Have you been dreaming about having a San Francisco City Hall wedding or elopement? You’re in the perfect place to get all the info you need.
San Francisco City Hall is a beautiful building full of history, Beaux-Arts architecture, and timeless charm – it’s easy to understand why it’s such a sought-after location for weddings and elopements. Inside, you’ll find a breathtaking grand staircase, a romantic rotunda, and a variety of different eye-catching backdrops for your photos.
As a San Francisco wedding photographer who calls this beautiful city home, I wanted to create a guide that walks you through the step-by-step process of planning your celebration at this iconic location.
Keep reading for all the info you need for getting married at San Francisco City Hall!
Your Guide to Getting Married at San Francisco City Hall
Whether you’re drawn to its marble staircases or its impressive dome, San Francisco City Hall offers a backdrop full of charm and elegance. Nothing about getting married here feels like your typical government building ceremony – instead, a celebration here feels luxurious and intimate, and I love every chance I get to photograph weddings here.
Here’s what you need to do to get married at San Francisco City Hall:
Step 1 – Get your California marriage license
If you want to get married in San Francisco, the first thing you and your partner need to do is head to the County Clerk’s Office and get your marriage license. In California, there are two types of marriage licenses: a public marriage license and a confidential marriage license. If you choose to apply for a confidential marriage license, you and your partner must have been living together to be able to apply for it.
An appointment is required to get your marriage license, so don’t forget to make one in advance. You can make an appointment with the County Clerk’s Office in San Francisco here.
For your appointment, you’ll need to bring your application, valid government photo identification (ex: a driver’s license), and payment for the marriage license fee.
The marriage license currently costs $124, but this could change. For the most up-to-date info on fees, go here.
After you are issued your marriage license, it’s valid immediately and must be used within 90 days. I’d recommend setting up a separate date to get your marriage license, different from your wedding date so you’ll eliminate the amount of waiting around you’ll have to do on the day of the ceremony.
Step 2 – Book either a civil ceremony or a private wedding
You have a few different options for your wedding at San Francisco City Hall. Let’s dive into all of the choices you have and what comes next once you’ve decided which option is the perfect fit for you and your partner.
CIVIL CEREMONY
A civil ceremony at San Francisco City Hall allows you to have six guests, which includes your photographer, videographer, and witnesses. If you have a few more guests, most judges are typically okay with it, although it depends on their discretion. Just be honest when they ask you how many guests you have!
Also, most of the civil ceremonies happen at the top of the grand staircase and under the Rotunda (pictured in the photo above), but if we get lucky, the judge may offer us the 4th floor, which has the best light.
Since this is a public building during the weekdays, you can expect some onlookers watching your civil ceremony as it happens. My suggestion? When choosing a date for your ceremony, to avoid crowds, I recommend Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings. Friday afternoons are by far the busiest time of the week in City Hall.
Civil ceremonies are available to book every half hour Monday through Friday, and the cost is $111. To keep up to date on fees, go here!
If a civil ceremony is exactly what you’re looking for, the next step after getting your marriage license is to book your ceremony through San Francisco City Hall’s online reservation system, which you can do here. Pro tip: book as early as possible (spots open up 90 days in advance), as San Francisco City Hall spots can fill up very quickly.
Ceremony appointments are available every half hour between 9 am and 3:30 pm, Monday to Friday.
PRIVATE WEDDING
San Francisco City Hall also offers you the option of having a private wedding ceremony where you can rent a section of City Hall just for you, your partner, and your guests. You have a few different options available, including a one-hour or two-hour rental, and they also offer an evening wedding option.
For a 1-hour wedding rental, here’s what you can expect:
- Cost – $1000
- Locations available include the 4th Floor (pictured in the set right above) or the Mayor’s Balcony
- Available to book Monday-Friday
- Guest count – 4th Floor: 60 seated plus 40 standing. Mayor’s Balcony: 40 seated plus 60 standing.
For a 2-hour Saturday wedding rental, here’s what you can expect:
- The option to exchange vows on the Grand Staircase of the Rotunda
- Cost – $5000. This package is only offered on Saturdays, with the earliest ceremony beginning at 9:00 am and the latest beginning at noon.
- Guest count – up to 200 guests
EVENING WEDDINGS
Evening weddings are available on weekdays and weekends, with the exception of Tuesdays, when evening weddings are not offered. Your wedding must conclude by midnight, and load-out must happen by 2:00 am. For more info on evening weddings, go here!
Step 3 – Hire your officiant
The County Clerk’s Office will provide an officiant for all civil ceremonies, but for private ceremonies, you choose your own. Just make sure that they follow all of the guidelines set by the State of California.
Step 4 – Hire your photographer
When choosing a photographer for your wedding at San Francisco City Hall, I’d personally recommend hiring a photographer who is already familiar with the venue (like me!) They’ll know where to get the best lighting, angles, and how to avoid the crowds.
Plus, they’ll be able to help you with planning your wedding here, as they’ll have all the expert tips and tricks. Luckily, I’ve photographed countless civil ceremonies and weddings at San Francisco City Hall, so I am very familiar with the different spaces.
Additionally, for all my couples getting married, including those at San Francisco City Hall, I assist with creating a photo planning timeline to help us stay on track and keep everyone on the same page. This way, we will have time to head to the best places for photographs, and you won’t have to worry about figuring out everything on your own.
With me as your San Francisco City Hall photographer, you will also have a built-in witness, just in case you want to keep things super intimate and private on the day of your celebration!
Additional Tips for Your San Francisco City Hall Wedding
After photographing many weddings at San Francisco City Hall, here are some additional tips I wanted to share with you:
- Parking: If you’re planning to drive, my recommended parking lot is the Civic Center Parking Garage. Upon arrival, I recommend driving straight to the 3rd level in this parking lot, as I usually find parking next to the elevator easily (versus spending time driving around the 2nd level). For info on hours and pricing, go here!
- Book your ceremony as far in advance as you can. You can book a civil ceremony up to 90 days out, and the calendar opens up automatically 90 days in advance at 9 am PST.
- Arrive early on the day of your ceremony. I suggest arriving at least 20 minutes before your ceremony, preferably even earlier if possible. This way, you’ll have plenty of time to find parking and go through security.
- I would suggest not bringing a lot of extra bags or jackets with you, since there are no lockers or places to hold your items. We’ll have to carry everything around ourselves.
- It tends to get hot in the building, so be aware of that when choosing your attire.
Now You’re Ready to Get Married at San Francisco City Hall
I hope you found all the information about getting married at San Francisco City Hall helpful and that this guide provided you with all the answers you were looking for.
And… if you’re still looking for a San Francisco wedding photographer with a documentary style approach who values inclusivity and authenticity, then let’s connect! Your love story is a one-of-a-kind celebration of authenticity and connection that deserves to be captured on camera.
You can learn more about my wedding services here or get in touch with me here.
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