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A San Francisco City Hall wedding could not be more dreamy and fine art. It has multiple floors of beauty that surround a rotunda whose staircase is magnificent. Everytime I shoot inside the building, I feel inspired to the extreme.
Engagement Photos at San Francisco City Hall
To take engagement photos at City Hall, there is no permit or cost required. Your photographer should recommend a good start time based on lighting and guide you to the best locations inside.
Elope at San Francisco City Hall
If you’re looking to solely host your ceremony at SF City Hall, you’ll be able to do that quite easily and somewhat affordably for $1,000. That covers one hour of renting your chosen area. The fourth floor has the best light and is where many elopements take place. You can opt to rope off the entire promenade for privacy.
You’ll need to secure an officiant and a photographer (me!) for your elopement. The building does allow for acoustic music provided by an approved musician.
San Francisco City Hall Wedding Ceremony + Reception
If you’re looking to host your ceremony and reception at SF City Hall, you’ll need a solid budget to do so. Renting the entire Rotunda runs $10,000.
Additionally, you’ll need to hire a wedding planner. Their team should be skilled at working on tight timelines and flipping spaces to ensure your San Francisco City Hall wedding runs smoothly. Of course, you’ll also need to hire a rental company to provide all seating, tables, tabletop items, and any other furniture.
Outdoor Portraits at City Hall
Almost as much beauty exists outside of the building as inside. I highly recommend that for elopements, you hire the photographer for two hours to ensure you have enough time to shoot outside. For full weddings, make time for sunset portraits outdoors. You’ll have variety in your portraits this way!
