
Wedding traditions exist for a reason. Many of them work well, and for couples who value them, they can add structure and meaning to the day. But as a wedding photographer in San Francisco, I’ve seen a wide range of couples explore non-traditional wedding ideas that better reflect how they actually want to spend their […]

Planning a wedding? Here are the 20 most common regrets couples have about their big day – and how to avoid them. I compiled this list myself from years of stalking Reddit, wedding planning podcasts, Instagram, TikTok, and other online research, as well as learning directly from the 500+ weddings I’ve photographed. Don’t make these […]

San Francisco City Hall is a breathtaking architectural marvel that has become one of the most sought-after wedding venues in the Bay Area. Every year, thousands of couples choose to get married within its stunning marble halls, grand staircases, and ornate rotunda. But not all City Hall weddings are created equal! While civil ceremonies are […]

In this blog post and accompanying video, I hope to share with you everything you need to know about civil ceremonies at San Francisco City Hall. I’m a wedding photographer who’s photographed around 400 ceremonies, specifically within this building, so I’ve seen a thing or two about how it all works. If you prefer to […]

Here’s the thing about weddings: everyone’s got advice. Your mom insists you need a receiving line. Your best friend swears by their wedding planner. And don’t even get me started on what Pinterest thinks you should do. But after photographing hundreds of weddings, I’ve noticed something interesting. The most beautiful, memorable celebrations often ignore the […]

What’s our FAVORITE reception venue for a meal after your San Francisco City Hall ceremony? There’s nowhere better than the Wayfare Tavern! This cozy, old-world restaurant has long been a San Francisco staple, chosen by countless couples for their post-City Hall celebration meal. Think Barbary Coast-speakeasy-meets-British-pub. History rubs shoulders with modernism here, giving it a […]

I’m delighted to introduce to you my favorite hotels in San Francisco that are fit for your the night before (and after) your San Francisco City Hall wedding ceremony! These primarily 4- and 5-star hotels are ideal in terms of their location, amenities offered and high standard of excellence. Whether you live in the Bay […]

We’re diving into 61 of the best San Francisco wedding venues here on the Zoe Larkin Photography blog. Oh Lord, there are just SO many amazing wedding venues! In a city known for being dynamic, fun and innovative, is it any wonder that the places to get married in San Francisco are so varied and […]

Hey friends! Phew, I’ve been blogging like crazy for a minute, and I thought it would be fun (and a good idea) to create one centralized resource page with all of my favorite FREE blog posts for couples who are planning their weddings. Organization, yay! I’ve been blogging about wedding planning and wedding photography for […]

Planning your San Francisco City Hall ceremony and need a guiding hand? In this article, I’m going to guide you through how to create the perfect SF City Hall timeline for your wedding. Because seamless, stress-free wedding days don’t just happen, they’re planned! There are numerous benefits to creating your timeline, no matter how casual […]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! I also commend you on your excellent taste – you won’t regret choosing San Francisco City Hall as your wedding venue. This iconic building, with its exquisite Beaux-Arts architecture and remarkable history, serves as a breathtaking and photogenic backdrop for your special day. This article will introduce you give you […]

Wondering where to have your reception after your San Francisco City Hall wedding ceremony in 2026? In this article, I’ll guide you through my favorite restaurants in San Francisco that are perfect for hosting a wedding day meal of any size. The 37 awesome restaurants on my list all serve excellent food and will take […]

In this post I’m sharing the 36 best engagement photography locations in San Francisco. The places on this list are San Francisco spots that are amazing for wedding or engagement photos. What makes spots for couples photos any different from general cool photo spots? Well, for one thing, they each have a wide variety of […]

What are family formals on your wedding day? These are the posed photos in which everyone looks at the camera and smiles! Some other names are formal group portraits, posed groupings, or group photos or portraits. I tend to call them ‘formal groupings’, since the groupings that matter depend on your relationships and may not […]
I’ve got to tell you, I’ve got to scream it from the rooftops. I have THE BEST CLIENTS of any wedding photographer ever. More than once, I’ve been asked by brides and grooms: It’s super humbling to receive questions like this! It makes me certain that my clients have my back, as much as I […]

September 10, 2020

This is a crazy time we’re living through, not least for couples trying to plan a lockdown wedding! I’m here today to bring you some inspiration for your Bay Area COVID wedding. Not getting married in the Bay Area? You’ll still get some awesome ideas here! I’ll leave all the health advice to the experts, I’m […]
August 27, 2020
In this detailed article, I’ll guide you through how to plan your wedding day timeline yourself, with realistic estimates for every part of the day. When you want your wedding to be simple and intimate, it can be tough to plan out a wedding day timeline that really makes sense, and isn’t going to lag […]

August 10, 2020

Planning a quarantine wedding? Don’t know where to begin with all the things you need to make the big day go smoothly? Well, the good news is you can purchase a TON of your décor, attire, food and drink service items from Amazon! That’s what makes this curated inspiration list so special. I’m a wedding […]
July 31, 2020
How pretty are these two on their engagement session at Baker Beach! This expansive, stunning Bay Area engagement location has a LOT to offer and is located on the north-western edge of San Francisco on the edge of the Presidio. Baker Beach has a gorgeous view of the Golden Gate Bridge, a vast beach with […]

July 27, 2020

Planning a small intimate wedding? Perhaps you’re wondering if you even need a wedding planner – after all, isn’t a professional wedding planner a bit of a luxury? And isn’t the whole point of having a small wedding to save money? Well, yes and no. And it depends. Of course, a small wedding doesn’t have […]
July 8, 2020
Wondering what you can send to a friend (or client) in the mail? I’ve been a raving fan of Greetabl, the gifting service for a couple of years now. And I couldn’t keep it to myself any longer. As a wedding photographer, I use Greetabl for client gifting, and I love it! If you’re looking […]

June 27, 2020

I’m sharing some STUNNING Pacific Heights engagement photos from the engagement session of the wonderful Andrea and Mason! In the spirit of letting the images speak for themselves, I’m going to keep this blog post mercifully short. Be sure to check out the awesome second part of their shoot at San Francisco’s Baker Beach. This […]
June 23, 2020
Welcome friends! Today I’m sharing the best places in the Mission District of San Francisco for your engagement photos! As far as engagement photography goes, I have a few fave Mission District spots. As a wedding photographer, I’ve found myself shooting here on many occasions. Great because it’s also my home, ha! For a more casual […]

June 12, 2020

Hey all you wonderful clients and prospective clients of Zoe Larkin Photography! As you all are all too aware, this is an unprecedented time in the world. There is much confusion and heartbreak – and having your wedding plans disrupted is a big deal. I don’t take any of this lightly. As a responsible and […]
June 1, 2020
What does a wedding photographers do? Are you thinking of becoming a wedding photographer and want to learn what a typical day-in-the-life of a wedding photographer looks like? Are you curious as to what’s involved behind the scenes on the business side of things, aside from the wedding day itself. Sure there’s editing and brushing […]

May 18, 2020

Weddings are expensive and everyone wants to save money wherever possible. I’ve seen a lot of wedding photographer opinion pieces in which they argue that you should definitely spend a lot of money on your wedding photographer if you want even halfway decent pictures. But let’s take a moment to pause and look at both […]
April 29, 2020
Enjoy this intimate San Francisco beach wedding! Angely and Vincent’s ceremony was held in the tucked-away location of the Crissy Beach Cypress Grove. This little-known San Francisco beach location is a super special wedding spot, located close to Crissy Field. You are overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge as you say ‘I do!’! What makes this […]

April 6, 2020

TThe Saturday morning two-hour full buyout at San Francisco City Hall is one of the most appealing options the building offers for couples planning a larger wedding with a traditional reception elsewhere. It allows you to have the building to yourselves, host your ceremony on the Grand Staircase, and invite up to 200 guests as […]
March 26, 2020
Planning your San Francisco City Hall ceremony and need a guiding hand? In this article, I’m going to guide you through how to create the perfect SF City Hall timeline for your wedding. Because seamless, stress-free wedding days don’t just happen, they’re planned! There are numerous benefits to creating your timeline, no matter how casual […]

March 21, 2020

I’m excited to share this Camp Mendocino wedding! Unique, meaningful and fun are the words that come to mind when I look back on Sara and Chris’ October 2019 wedding. Camp Mendocino holds a special place in the hearts of many locals. If you grew up in Northern CA, chances are you went to Camp […]
March 13, 2020
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! I also commend you on your excellent taste – you won’t regret choosing San Francisco City Hall as your wedding venue. This iconic building, with its exquisite Beaux-Arts architecture and remarkable history, serves as a breathtaking and photogenic backdrop for your special day. This article will introduce you give you […]

March 12, 2020

NOTE: I am not able to offer family sessions at the current time due to a heavy wedding season. Please email or contact through the contact form if you are interested in booking something when my shooting and editing season is quieter (usually throughout January – early March). We are unable to accommodate holiday sessions […]
March 12, 2020
Wondering where to have your reception after your San Francisco City Hall wedding ceremony in 2026? In this article, I’ll guide you through my favorite restaurants in San Francisco that are perfect for hosting a wedding day meal of any size. The 37 awesome restaurants on my list all serve excellent food and will take […]

March 10, 2020

We all know what weddings are expensive. Add the word ‘wedding’ into any service or product and the price suddenly shoots up. You’ve probably seen the undercover research, as this Huffpost article dives into. A reporter gets a quote for an anniversary party or family gathering. They call back and make the same inquiry except […]
March 6, 2020
I'm Zoe and I lead a team of Bay Area wedding photographers. I still personally help you plan your wedding timeline so you can relax and savor your wedding day.
We blend an unobtrusive approach to capturing images with a directive way of capturing the posed shots of you and your guests.
With over 500 weddings personally photographed by Zoe, hundreds of reviews on Yelp and Google, and over
MOMENT CATCHERS, LIGHT CHASERS, photojournalists
As a seasoned professional and true artist, I transform wedding moments into timeless memories, captured photojournalistically.
In short, our images make memories last forever.
Looking for a wedding photographer that will honor your unique, beautiful story?
470,000 words of inspiration and and advice on the blog, we're the leading wedding photographers in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Since 2016, I've poured my heart into Bay Area weddings, specializing in San Francisco City Hall ceremonies and shooting all love. Our goal is to create personal images with an intimate feel - images that evoke emotion and transport you back to the moment.
about us