San Francisco City Hall Elopement Guide
San Francisco City Hall elopement are so popular for good reason. It’s one of the most renowned city halls in the country and has the most beautiful light for your wedding photos. If you’re thinking about eloping at San Francisco city hall, this guide is for you!
Table of Contents
- Why elope at San Francisco City Hall
- First steps to get married at SF City Hall
- Types of Ceremonies
- Things to keep in mind when planning a San Francisco City Hall wedding
- How many hours of coverage do you need?
- Choosing your SF City Hall Elopement Photographer
Why elope at San Francisco City Hall
San Francisco City Hall has so much to offer for your wedding day! The beautiful architecture, grand staircase, and the editorial vibe is the perfect addition to your elopement or wedding! I wrote this guide to assist your planning process and help decide if you want a small elopement or a full on wedding package at San Francisco city hall. As a San Francisco city hall photographer, I’ve learned a few things that will help you in the marriage process!
First steps to get married at SF City Hall
Marriage License + Civil Ceremony
The first step is to obtain your marriage license for your wedding. You can make an appointment with the SF County Clerk’s office to get your marriage license for $116. Couples also need to make an appointment for your civil ceremony which is $98. You can apply in person or online and then you both will need to go to the county clerk’s office to present a valid ID. Once you have your license, it’s effective immediately and you have up to 90 days. I also recommend scheduling your marriage license date on a different day than your ceremony so it isn’t overwhelming.
Once you have a date, you can start planning for your elopement/wedding. Hire a photographer, find a florist, write your vows, choose little things that are meaningful to you both to incorporate into your day. Some couples choose to have a reception after their ceremony, others want to drive to the coast for sunset portraits–it’s up to you!
On the day of your wedding, you should arrive 10-15 minutes before your appointment time. You check in at SF Room 168 and they will call your name once they’re ready for you. You will also need 1-2 witnesses present as well as an officiant. San Francisco City Hall itself does not provide officiants or handle marriage licenses.
Types of Ceremonies
There are 4 ways to marry at San Francisco City Hall–a short civil ceremony, a one hour wedding, two hour wedding, or an evening/weekend wedding!
Civil Ceremony
Civil ceremonies are the most common package at San Francisco City Hall. They’re usually quick and to the point and last less than 10 minutes. These ceremonies require 6 people or less (your photographer/vendor counting as a person towards that). Marriage commissioners sometimes perform up to 3 ceremonies in a 30-minute slot so depending on when you check in, you will be assigned one of these!
One Hour Wedding (Semi-Private Ceremony)
This is the easiest way to go about eloping at San Francisco City Hall, especially if you’re wanting something more low key. These ceremonies are M-F from 9am to 3pm being the last appointment slot. You will need to check the SF City Hall calendar to make sure the date you want is available and make your reservation by calling the office at 415.554.6079 or emailing them. This package is $1000 and includes up to 100 guests (chair rental is not included) and you have the option to have your ceremony at the Mayor’s Balcony (views of the staircase) or the Fourth Floor Gallery (offers amazing lighting depending on time of day). You can also have up to 2 acoustic musicians from a pre approved list.
Two Hour Wedding (Private Ceremony)
This package completely rents out San Francisco city hall and is only available on Saturdays from 9am-12pm. The two hour wedding package is $5000 and takes place on the Grand Staircase of the Rotunda. There’s a 200 person guest limit but this package does include chair rentals, insurance, and basic building services. Any outside vendors will need to have prior approval before your wedding day.
Evening/Weekend Wedding (Private Ceremony)
The evening wedding package is a more customized package that allows you to have a private ceremony as well as multiple locations for your wedding. There’s a guest limit of up to 2,000 guests and is not available on Tuesday evenings. You can see more about this package here!
Things to keep in mind when planning a San Francisco City Hall wedding
Book your civil ceremony appointment: I recommend booking the last slot of the day to avoid crowds. City Hall typically clears out by this time of day and you won’t have to wait/take turns to shoot at some of the iconic spots!
There can be crowds of people: Sometimes there are other weddings, shoots, or people coming in and out of city hall during your ceremony. There can be people in the background of your photos, but don’t worry! I take the time to edit people out of your gallery so it’ll be like you’re the only ones there. That being said- this is why I highly recommend booking the last slot of the day where there are less people to worry about!
You can incorporate little plans into your wedding day: Just because you’re marrying at San Francisco City Hall, doesn’t mean you can’t have the full wedding experience! Some couples will get ready at a hotel nearby, set up a location to do a first look, have their ceremony at city hall, and take portraits at another location or have a dinner as a reception! It’s totally up to you both and what you want to incorporate into your wedding day.
How many hours of coverage do you need?
Since there are many outside factors when it comes to getting married at San Francisco City Hall, I recommend giving yourself some wiggle room with your timeline. With the possible crowds and the possibility of people running late, I recommend at least an hour for your couple’s portraits. Depending on if you want getting ready photos or a first look, here are some timeline suggestions:
2 Hour Elopement: Short + Sweet Civil Ceremony with some couples portraits on site
3:00-3:30 PM Ceremony
3:30-4:00 PM Family Portraits
4:00-5:00 PM Couples Portraits
4 Hour Elopement: Great for 1 Hour Ceremony
3:00-3:30 PM Ceremony
3:30-4:00 PM Family + Friend Portraits
4:00-5:00 PM Couples Portraits
5:00-5:15 PM Travel
5:30-7:00 PM Sunset Portraits + Second Location
6 Hour Elopement: Great for 1 Hour Ceremony + Reception
3:00-3:30 PM Ceremony
3:30-4:00 PM Family + Friend Portraits
4:00-5:00 PM Couples Portraits
5:00-5:15 PM Travel
5:30-6:30 PM Sunset Portraits at Second Location
6:30-7:00 PM Travel
7:00-7:30 PM Dinner
7:30-9:00 PM Toasts + Dancing
Choosing your SF City Hall Elopement Photographer
This San Francisco City Hall Elopement guide can be overwhelming when planning your San Francisco City Hall wedding. That’s why having elopement vendors that are knowledgeable and dependable are important! All of the planning that goes into your day can come into fruition with the right vendors and can be documented by your elopement photographer.
A good elopement photographer will not only give you amazing photos for you to remember your photos by, but also help with your planning as well!
Why choose me as your photographer?
I wholeheartedly believe in being more than just your elopement photographer, but your friend as well! As an intimate wedding and elopement photographer I specialize in documenting your wedding day and telling your love story as authentically as possible. I love getting to know my couples so that I can help make them feel comfortable in front of my camera. As a local San Francisco City Hall photographer, I would love to work with you and help you plan your special day! Reach out here to start chatting and planning your SF City Hall wedding!
