San Francisco City Hall wedding
If you’ve landed on this page, it means you’re getting married in San Francisco City Hall. Perhaps you have a date scheduled and are now filtering through a plethora of wedding photographers, in search for the right one for you.
Whatever stage of the process you are, my honest opinion: you couldn’t have picked a better location for an intimate ceremony. As a long time San Francisco City Hall wedding photographer, I never get tired of this location.
The popular grand staircase.
What’s so special about san francisco city hall weddings?
It’s easy to see why San Francisco City Hall is such a popular spot for weddings, ceremonies, and elopements—do a quick search, and you’ll find countless reasons to love it. Personally, it’s one of the most breathtaking City Hall buildings in the country. With its stunning architecture, iconic grand staircase, elegant Rotunda, and light-filled 4th Floor Gallery, it offers a timeless and romantic setting for intimate weddings. Unlike most historic venues, City Hall is open to anyone looking to get married in a beautiful location—for a small fee, of course—making it an accessible yet elegant choice for a stress-free ceremony. It’s no wonder so many couples travel to San Francisco just to say “I do” in this iconic landmark.
San Francisco City Hall Wedding Photography Pricing
A very important detail to keep in mind is that San Francisco City Hall is a public building. There are many couples, and the public taking photos in this building. More often than not, expect some waiting to take photos on the grand staircases and other areas inside City Hall. Based on my professional experience, it’s best to have more time for photos, than rush.
My pricing below includes:
Edited digital photos.
Private online album to download and view photos.
Timeline guidance (if needed).
Travel to San Francisco and anywhere within the SF Bay Area.
1 Photographer (me, Rosa)
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1 hour of photo coverage: $700 — Just enough time to photograph the brief ceremony and a few photos of the newlyweds alone in City Hall.
1.5 hours photo coverage: $995 — Enough time to photograph the brief ceremony, photos with family/friends, and a few solo portraits of the newlyweds alone in City Hall.
Up to 2* hours photo coverage: $1,400 — Document from the moment we walk into City Hall, the brief ceremony, photos with family/friends, solo portraits of the newlyweds alone in and/or outside City Hall.
*If you’ve reserved the 4th Floor Gallery or the Mayor’s Balcony, my minimum is two hours of photography coverage.
View more San Francisco City Hall work: Paul & Ryan, & Chris & Claire.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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The best time for photos at San Francisco City Hall is between 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM, when natural light pours in through the windows and the building is less crowded. Early morning sessions also allow you to take advantage of the iconic grand staircase and 4th Floor Gallery with minimal foot traffic.
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Being that San Francisco City Hall is a public building, every day of the week is the busy. However, the absolute busiest day are Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Also, any day of the week after 11am, get’s busy. Especially in the afternoon.
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I recommend booking your San Francisco City Hall wedding photography at least 4–6 weeks in advance, especially if you're planning to elope during peak seasons (spring or fall). Last-minute weekday bookings may still be available, so feel free to reach out.
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Absolutely. Many couples love to take portraits just outside San Francisco City Hall, or at nearby spots like the Civic Center Plaza, the Legion of Honor, or Crissy Field. I’m happy to guide you to the best nearby photo locations based on your timeline.
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The perfect amount of time for San Francisco City Hall elopement photos is 2-hours. As I mentioned above, City Hall is a busy place which requires some waiting and plenty of walking around for photos. Take into consideration how much you’d like photographed and how many people will be present on your day. One hour has worked for some couples, but not for others. If you need help deciding, please ask me.
Allow me to document your intimate day
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