San Francisco City Hall wedding photographer

11. WHAT'S INVOLVED WITH PICKING UP OUR MARRIAGE LICENSE?

Picking up the marriage license is simple and is available from any county in California. You will need to make an appointment online to obtain the marriage license. The license must have been issued within 90 days of the wedding date. It can be picked up on the wedding day but I would not recommend this.

If it has to be the same day as the ceremony, I recommend at least 3 hours before to avoid cutting into your photography time.

12. WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT DELAYS AT CITY HALL, WHAT CAN WE DO?

Delays are commonplace at San Francisco City Hall, but your photographer can build enough buffer time into proceedings. To prepare for delays, you can make a firm plan with your photographer which includes buffer time, and ask about the fees for overtime coverage. 2 hours is sufficient which is why my packages begin at 2 hours.

13. WHERE DO WE GO FOR COUPLES PORTRAITS AFTER OUR CEREMONY?

Anywhere in San Francisco! I strongly recommend getting some photos done in an outdoor location somewhere in the city. I have a couple of articles that might be helpful. Firstly, my guide to wedding and engagement locations all around San Francisco.

Secondly, I have a guide to some cool photo spots that are less than 3 miles from San Francisco City Hall. If you wanted to keep to 2.5 hours of coverage instead of 3, some of these places may be suitable. 

14. SHOULD WE HAVE A WEDDING RECEPTION THE SAME DAY AS OUR SF CITY HALL WEDDING CEREMONY?

This will probably depend on what makes sense for your specific group and family. Are folks flying in especially, or would it be easy enough to get everyone together again? How formal of a reception event you are looking to host? Would you prefer your reception to be a full day event in itself? 

For more casual events (a relaxed brunch, a chill restaurant, a bar), I personally think on the same day is best. Then your photographer can tag along to cover at least the first 30 minutes or so before the food comes.

For a more formal or larger event, it can make more sense to do it on a separate day. For my complete guide to the best San Francisco restaurants to host a reception after City Hall, check out my article here. 

15. WHAT'S THE BEST WAY OF GETTING TO CITY HALL AND TRAVELING AROUND?

I have a separate article on this topic here. There are a few things to bear in mind as it’s a super busy area, and is accessible by many different transit options. There are transportation ideas for every budget, style and guest count.

16. WHAT WILL THE PICTURES BE LIKE IF CITY HALL IS SUPER BUSY?

A skilled photographer will be able to guide you to places that obscure the fact that the building is busy. Many will also Photoshop distracting elements, like we do. But there is a limit to what smart positioning and post-production can do. Sometimes, especially during the ceremony in which we cannot direct people, others may be visible. 

17. WHAT'S THE BEST TIME FOR PICTURES AT SAN FRANCISCO CITY HALL?

The best time of day I would say is as early as possible. The building has stunning light early in the day and it’s largely free of people. 8am is when the doors open, so that’s my number 1 recommendation as to when to start the photography. After this time, the chances of getting a clear Grand Staircase shot diminish.

The other opportunity is when the ceremonies are winding down for the day, the latest being at 3.30pm. The quality of light can be darker depending on weather and time of year. Later photos may have more orange tone. 

18. HOW DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH PHOTOGRAPHY COVERAGE TO BOOK?

This is something you can discuss with your photographer who draw up a detailed timeline, given the events you'd like captured. Your photographer will give you a realistic idea of a timeframe. We do not recommend rushing to fit more in as you will end up stressed and exasperated. Read more about creating your San Francisco City Hall wedding timeline here!

19. HOW DO WE FIND AND BOOK A SAN FRANCISCO CITY HALL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER?

There are many photographers around, but few that specialize in City Hall weddings. Even fewer that make images that are authentic, modern yet timeless, fresh and full of life. Google and Instagram are good places to start. There’s plenty of snooping to be done, including Yelp reviews, social media, and their blogs. 

Expect an experienced San Francisco City Hall wedding photographer to guide you through the process and act almost as a coordinator!

01. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST FOR A LEGAL CIVIL CEREMONY? 

The cost to get married in a civil ceremony at San Francisco City Hall costs about $100 at the current time (the price is subject to change and the current price can be found here on City Hall's official page). This excludes the license cost which at SF is usually around $120 (all other CA counties are less than SF). This includes the officiant. You may choose to add on extras: wedding dress/ suit, a photographer, florals, HMUA, transportation and a nice meal.

02. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR SAN FRANCISCO CITY HALL WEDDINGS?

The two main options are civil ceremonies and private area rentals. Civil ceremonies take place in the rotunda, at the top of the stairs.

The private area rentals take place on either the 4th Floor North Gallery or the Mayor’s Balcony. Within the private rentals category, there is also the option for a full City Hall buyout during the weekend or evening. There are different guest counts and rental costs associated with each. I’ve outlined the options in full on this post. 

03. WHAT IS THE ACTUAL WEDDING CEREMONY LIKE AT SF CITY HALL AND HOW LONG IS IT? 

The Civil Ceremony lasts about 3 to 4 minutes. It can be even shorter if you choose not to exchange rings. The vows that you will be exchanging are available in full here. 

No personalization is permitted unless you are having a private ceremony. If you're doing a private ceremony, you'll have the space for an hour, about half of which is the ceremony and the other half is the posed group photos.

04. WHAT CAN WE ACTUALLY EXPECT TO HAPPEN ON OUR SF CITY HALL WEDDING DAY?

On the day, you’ll need to check in 15 minutes before your booked ceremony time. Try to be the first to check-in for your timeslot! After checking in first with the information desk, you’ll wait in the corridor for your number to be called out. This time you’ll go and meet your officiant. Since 2021, photographers are not permitted to accompany couples into room 168 (County Clerk's Office).

Want to know what happens next? Check out this in-depth article about the typical timeline for a San Francisco City Hall wedding day.

05. CAN YOU CHOOSE WHERE TO GET MARRIED AT SF CITY HALL?

Currently, the only option for the civil ceremony is the rotunda. There used to be private room, but that doesn't seem to be used since pre-pandemic. But a lot of people don’t know about this other option. 

06. IS AN OFFICIANT PROVIDED FOR SAN FRANCISCO CITY HALL WEDDING?

Yes, a city-appointed Deputy Marriage Commissioner is provided for all civil ceremonies as standard. These folks are all volunteers, sometimes retired City judges. No officiant is provided for private area rentals, but I can let you know my recommendations if you're interested.

07. SHOULD WE GET FAMILY FORMALS AT OUR CITY HALL WEDDING? 

This is an essential part of your wedding gallery! These formal photos need to be planned out in advance. It takes longer than most couples realize and can be rather draining, so we want to get through the list as soon as possible.

I recommend keeping lists short, and getting only the photos you really want. Here's my comprehensive guide on how to compile your family photo list.

08. WHY IS THE GUEST COUNT SO LIMITED?

The official guest count is 6 people for civil ceremonies, however it hasn't been strictly enforced since City Hall opened back up again. I've seen 25+ guests being welcomed in but I do recommend following the official rules.

Photographers, videographers and children count towards your guest count.

09. WHAT DO THE GUESTS DO DURING THE COUPLES' SHOOT?

We need guests to be out of the way during the couples’ photoshoot. I recommend the couple completely focusing on each other free of distractions, and I'll be working very hard and quickly to get the best shots.

I recommend having a firm plan that guests are informed of in advance so they know to leave the building at this time. 

10. CAN WE HAVE A WEDDING PARTY AT OUR SAN FRANCISCO CITY HALL WEDDING?

You can have bridesmaids/ groomsmen at your wedding if you have a private area rental. 100 guests are permitted (though some may be standing depending on the specific space). For many couples I work with, though, a City Hall wedding is all about breaking with tradition.

San Francisco City Hall - FAQs

city hall-specific

Further reading:
All the City Hall blog posts together in one place! View sample images, planning tips & tricks for a smooth and effortless San Francisco City Hall wedding day!