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 that’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 watch a video to get all the info (with even more helpful footage showing civil ceremonies taking place, and how to get from A to B!), I’ve created a YouTube video linked below:
And reach out via the dedicated contact form on this page with more info about my services photographing weddings at SF City Hall once you’re ready to lock me in as your photographer!
This article will focus on civil ceremonies specifically, but I’ve also created a dedicated blog post and video all about private ceremonies (the 1-hour option, also taking place Monday to Friday 9am – 3pm), so you have all the options at your fingertips when making your wedding plans.
Table of Contents
Why San Francisco City Hall?
First, you need to understand the reason why people book their civil ceremonies here when literally every city or county has its own administrative building where couples can tie the knot very inexpensively. San Francisco City Hall looks a little different from the usual unadorned basement of a government building – it looks like this! For that reason, this venue is super popular. So expect crowds.
Don’t forget to check out my full, even more detailed guide to getting married at San Francisco City Hall, linked below:
There’s also a full video about the general process of getting married at San Francisco City Hall below!
How do you avoid crowds?
If you want to avoid crowds in as much as it’s possible, go for the very first civil ceremony appointment of the day: 9am. This the only ceremony slot that enables you to start your photography session at 8am which is when the doors open. Though there are sometimes multiple photographers with their clients lining up before 8am, it’s still much quieter than any time after around 8.30 when the crowds start building.
If you’re not a morning person or prioritize going straight into a nice dinner with loved ones, consider the last civil ceremony appointment which is at 3.30pm. The first or last slot of the day is the best way to avoid excessive crowds, which are prevalent during the middle of the day (later morning through early afternoon). The Google Maps chart follows this pattern this every weekday:
For days of the week, I recommend Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Friday afternoons are by far the busiest.
For time of year, winter and early spring are the quietest times of the year.
Who can have a civil ceremony?
Anyone can wed at San Francisco City Hall providing you’re over 18, not already married and have valid identification and a marriage license. You don’t need to be a resident of California, nor a citizen / resident of the United States.
That makes it a popular location for elopements as there is very little red tape and it’s a smooth, easy and affordable process to get booked in with them.
When do civil ceremonies take place?
Civil ceremonies take place Monday through Friday excluding holidays and any special events in which the building is closed to the public. The first available slot is 9am and the final slot of the day is 3.30pm. Bookings are available on the half-hour.
How do you book a civil ceremony at San Francisco City Hall?
To book your civil ceremony at San Francisco City Hall, visit the official booking page for civil ceremonies at this link. There is more official information provided on this pre-booking page.
How far in advance can you book a civil ceremony?
You can book a civil ceremony up to 90 days out. The calendar opens up automatically at midnight PST exactly 90 days before each weekday.
However, be aware that slots book up quickly.
For example, as I type to research for this blog post, this it’s February 4 2025. The next available appointment is for April 1 2025. So if I wanted to get married ‘as soon as possible’, I’d actually be waiting almost 2 months for the next available opening. And this is for the least busy time of year – winter. (Summer and Fall are the most popular):
How hard is it to secure the wedding date you want?
It’s not hard if you are ready to pounce on the booking calendar the second it opens, which is does at midnight exactly 90 days out. I recommend ensuring you have a log-in created in advance so you don’t waste any time.
I created a video about how to snag the ceremony slot you want, linked here and shown below.
To increase your chances further, you could have both you and your partner poised and ready to make the booking in case there’s an issue with the website. Just make sure you don’t end up with 2 bookings, as civil ceremony bookings made with San Francisco City Hall are non-refundable.
Do you need a booking or can you just turn up?
You absolutely need a booking in order to get married at San Francisco City Hall. There is no such thing as a walk-in ceremony here.
You actually need to book two separate appointments – one to obtain your marriage license and another for the ceremony itself in which you actually solemnize your marriage.
Which appointment should I make first, the license or the ceremony appointment?
Though the license is obtained before the actual ceremony, it’s recommended to book the appointment for the ceremony first and then the license appointment second.
This is because license appointments are much more plentiful but ceremony appointments are highly sought after. You can book both the license and ceremony appointments up to 90 days out.
Your marriage license does not need to be obtained from San Francisco City Hall, it can be from any county within California only. Both people getting married need to present themselves in person to obtain a marriage license.
Can the civil ceremony appointment be rescheduled?
No, you cannot reschedule your ceremony. No refunds are given and all sales are final. If you cannot make your booked slot, you can let City Hall know so the slot can potentially be made available to another couple. You would simply book another slot from scratch if needed, no credits are given.
How much does a civil ceremony cost?
The cost for the ceremony is a little over $100 and it will gradually increase a few dollars every year. The license cost varies per county and in San Francisco it is also over $100. In San Francisco, the license cost is actually a little higher than the ceremony cost.
How many guests can attend a civil ceremony at San Francisco City Hall?
Officially the limit is 6 guests which excludes the couple but includes any children, photographers and videographers within your party. In reality, many officiants turn a blind eye if there are slightly more than 6 guests present and it’s not a disruptive or loud group.
However, the official rules can be invoked at any time, so it would be wise to consider which of the guests may unfortunately have to sit aside for the few minutes the ceremony is taking place, before rejoining immediately on conclusion. They may be able to stand one floor up on the 3rd Floor looking down, or just at the top of the Grand Staircase very close to the rotunda.
I created a video about what to do if you have more than 6 guests linked here and shown below:
For context, I’ve photographed a good 300+ civil ceremonies specifically and I can recall approximately 4 in which the couple was asked to only have 6 guests present – the others could watch from a distance. So that’s approximately 1 in 100.
Conversely, I’ve had several experiences in which couples have turned up with 25 and even 30 guests on one occasion. The officiant not only welcomed everyone with open arms, but conducted the ceremony in a more spacious area (ranging from the Mayor’s Balcony to the 3rd Floor to the spacious and light-filled 4th Floor).
Honestly, you just don’t know what you’re going to get. This is something you have to embrace about the experience of getting married here!
Still not sure if a civil ceremony is right for you? Not everyone loves the idea of the impersonal process of a civil ceremony. I made this video to shed more light on what’s really involved when you choose a City Hall wedding.
It may be that a private ceremony is more up your street – there’s more privacy, customization options, a higher guest limit and you can book 2 years out.
Who conducts the ceremonies and can we bring our own officiant?
The officiant is provided for you, you can’t bring your own. The officiant is known officially as the Deputy Marriage Commissioner, and also called Justice of the Peace, reflecting their other role as a judicial officer of a lower court. For clarity, I simply call them ‘officiants’ in this piece.
Some officiants embellish the proceedings by welcoming the guests and offering some words of wisdom for the couple, but others stick rigidly to the script.
There is no way of knowing who your officiant will be in advance or requesting a specific one. Even though they have different approaches, they all do a great job and are in fact volunteers!
What if we’d like our own officiant or we want to marry sooner than the next available civil ceremony opening?
You do not need to go through the official civil ceremony process to marry within City Hall!
As this is a public building, you can simply rock up and bring your own officiant, unrelated to the official process discussed here. However, this is its own thing so to avoid confusion I’ll just link an article below with more info.
What are the vows for the civil ceremony?
During the ceremony, you will recite the templated vows. There is no ability to write your own vows. However, if this is important to you, there’s nothing to stop you from having a private moment to exchange personal vows either before or after the ceremony, because again, it is a public building.
I created an article with the exact vow wording that you can find below if you’re curious.
Where exactly in the building do civil ceremonies take place?
Officially, you are not able to choose the location of your civil ceremony. It is 100% your officiant’s decision where they would like to or have to conduct the ceremony. See note from the official sf.gov website, which makes this very clear:
Civil Ceremonies usually take place in the Rotunda (shown above) which is a small area located at the top of the Grand Staircase and then back up a small additional set of stairs. Sometimes, officiants ask which way the photographer would like them positioned, but other times they do not, and simply start the ceremony. This is the other configuration, with the officiant standing facing the other way from the above:
The rotunda is somewhat private, but be aware there is nothing to stop tourists, randoms and other wedding groups from hovering nearby, sometimes even standing right next to your guests.
Acoustics are not great in the rotunda, so it can be hard for guests to hear especially if your officiant is softly spoken, but they’ll still be a part of the moment. In addition, it’s one of the darkest areas of the building, meaning it can be challenging for photography.
It has the advantage of being a little hidden away, adding a somewhat private feel.
The exception to ceremonies in the rotunda is during Pride Month (June) and on Valentine’s Day. They have historically checked couples in inside the North Light Court, the large room located next to the County Clerk’s Office. Then, they sometimes allow couples to either choose their own spot where they would like the ceremony to be conducted (subject to availability/ the officiant’s discretion), or they conduct ceremonies on the 3rd Floor by default.
Also there is a Board of Supervisors meeting that takes place I believe on Tuesday afternoons in Room 250 which is located right behind the Rotunda. On such days, the Rotunda is not available for civil ceremonies. Your officiant will guide you as to where they will conduct the ceremony.
Can you request a different area if you prefer?
You cannot choose the location of your civil ceremony. However, you can always ask the officiant if they would consider marrying you in a different area such as any of the balcony areas on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Floors.
9 times out of 10 they will not be able to grant the request as they have a schedule to keep and want to minimize confusion and the risk of you and them going to different places.
Due to the sheer volume of civil ceremonies I’ve photographed however, I’ve seen them take place in many varied places around the building! Here are just a few:
How long does a civil ceremony last?
The ceremony is very short. It lasts around 3-4 minutes and will be even shorter if you choose not to exchange wedding rings. It literally flies by. Couples are always shocked by how short it feels, even when they know to expect around 3 minutes.
However, the check-in process before you get to say ‘I do’ takes around 30 minutes, and it can be even longer on rare occasions. So the process of having a civil ceremony takes a lot longer than the few minutes you’re actually in the rotunda with the ceremony actually underway.
What should you bring with you for a civil ceremony at SF City Hall?
Officially, you need to bring valid ID, your marriage license and a witness.
Unofficially, most couples will likely want to bring with you:
- Valid ID for both partners + translation if needed
- Marriage license issued within 90 days
- Your witness (if eloping, photographers act as witness for no extra fee)
- Wedding rings
- Bouquet and/ or boutonniere
- Makeup touchup kit
- Personal effects but keep to a minimum – phone, keys, wallet.
One of my day-of tips for San Francisco City Hall is to bring as little as possible with you. This is because it’s a busy public building with nowhere to set items down. You will need to keep an eye on your possessions, but also keep them out of the way of photos. Extra stuff (bags, jackets, food etc) can be an encumbrance.
I even bring an unused spare pair of shoes that brides can take away with them if their heels start to make their feet sore!
You don’t need extra layers as the building is kept extremely warm at all times of the year. There are water fountains throughout the building.
Check out the full guide linked below.
What does the check-in process involve, and how long does it take?
Before your marriage ceremony, you will need to check in. Check-in takes place exactly 15 minutes before your booked ceremony time.
Throughout this article I’ll use the example of a 12pm ceremony throughout. You will check in at 11.45 (no earlier, no later). Check-in is a 2-part process which I’ll go into. It takes place in the County Clerk’s Office.
No photography filming or recording of any kind is permitted inside room 160 or room 168. Photography is usually allowed in the corridor but it’s a dark, dingy hallway, truth be told, and sometimes has a lot of people waiting which can make them uncomfortable to take flash photos so close to others.
Go to Room 160 to check yourselves in
First the two of you present yourselves to Room 160 near the entrance of the corridor. To find this area, after you enter the building, walk straight past the staircase with the staircase to your left, remaining on the ground floor. You’ll see some stone arches and a large room marked ‘North Light Court’. Go past the North Light Court (it should be on your right). You’ll see a small, unassuming entrance to a corridor marked with ‘County Clerk’ in the glass above.
Please check out the video version of this blog post if you’d like to see it all, as this part includes a video walk-through.
Here you’ll join the line and a friendly staff member will check you in. They will check your marriage license and your government-issued IDs. They’ll ensure you have a suitable witness with you. You will need to have obtained your marriage license already.
Your marriage license must be clean, unmarked and without rips or tears, no matter how small. It may be folded, but avoid crumpling up the paper. They are very specific about how this document is presented, and if ripped, you may have to rebook. Your ID must spell out your entire name in full and must be in English or have a certified translation if in a foreign language.
Go to Room 168 to meet your officiant
After checking you in, they’ll ask you to wait in the hallway directly outside the room until your name is read out. Once called, you’ll report to Room 168 at the far end of the corridor.
You’ll need to keep an eye on the big screens for the name of one of the partners to appear (whoever provided their name and phone number). There is a robo voice that will call out the first name, but it can be very easy to miss as it’s fairly quiet.
Once it’s your turn, you’ll enter room 168 and meet with the officiant this time. The no-photo rule was implemented in 2021, but here’s a photo from before that time showing a couple checking in, with the two moms as witnesses:
During this ~5-minute meeting, the officiant will once again check over your IDs, ask you what name you wish to be referred to as, and whether you’d like to be declared ‘husband and wife’, ‘husband and husband’, ‘spouses for life’, ‘legally married’ or any other variations.
Also during this time your witness will be with you (more on this in the next section) and it’s during this part of the check-in process that they will sign your marriage license when asked to do so.
It is at this time you should ask your officiant if they would consider marrying you on one of the other floors of their choosing, if desired.
All in all, the entire check-in process takes on average 30 minutes, but on some rare occasions I’ve seen it take as long as 45 minutes.
Will we need witnesses and if so, how many?
You need to have at least one witness with you. In California, you are legally allowed to have 2 witnesses sign a marriage license, but only one is required.
Some officiants only allow 1 witness, likely due to the time saving and to minimize the risk of someone making a mistake on the form. If there are any crossings-out, the marriage license is declared void and needs to be obtained from scratch.
If you obtain a confidential marriage license rather than the standard public marriage license, you do not need a witness.
Witnesses do not need to provide any identification. They must be old enough to know that they are witnessing a marriage ceremony, be of sound mind, able to sign their name on the official marriage license and to understand English. Your witness must be present when you meet the officiant and sign the license in Room 168.
If you are eloping and don’t have a witness, the photographer you booked is always happy to act as witness. Photographers to not charge extra for this.
What happens after checking in on the wedding day?
After you step out of the check-in area, you will either get married right away or the officiant will have one more couple to check in – they will let you know. This is because there are 2 bookings for every half-hour timeslot.
In our example, you have a 12pm ceremony. You checked in at 11.45am and will emerge from the check-in process at approximately 12.15 or 12.20 at the latest. Then your ceremony will take place around 12.25, depending on whether you check in first or second, providing there was another couple that booked the same time as you. Couples are married in the order in which they check in for each timeslot, so if you check in first, you marry first.
The timeline for check in & ceremony may look something like this:
| 11.30 | Guest arrival time |
| 11.45 – 12.15 | Check in at County Clerk’s Office |
| 12.00 | Booked Civil Ceremony slot |
| 12.20 – 12.25 | Estimated actual ceremony time |
| 12.25 | Ceremony ends; guests congratulate |
The officiant will ask you to wait in the ceremony area (the rotunda usually) until they’re ready to start the ceremony. Before you go upstairs, you need to grab all your guests. There are elevators on every floor as well as stairs.
When should the guests arrive?
It’s important to have all your guests who will be joining the ceremony waiting together in one place, as it may be as little as a few minutes from the time you exit the check-in corridor to the commencement of the ceremony.
In the example, you’ve booked a 12pm ceremony and check in at 11.45. Though it’s likely you will not emerge from the check-in area until around 12.15, it is possible you might be out much earlier than that. For example you may be the only couple that booked that particular timeslot.
Therefore, rather than tell your guests it won’t start until 12.15, it would be better to have them there a little before you enter check-in. This is not only for your own peace of mind knowing they’ve arrived, but just in case you are much quicker than expected in the office. Therefore, for a 12pm ceremony, I would have guests arrive no later than 11.45am.
Where should guests wait before civil ceremony at SF City Hall while the couple checks in?
I recommend asking guests to wait at the bottom of the Grand Staircase, rather than trying to find you in the check-in corridor. The check-in corridor is hard to find and guests could easily get lost or, if it’s busy in there, be asked by staff to leave anyway if they are not the witness.
This way, it’s easy to grab everyone as soon as the ceremony is about to start. This is where I advise couples to ask their guests to wait (feel free to download this graphic and text it to guests!):
If some guests haven’t arrived yet when you check in, they will easily spot the group and join them in waiting for you.
Plus I tend to get as many photos as possible with different guest groups with the Grand Staircase in the background (for example, both partners’ parents, different sibling groups, friend-couples etc) to make the most of the time the couple is checking in.
Do you still have access to other areas of the building such as the 4th Floor?
Yes! Anyone can enter City Hall, whether they are part of a wedding or not. Anyone can photograph at City Hall, no permit required. There is no restriction as to where anyone can go within the public areas of the building. This includes the Grand Staircase and all four floors.
As long as there isn’t a big event setup taking place (sometimes certain areas are out of commission to all), and you respect others also using the space, you and anyone in your party are free to roam around and take photos wherever you like.
You must abide by rules such as not standing on the windowsills or ledges – otherwise you may be asked to leave. Also be aware of inadvertently bringing prohibited items along. If you have any with you, you will be asked to surrender them or will not be admitted entry.
How soon after the wedding will we receive our marriage certificate?
It typically takes up to 3 weeks for the marriage license to be submitted to the SF Assessor-Recorder’s office. There is more information about this on the official sf.gov pages, linked here and linked here.
City Hall staff does not automatically mail you a copy of the marriage certificate. You have to request copies from the Office of the Assessor-Recorder. This can be done by requesting it online, in person or by mail. If going to pick up your certificate in person, you can make an appointment directly for maximum efficiency, but an appointment is not required for certificate pickup.
When you apply for your marriage certificate, this is the time to specify how many copies you’d like to receive. It’s recommended to apply for 4 copies if you’re changing your last name. Copies are inexpensive and well worth having.
You can get copies of your certificate by going for in-person pickup the quickest, but you will need to allow more time if you’d like it mailed out (up to 3 weeks).
Should you hire a photographer?
This is a personal choice that depends on your priorities and budget. Professional City Hall wedding photographers typically start at a few thousand dollars and bring specialized knowledge of the venue, lighting, process, posing and editing. They can also help coordinate timing and locations within the building to make it as efficient yet meaningful as possible. I also have a team of photographers whose prices are significantly lower than my own.
However, many couples keep things simple with a friend taking photos or even phone pictures. Some find newer photographers on Instagram, Tiktok, Reddit or through friends of friends or ‘that friend who’s always taking photos!’. There’s no right or wrong choice – it comes down to what matters most to you and what fits your budget.
If you’re interested in photography with me or my team, I’d be happy to share more info along with recent galleries in full.
Zoe Larkin
I’m Zoe, a wedding photographer based in San Francisco! My style is candid, capturing authentic moments for my couples all over the Bay Area and Northern California. Creating content is my passion! Follow along the blog and Insta!
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