
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 […]
We know how hard it is when it comes to choosing your wedding photographer! Where do you even begin? There are so many out there, and it’s difficult to figure out what really differentiates them. It can be a tough decision, especially when you consider the role the wedding photographer will take on your day. […]

December 13, 2019

Most couples getting married in San Francisco discover very quickly that photography sits near the top of their budget, often just behind venue and catering. This isn’t accidental or inflated for effect. It reflects both the cost of doing business in the Bay Area and the level of experience couples tend to seek when planning […]
December 10, 2019
Downtown Oakland was the scene for this RAD LGBTQ+ engagement. Renee [she/her] and Jack [they/them] describe themselves as a queer-forward couple hailing from Oakland. These folx manage to combine absolute hipness with total goofiness in such a cute way. If ever two people were meant to be, it’s these two. The couple They both arrived […]

December 7, 2019

Sometimes couples contact us looking for one or two hours of wedding photography. In other cases, they are planning a wedding on a peak Saturday or Sunday and want substantially less coverage than our published minimum. We do offer shorter wedding photography, but we still have a minimum amount of coverage we can accept. That […]
November 29, 2019
I love bringing to light the stories of underrepresented types of couples and people. The world is changing, and there is more scope now than ever to shine a light on what has previously been kept closeted, things like open marriage and gender transition. Love is complex. Marriage means different things to everyone. To some, […]

November 24, 2019
Outdoor photo locations NEAR San Francisco City Hall for wedding photos! 10 great location ideas, all less than 3 miles from San Francisco City Hall
November 21, 2019
Where do I even start with these beautiful Cornerstone Sonoma wedding photos, at a versatile Bay Area venue set in stunning Northern California wine country? Set among the pretty birch gardens, ponds, lawns and vines of Cornerstone Sonoma in wine country, the fusion wedding really combined so much remarkable diversity. It was so much fun […]

November 11, 2019

Receiving your final wedding photos is exciting, and it’s only the beginning! Your photos are the tangible record of one of the biggest days of your life, and how you handle them in the weeks after delivery will determine whether they become treasured family heirlooms or just another digital folder that gets forgotten. This guide […]
October 28, 2019
Whether or not to opt for a second photographer is one of those big decisions when it comes to planning your wedding photography coverage. Some photographers include a second shooter automatically. Others only offer it as an option. Some photographers heavily push it, some don’t offer it at all. Couples often feel unsure whether it’s […]

September 16, 2019

I’m so excited to introduce this gorgeous LGBTQ+ City Hall wedding couple today on the blog! I know I say that every time but from the moment that Jake first reached out I knew this was going to be very special. Call me crazy but sometimes I just get a feeling about these things. The […]
September 10, 2019
I’m often asked by my couples about what they should wear for engagement photos! So I wanted to take a deep dive here and give you some pointers, tips and advice on what to wear your engagement session. My specific tips in this post, as well as quick and easy recommendations for affordable choices, will […]

August 7, 2019

When you’re comparing wedding photographers, it’s natural to want a full picture of any optional fees you might encounter. One you may see is a non-usage fee (sometimes called a privacy fee or image-restriction fee). It’s formal by design, because it’s an agreement: you’re asking the photographer not to use the images they create for […]
August 5, 2019
What affects the look of your finished wedding images? I want to get down to brass tacks in this article, and what factors affect the finished result – your wedding photos. A big part of what I do is education and generally making sure I’m the right fit for you. So let’s dive in to figuring […]

August 2, 2019

These two delightful dudes are getting married (woot!) on September 14 2019! I managed to talk them into doing an engagement session in San Francisco’s Castro District where they live! The enGAYgement session was ahead of their fall wedding. For the big day, they decided to have their wedding ceremony at San Francisco City Hall, […]
July 31, 2019
This article is intended for anyone getting married at San Francisco City Hall, but primarily couples considering working with me, Zoe Larkin Photography. It’s intended to help to manage expectations and fill you in on things that you may not be aware of, or have had no reason to ever think about before! There’s more […]

July 28, 2019

I’m so happy and excited to share this trans couple’s Oakland Lake Merritt engagement shoot! This was such a fun one for me, not least because Marissa and Nico had become friends of mine by the time the shoot rolled around. Read more about how we came to connect, and how this extraordinary couple’s love […]
July 23, 2019
One of the most common questions photographers get is: Can we have the RAW files? (Or the unedited jpegs)? It’s a fair question, especially in an age where digital files feel synonymous with ownership. But when it comes to wedding photography, RAW files aren’t part of the product – and there are really good reasons […]

July 20, 2019

Shooting a wedding is a big undertaking and something that a professional wedding photographer doesn’t take lightly. Managing your expectations goes a long way to ensuring that there are no nasty surprises down the pike. Since the years I wrote this blog post, I decided to take a different tack in answering this question. Please […]
July 16, 2019
Today I’m stoked to bring you this elegant, intimate wedding held at the Vezer Family Vineyard’s Blue Victorian venue. With just the right amount of tradition and a whole lot of intentionality, beauty & personality, it really is a pleasure to share this wedding. Vezer Family Vineyard stunning wedding venue nestled in the heart of […]

July 12, 2019

This San Francisco Mission District love shoot isn’t the first time Max and Victoria have been stars of my blog. Relative newcomers to San Francisco, this couple wanted to mark this time in their lives with photos of their new city and their beautiful home. That’s right, you don’t need to be engaged or married […]
July 9, 2019
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.
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