Why San Francisco City Hall is the best venue to elope?
Ok, so he or she popped a question and you said Yes, congratulations! You started day dreaming about your unforgettable Big Day, but paying off wedding debt its not really a priority on your to do list after the wedding. How about eloping? I know, sounds so easy, but where, how soon, how much would that cost?
Idea#1 Choose a place that you always wanted to visit, hopefully it’s on his bucket list too. Hire a local independent wedding officiant and you are all set, right? Not really, you still need a hotel, airplane tickets, dress, but on top if it some places, like beaches, parks and landmarks will still require an event permits, even though its just two of you (plus officiant), and now you are dealing with more paperwork.
Idea#2 Hire a wedding planning agency who specialize in elopes and could arrange everything, from hotel to photographer, but if you are budget oriented couple and don't want to leave any decision making to someone else than you are back to beginning.
Idea#3 Get married at San Francisco City Hall! Why? If it was good enough for Marlin Monroe and Joe DiMaggio than its good enough for me... I got marry there too. :) San Francisco City Hall offers an elegant yet affordable setting, perfect for small and big parties. The beautiful Beaux-Art style architecture of City Hall makes it a wonderful backdrop for your wedding photos. An abundance of high arched windows letting natural light pour in and white marble structures make it one of the most elegant wedding venues in San Francisco.
I photographed many weddings at SF City Hall , but every time I go back I find something new, different angles, light coming though the side windows. But seriously, below are some very good reasons why you should consider SF City Hall for your wedding venue.
Location, location, location. Its elegant, spacious, weatherproof with great natural lighting.
As a wedding photographer I prefer natural light over the fanciest studio lights, but not all weddings happen on a sunny days. What if it rains? You don’t have to worry about the weather, because ceremonies are held indoors and one of the best photo locations are inside anyways.
Cost Effective. The ceremony performed at Rotunda (top of the Grand Staircase) cost only $76 + $103 for a wedding license. Just a heads up, a lot of people decides to get married over there (3 ceremonies every 30 min) so it can get busy. If you want to splurge a little, or give yourself more privacy during a ceremony you can rent a Fourth Floor for a $1,002 per hour.
How soon can I get married at San Francisco City Hall? Ceremonies are performed Monday through Friday from 10am to 3:30pm. If you are flexible you can get married as soon as next week, but if you are planning to make your elopement a weekend thing than book your ceremony few weeks in advance because Friday reservations fill up quickly. City Hall do not accept ceremony reservations beyond 90 days in advance, unless you are reserving a privet space (4th Floor or Mayor’s Balcony) then you can book the ceremony a year in advance. Remember to book your license appointment first.
Wedding and Honeymoon in One. Honeymoon somewhere beautiful sounds great, but after you just used all the travel budget and vacations days to elope where you gonna go?. How about combining the wedding with a Honeymoon? San Francisco is full of attractions. Have a picnic at Crissy Fields overlocking Golden Gate Bridge, visit Alcatraz Island, California Academy of Science, SFMOMA, or The Exploratorium, and try some of the great food at Fisherman’s Wharf at Pier 39. Then hop in a cable car and enjoy the view as it takes you though the step hills of the city. Did I mentioned Sonoma and Napa Wine Country is just one hour away from San Francisco?
For more samples of weddings at San Francisco City Hall check out my Blog