The Sunnyside Conservatory in San Francisco is such a charming, unexpected delight. This wedding was the first one I photographed at this historic, storied venue, but I hope it won’t be my last. 

In this article, I’ll guide you through some must-know information about the whimsical Sunnyside Conservatory along with photos from Antonella & Marc’s fabulous October ceremony.

This place deserves the title of one of San Francisco’s true hidden gems, perfect for an informal & intimate wedding ceremony and/ or reception. Let’s dive in! 

Candid photos from Sunnyside Conservatory wedding
Candid photos from Sunnyside Conservatory wedding ceremony | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photo

History of the Sunnyside Conservatory

The Sunnyside Conservatory is conveniently located within the City of San Francisco itself, tucked between Glen Park and City College. It boasts affordability as well as its obvious beauty and serenity. 

The Sunnyside Conservatory is comprised of two features: the impressive conservatory building itself and the hundred-year-old garden. 

The conservatory once housed the rare plant collection of a large estate owned by William Augustus Merralls. He was a British-born inventor that had originally come to San Francisco to put his engineering knowledge to profitable use in the mining industry. 

Merralls’ original Victorian oasis was constructed around 1900 next to his home, an old dairy farm. The original Conservatory featured a redwood-shingled two-story octagon flanked by single-story wings on each side, with concrete walkways around the building. 

exterior of the Sunnyside Conservatory, San Francisco
Exterior of San Francisco’s Sunnyside Conservatory | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photo

About the Sunnyside Conservatory

It was extensively remodeled in 2009 by neighbors and preservationists after a $4.2 million restoration project with the goal of exceeding its original beauty. The Sunnyside Conservatory now has tall windows to capture the maximum amount of sunlight (which can be rare in that part of San Francisco!). It retains the original unique and striking octagonal shape. 

The garden area, while not particularly large, is exquisitely landscaped. The pristine grounds are anchored by drought-tolerant succulents and rare, giant Chilean wine palm trees. 

There are even 23 playful little bronze sculptures dotted throughout the site. Known as the Sunnyside Menagerie, the collection of fantastical bronze creatures was designed by the artist team of Wowhaus.

This place is affectionately known as the ‘other conservatory’, with the first conservatory of course being the Conservatory of Flowers. 

The venue is under the care of San Francisco Recreation & Parks. 

Black and white film photos of couple exiting Sunnyside Conservatory
Holga film camera shots of couple exiting Sunnyside Conservatory | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photo

The facts: Sunnyside Conservatory for weddings

Sunnyside Conservatory
Price range💲 (affordable). Pricing here + staffing costs
Reservation & staffing minimum2 hours
Address236 Monterey Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94131
Indoor or outdoor?Venue is indoors, with some outdoor space for cocktail hour & photos 
Reception and ceremony?Yes, both
Maximum Seated Capacity71
Maximum Standing Capacity100
ParkingNo (shuttle or rideshare recommended)
RestroomsYes; 1
Items provided Six round tables, five rectangular tables, and 65 padded folding chairs 
NoteSet up team to be provided by event sponsor 
Kitchen on siteNo (only for storage)
Amplified soundOutdoors – no; indoors – yes subject to timing 
Venue owner & contactSan Francisco Recreation and Park Department (Contact & Application here)

What to know about utilizing the Sunnyside Conservatory

You can opt to have your ceremony here (as rentals begin at just 2 hours), or both ceremony and reception. 

As it’s not the largest venue around, it’s worth paying close attention to some of the limitations of the space – including how to work around not having a kitchen on-site; and the lack of parking. 

On that subject, I recommend a shuttle bus if ferrying your guests from their hotel or on to a separate reception venue. Ridesharing may work well for your local guests. 

It’s only a 9-minute walk from Glen Park BART station for those guests that are comfortable with public transit. The route is mostly flat. 

The guest maximum lends itself better to more intimate weddings of 60 or fewer; and buffets would suit better than plated meals due to the lack of space for servers to get thorough, and the more informal feel overall. 

There are no wait/bussing staff provided. The venue comes only with chairs and tables, no linens. All tabletop items must be rented separately from your own supplier. A small team of 3-5 people (to be provided by the renting party) is required for setup and teardown tasks. 

If serving any food or drinks, you need to provide your own staffing for that, too. For these reasons, we strongly recommend hiring an independent wedding coordinator/ planner. 

While costs are very affordable considering usual San Francisco wedding venue rentals, please be aware that there is an extra cost for weddings (as opposed to community events or non-wedding events). 

Reservations can be made a maximum of one year in advance before your wedding date. Due to how popular this venue is, you should begin your application process as possible. 

How this couple used the space

Antonella and Marc live in San Francisco so this felt like a super local event. I started by capturing getting-ready photos at their condo in the Dogpatch, then a first look on the water nearby where they usually hang out and walk their dog, Freddie. 

Getting ready before the ceremony at Sunnyside Conservatory
Getting ready before the ceremony at Sunnyside Conservatory | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photo

Super cute!

We took an Uber to the Sunnyside Conservatory and I captured some pre-ceremony moments as the guests filtered in.

The ceremony was a heartfelt one! Freddie the dog was part of the processional, proudly carried in by Antonella’s brother. Folks had come from far and wide, and I love to capture as many candid photos as I can of everyone. 

Special touches from the ceremony included the stunning floral display, the display table and beautiful live music. 

Just-married moments at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding
Just-married moments at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photo

Read the vendor credits below if you’re looking to hire wedding pros who are used to getting the best out of this unique space.

After the ceremony, guests filed out to enjoy cocktail hour in the garden area. I gathered up family members so we could start the formal group photos. Either outdoors (with the conservatory right behind you) or inside the building works really well. 

After a few very quick photos with just the couple, it was time to board the shuttle bus to the reception venue, which I’ll share more about in a future post. 

With some careful preparation and a solid vendor team in place, the Sunnyside Conservatory in San Francisco is an absolutely perfect place to get married! You’ll be surrounded by an intimate group of loved ones in a cozy, informal atmosphere. 

candid photography at Sunnyside Conservatory, San Francisco
Wedding at Sunnyside Conservatory | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photo

Vendor credits 

Venue: Sunnyside Conservatory

Photography: Zoe Larkin Photography

Planning: AR Weddings N Events

Floral design: Toeaina Events And Designs

HMUA: Makeup By Maggi

Rentals: Bright Event Rentals

Dress: Bridal Breeze

Suit: Suit Supply

Groom’s boots: Thursday Boots

Rings: Blue Nile

Transportation: Corinthian Transportation

Photos from Sunnyside Conservatory Wedding

exterior of Sunnyside Conservatory, San Francisco floral ceremony arch set up at Sunnyside Conservatory close-up of floral ceremony arch set up at Sunnyside Conservatory musicians performing at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding wedding guests entering Sunnyside Conservatory ceremony just before the wedding ceremony begins at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding guests arriving at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding, san francisco bride with her father before walking down the aisle display table with guests signing at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding groom waiting at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding ceremony moments before walking down the aisle processional groups walking down the aisle at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding ceremony
groom sees bride walking down the aisle at san Francisco wedding Sunnyside Conservatory wedding ceremony Wedding ceremony photos at Sunnyside Conservatory tearful ceremony moments at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding Wedding at Sunnyside Conservatory, San Francisco candid guest photos at Wedding at Sunnyside Conservatory, San Francisco bride and groom first kiss at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding by Zoe Larkin Photography Sunnyside Conservatory wedding reception setup receiving line at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding reception photojournalistic wedding photos from cocktail hour at Sunnyside Conservatory, San Francisco group photos from Sunnyside Conservatory wedding, San Francisco wedding family photos at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding bride posing with mom at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding, San Francisco outdoor shots of wedding at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding reception candid wedding photos from cocktail hour candid and posed cocktail hour photos from Sunnyside Conservatory wedding, San Francisco guests having fun after Sunnyside Conservatory wedding ceremony San Francisco bride and groom with dog inside Sunnyside Conservatory wedding photos taken with Holga 120 black and white film film wedding photography at Sunnyside Conservatory wedding, San Francisco

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A beautiful wedding at Sunnyside Conservatory San Francisco by Zoe Larkin Photography. I’ll show you how to get the best out of your ceremony or reception at this hidden gem of a San Francisco wedding venue with an in-depth guide to getting married at this San Francisco conservatory in the Glen Park neighborhood of San Francisco. #sunnysideconservatory #sanfranciscoweddingvenues
Sunnyside Conservatory wedding photos by Zoe Larkin Photography

About Zoe Larkin Photography 

Looking for a San Francisco wedding photographer? You can learn more about my services at the links below: 

Bay Area wedding photographer – Homepage | Bay Area Wedding photographer – Info, pricing, about & portfolio

Hoping I’ll be back at Sunnyside Conservatory soon, shooting your lovely wedding!

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!

sunnyside conservatory wedding - zoe larkin photo

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Sunnyside Conservatory Wedding (San Francisco)

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