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Zoe Larkin Photography blog

Helping Bay Area marriers navigate the new world of wedding photography and & planning 

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In this article, I’m going to be going over some pros and cons of having your first look at San Francisco City Hall specifically. First of all, if you’re not sold on the idea of a pre-ceremony ‘first look’, or you’re unsure what it involves, I’ve written a separate guide to first looks in general […]

First Look for San Francisco City Hall Weddings

how to have first look at san Francisco city hall wedding ceremony

August 8, 2023

hotels-for-your-wedding-at-san-francsico-city-hall

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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 […]

27 best hotels to get ready at before your San Francisco City Hall wedding

January 31, 2023

I’m often asked by couples getting married at San Francisco City Hall for my tips on how to personalize their day. Whatever kind of wedding you’re having – civil ceremony or private ceremony – there are ways to bring more of a sense of occasion as well as touches of your values and personality throughout. […]

How to make your SF City Hall ceremony extra special

how to make your wedding at San Francisco city hall more meaningful and special

April 18, 2022

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You probably already know that the 4th Floor Galleries are available for private rental for wedding ceremonies at San Francisco City Hall. You are perhaps thinking of booking one of the 4th Floor balconies and want to get a little bit of info before doing do. First of all, welcome! I’m Zoe, one of the most […]

Your 2024 guide to 4th Floor Wedding Ceremonies at San Francisco City Hall

February 15, 2022

If you’re looking for up-to-date information regarding wedding ceremonies at San Francisco City Hall, you’re in the right place! I’m a wedding photographer that shoots a large number of weddings in this iconic public building. I have a lot of updates, news and info to share with you, based on my knowledge and experience working […]

San Francisco City Hall Pandemic Wedding Updates 2022

pandemic updates for san francisco city hall weddings - 2022

January 21, 2022

set up at San Francisco City Hall for full buyout wedding

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Interested in having the whole of San Francisco City Hall to yourself for your Saturday wedding ceremony? Then check out Eduardo and Dieter’s September City Hall ceremony for full buyout inspiration! The San Francisco couple were kind enough to lift the lid on some of their planning experiences – so I’m going to share this, […]

San Francisco City Hall full buyout Saturday wedding

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 […]

Timeline for San Francisco City Hall wedding ceremonies

Plan your timeline for your San Francisco City Hall wedding ceremony

March 21, 2020

couple exiting san francisco city hall after wedding

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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 […]

How to Get Married at San Francisco City Hall (2024)

March 12, 2020

Wondering where to have your reception after your San Francisco City Hall wedding ceremony? 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 23 restaurants on my list all serve excellent food and will take great care of […]

23 Top Restaurants After San Francisco City Hall For Wedding Receptions

restaurants for san francisco city hall wedding receptions

March 10, 2020

couple checking in at North Light Court, San Francisco City Hall for their Valentine's Day wedding

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Today I want to let you in on a little San Francisco City Hall inside knowledge on Valentine’s Day wedding ceremonies. City Hall doesn’t always publicize their special set-up for Valentine’s Day, so I’m letting you in on all the goss! 2020 was the 4th year that SF City Hall has instated the tradition, and […]

Valentine’s Day wedding ceremonies at San Francisco City Hall

March 3, 2020

When you choose to get married at SF City Hall, you have a few different options open to you. One of the private areas that’s available for rent is the Mayor’s Balcony.  The Mayor’s Balcony is an elegant choice for couples that would like a little more privacy, a higher guest count and the chance […]

Mayor’s Balcony Weddings – San Francisco City Hall 

Mayor’s balcony wedding at San Francisco City Hall

February 15, 2020

San-Francisco-City-hall-marriage-vows

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As a City Hall wedding photographer, I am sometimes asked about the official marriage vows that couples will be taking on their wedding day at San Francisco City Hall. When you get married at a courthouse or city hall, there isn’t an opportunity for personalized vows like at a regular wedding ceremony. At least for […]

Official San Francisco City Hall Civil Ceremony Wedding Vows

February 3, 2020

What’s the best way of getting around on your San Francisco City Hall wedding day? Whatever you have planned on your big day at City Hall, you’ll undoubtedly need some form of transportation! In this article, I outline the 10 best transportation ideas to & from San Francisco City Hall. I also include some pros […]

10 transportation ideas for San Francisco City Hall weddings

10 ideas for san francisco city hall wedding day transportation!

January 4, 2020

close up of marriage license being signed on windowsills of 3rd floor of sf city hall

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A private city hall ceremony is always a wonderful idea, but the price tag can make it unfeasible for some. Is there a middle ground between the private rental of an area and the typical 5-minute rotunda civil ceremony? A recent couple made me aware of an option to get married privately at San Francisco […]

How to have a private ceremony at SF City Hall without renting a space

December 2, 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

10 San Francisco portrait locations close to City Hall

Bride and groom posing with san francisco skyline at Potrero Hill Wisconsin & 20th Streets after city hall wedding

November 21, 2019

2 grooms wedding ceremony at LGBTQ+ City Hall wedding on 4th floor

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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 […]

Pride month 4th Floor San Francisco City Hall wedding ceremony

September 10, 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 […]

What you need to know about getting your San Francisco City Hall wedding photos

info that you need to know about sf city hall wedding photography | Zoe Larkin Photography

July 28, 2019

tattooed couple eloping at san francisco city hall

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Although we hear so much about wedding planning, there are still couples that do the whole spontaneous City Hall elopement thing! Megs and Chad were one such couple that reached out to me just a few days before but we made it happen! The story Megs and Chad eloped to San Francisco City Hall from […]

Megs + Chad | Rad tattooed couple’s spontaneous City Hall elopement

June 29, 2019

Meet Mimi and Kim and check out their City Hall Vietnamese wedding! San Francisco dwellers & all-around sweet and practical people! Close family and chosen family attended the wedding. Mimi and Kim will have a larger wedding reception in the South of France the following year! It made sense to do a City Hall wedding […]

Mimi + Kim | City Hall Vietnamese family wedding

A sweet San Francisco City Hall wedding of a Vietnamese American couple, as they pose for pictures on the 2nd floor of the iconic San Francisco landmark on their wedding day | Photo by Zoe Larkin Photography

June 18, 2019

couple leaving san francisco city hall | Zoe Larkin Photography

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Jess and John eloped in San Francisco City Hall – it was just the two of them! This one was truly special. Such heart, such love and a real bond that was so palpable to be witness to.  These two emphasized how much the day really felt like them – they were barely aware of […]

City Hall wedding with photos downtown & on the beach!

June 10, 2019

I lead a team of Bay Area wedding photographers 👋🏾 I 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 400 weddings personally photographed by Zoe, hundreds of reviews on Yelp and Google, and over

San Francisco wedding photographers

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?

350,000 words of inspiration and and advice on the blog, we're the leading wedding photographers in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Since 2017, 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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