ceremonies are performed:
Rotunda - Civil ceremonies at San Francisco City Hall are performed at the Rotunda (top of the grand staircase). Your officiant might offer you a private room as an alternative, which is essentially an office space. On days of special events, wedding ceremonies planned at the Rotunda might be moved to an alternative location such as a private room, 4th Floor, or Mayor's Balcony, depending on which one is available.
CAN WE CHOOSE THE LOCATION OF THE CEREMONY?
Civil ceremonies at San Francisco City Hall are performed at the Rotunda (top of the grand staircase). Your officiant might offer you a private room as an alternative, which is essentially an office space. On days of special events, wedding ceremonies planned at the Rotunda might be moved to an alternative location such as a private room, 4th Floor, or Mayor's Balcony, depending on which one is available.
HOW LONG IS THE CEREMONY?
The ceremony lasts around 3 to 5 minutes, but the process starting from check in to the “first kiss” can be anywhere from 25 to 45 minutes. If you would like to take portraits to showcase the beauty of the building, two hours its an optimal time and allows for some photos in front of the building too.
CAN WE BRING MORE THAN 6 PEOPLE TO OUR CEREMONY?
City Hall website states that they do not allow more than 6 people at your wedding. I have seen them enforce that rule during the ceremony so make that decision on your own risk.
The reason why San Francisco City Hall limits the number of guests for rotunda weddings to six is due to space and safety considerations. The rotunda is a popular location for weddings, and it is a large and open space that can be crowded during peak wedding season. Limiting the number of guests helps ensure that there is enough space for everyone to safely and comfortably enjoy the ceremony.
Additionally, San Francisco City Hall is a public building that sees a high volume of foot traffic and visitors throughout the day. Limiting the number of guests for rotunda weddings helps ensure that the building remains accessible and safe for all visitors.
It is also important to note that the City Hall has different areas and rooms available for private events with larger guest capacities. Couples who wish to have a larger wedding ceremony are welcome to explore the idea of renting other areas of the building like 4th Floor or Mayor's Balcony which can accommodate up to a 100 guests.
One last thing, when you arrive at the city hall and have to go check in invite your guests to wait for you at the bottom of the grand staircase instead of following you to clerks office. Just the two of you and a witnesses are allowed at clerks office at that time.
CAN WE BRING OUR OWN VOWS?
Depends on an officiant and how busy the day is. Officiants are on a tight schedule. There are three couples scheduled to get married every 30 min. If you like to write your own vows I recommend hiring an independent officiant who will personalize your wedding ceremony.
WHAT PHOTO PACKAGES DO YOU OFFER?
I offer three photo packages.
WE WOULD LIKE TO BOOK YOUR SERVICE, HOW DO WE PROCEED?
In order to reserve the date I ask for a $100 retainer. The remaining balance is due on the wedding day in cash.
You can send a retainer via PayPal, Venmo or Zelle.
Please check availability prior to sending retainer.
San Francisco Bay Area Wedding Photography
anna@annahoganphotography.com
(925) 639-2825