SF City Hall Mayor’s Balcony Wedding | Megan + John

These intimate celebrations hold such a special place in my heart. Megan and John’s story is a beautiful reminder that your wedding day should be a true reflection of your relationship, your priorities, and what brings you joy. They had an absolutely amazing SF City Hall Mayor’s Balcony wedding. Just scroll through the photos and you’ll see what I mean. Whether it’s a grand affair or a small gathering, your love deserves to be celebrated in a way that feels right for you.

SF City Hall Mayor’s Balcony Wedding

Megan and John first crossed paths in the modern way so many couples do — they matched on Hinge in late spring of 2022. After weeks of exchanging messages and getting to know each other, they finally decided to meet in person at Sasha’s, a cozy local wine bar that would later become a meaningful landmark in their relationship.

Tips for SF City Hall Mayor’s Balcony

• Make sure you, your officiant, and your photographer arrive earlier. If you are choosing a first reaction as you walk down the aisle you’ll want to make sure everyone is on the right page to make that happen.
• The iconic stair shot is best take from the angle while on the Mayor’s Balcony so be sure to budget some time in before you time ends. And also be sure to have some patience, lots of couples are using getting married and it can be a little hectic but patience and persistence is key.
• The SF City Hall Mayor’s Balcony can seat up to 40 guests. So, if you’re having a hard time narrowing down that list definitely think about renting the space.
• Be sure to thoroughly vet your photographer. City Hall has some tough lighting situations and an inexperienced photographer could have some trouble.
• Make sure to budget 30-40 minutes for photos around City Hall. The architecture is amazing and I’m awe every time.
• I also recommend my couple check to see if there are any event shutting down the area in front of city hall. But, as long as there’s not head across the street for photos in City Plaza Park.

One Hour Ceremony SF City Hall Mayor’s Balcony

1. Check the SF City Hall events calendar to check availability for your preferred date(s), then contact the office by phone at (415)554-6079 to make your reservation. You can choose the 4th Floor North, South Gallery, or the Mayor’s Balcony. Bookings can be made for at least 3 weeks and up to 24 months in advance. If your date is available, you can place a complimentary hold on that date. If another hold is on that date, you can challenge that hold. To officially book your ceremony, submit the contract and 75% of the full rental fee. Final payment is due at least 5 days prior to the ceremony date.

2. Make an appointment for your marriage license or you can check with your local county in you don’t live in San Francisco. If you are scheduling your marriage license for the same day as your ceremony, make sure to book your marriage license appointment at least 1 hour before the ceremony.

3. For one hour ceremonies an officiant is not provided so you can either check with the office of the county clerk, ask officiant that’s a friend or family member, or have a friend become a Deputy Marriage Commissioner for a Day.

4. Due to time constraints, food and beverage service is not possible during a one hour ceremony. But, acoustic music may be played with advance approval, and musicians must be selected from City Hall’s qualified list.

Palace of Fine Arts

After attending over ten weddings in the past year, Megan and John had seen it all — the big celebrations, the guest lists, the elaborate planning. And while a traditional wedding crossed their minds at first, they quickly realized that it felt like more of a celebration for everyone else, rather than a reflection of what was most important to them.

With their shared love of travel and exploration, a destination wedding with only their closest family members present felt like the most meaningful way to say “I do.” By choosing an intimate celebration, they were able to create a day that was centered on their love story, their values, and the people who mean the most to them — exactly the way they envisioned it.

So after City Hall, Megan and John wanted to adventure to the Palace of Fine Arts in the Presidio. This is where they wanted to do all of their formal family portraits with the gorgeous rotunda in the background.

Crissy Field Picnic

Of course, a long day of adventure around San Francisco definitely needed a lunch break. So, all of us headed over the Crissy Field for a little picnic. Karl decided he was done for the day and the sun started shining right on time. We had this gorgeous view of the Golden Gate Bridge a slight Bay Area breeze.

San Francisco Bay Cruise

Megan and John’s final activity of the day was an amazing boat cruise in the Bay. And with the sun shining, we couldn’t have asked for better weather for late spring.

25 Lusk

Lastly, everyone headed to 25 Lusk for an absolutely amazing meal and the perfect ending to celebrating the happy couple.

Review from Megan and John

“Torez was our photographer for Megan and I’s elopement at San Francisco City Hall and the rest of our wedding day! Torez’s photography jumped out at us immediately when looking for a photographer in the Bay Area. All of her galleries capture every special moment for everyone’s day! Torez was such a joy to work with in our wedding planning and preparation, she provided us with a pre wedding workbook and even recommended several vendors who were fantastic! We have our sneak peak photos which look amazing and we cannot wait to see the rest! For your next photographer needs please use Torez!!”

VENDORS
Venue – San Francisco City Hall
Officiant – Ebony Tomoro Ceremonies
Hair and Makeup – LeeCe Stylz
Bridal Shop – Savvy Bridal in STL, MO
John’s suit – Indochino
Musician – Sarah Blick
Picnic – Events N’ Chill
Sailboat – Captain Kirk Sailing
Dinner – 25 Lusk

San Francisco City Hall Wedding Photographer

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