Top 5 Reasons to Marry in San Francisco
Why do people from all over the world come to "Everybody's Favorite City" to get married and have their wedding pictures taken? There are so many reasons to visit this beautiful town, but is it really a good destination wedding locale? With it's fantastic weather, incredible views, historic sites, and so much more, San Francisco really does have it all. If you need useful tips to help in planning your wedding at SF City Hall, we offer a free email based service, click the link to find out more. With our 20 years of San Francisco wedding photography experience, we can be a great asset to assist you with planning. We are happy to provide this advice as a community service at no charge to the customer. San Francisco really is one of the highest rated wedding destinations so let's explore some of the main factors engaged couples consider when making the decision of where to get married or elope to.
1. Wide Variety of Reception/Photo Locations - San Francisco, with it's many restaurants, bars, clubs, hotels, and attractions offers a multitude of unique places for a marriage reception/celebration. If you love gourmet food, SF ranks as one of the foremost areas in the country to indulge in culinary delights. A fine local restaurant offering your favorite food is the perfect place to invite guests to celebrate your big day. There are even a few great reception locations that are walking distance from SF city hall. We are happy to help guide you with wedding reception recommendations for these local spots. Absinthe is one example of a wonderful restaurant close to SF City Hall and has facilities to accommodate your larger guest count. Located in Hayes Valley, this place specializes in city hall wedding receptions. The walk there can also be a fun experience for the newlyweds.
2. Amazing Ceremony Spots - Let's start with S.F. City Hall, this old historic building may well be one of the most popular locations to get married at in San Francisco. Certainly the most famous. It's economical, beautiful, and has amazing architecture to appreciate while you recite your nuptials. With the right SF City Hall wedding photographer, you will be able to capture these moments and historic backgrounds. On average, 25 couples are married there every day. In addition to this famous landmark, you can also have your ceremony at The Palace of Fine Arts, Sea Cliff, Twin Peaks, The Legion of Honor, The Presidio, Golden Gate Park or San Francisco's Cliff House to name just a few.
If you are looking for a religious ceremony, you also have many beautiful options. The city offers everything from 100+ year old churches to modern Cathedrals. Churches such as: Saint Mary's, Saint Dominic's, St. Ignatius, Grace Cathedral, Old Saint Mary's, and Saints Peter and Paul Church are just a few of the choices available. It is no surprise that "Baghdad by the Bay" is one of the foremost elopement destinations for couples from all over the world. Many couples also would rather have their engagement photos done in San Francisco and even at city hall! Land's End or The Golden Gate Bridge are also phenomenal backdrops for your marriage ceremony.
3. So many things to do in San Francisco! - SF is one of the top ranked vacation destinations in all the world. It offers all of the things a big city normally does, plus it has it's own unique small town charm. For entertainment, San Francisco has many full sized theaters offering Broadway shows. Check out the Curran, Orpheum or Golden Gate Theaters for some of the preeminent live entertainment available. These locations also provide great photographic opportunities before or after your SF City Hall wedding celebration.
For history buffs, SF has many iconic landmarks including San Francisco City Hall (of course), The Bank of California Building, Foreign Cinema, Mission Dolores, Saint Patrick's Church, and the Palace Hotel. Eloping couples visiting from other countries love to explore attractions like China Town, North Beach and Japan Center to see some of their own culture in a different setting. Take a walk around Telegraph Hill and explore Coit Tower or take a ride on a Cable Car. San Francisco is also known for its historic districts, so be sure to wander through places like the Haight Ashbury and North Beach districts. To learn more about the History of San Francisco City Hall including famous San Francisco weddings that have occurred here, check our FAQ's link.
If you like sports, we have the San Francisco Giants, the 49ers and the Golden State Warriors. There is something here for everyone! One way to explore some of these spots is to book our "Golden Gate" or "San Francisco" wedding photography tour packages. These packages allow the couple to explore locations throughout the City after their townhall wedding. Now with the new Chase Center in full operation, SF now becomes a top location for major concerts and events that need a large indoor arena.
4. Central Location - One of the uncommon things about the SF Bay Area is it's proximity to so many recreational and vacation locations. If you love the ocean, you are just minutes away from some stunning beaches including Baker Beach, Lands End, Stinson Beach, and Pacifica. Baker Beach in particular overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge and is also one of our favorite wedding picture spots! We take our newlyweds here for wedding photography dozens of times per year.
One of the world's greatest wine countries, the Napa and Sonoma Valleys are less than an hour's drive and are home to some amazing places to eat and wine taste. If you love the Redwoods, two of the world's most famous groves are within driving distance from "The City by the Bay". It is hard to beat Northern California for the diversity of leisure activities it offers. It's all here within short driving distance from San Francisco City Hall. If you love photography, there are many great picture opportunities at these destinations as well.
5. Greatest California Climate - Yes, it is considered good luck to have it rain on your wedding day, but the truth is, most people would prefer sunny and warmish weather. Especially during your wedding photography session! San Francisco is famous for it's fog, but in general the rain is predictable and infrequent. It rarely rains in Northern California from June through October, offering you many options for your ceremony location and reception. The mild climate provides you with a perfect opportunity to receive beautiful wedding photos both inside and outdoors. The best thing is that since you are getting married at San Francisco city hall, the fog barely matters!
