A few times per year a wedding stands out that we select to be a "Featured Wedding". With this particular San Francisco city hall wedding photography session, it was the bride that really made the shoot fantastic. We loved the formal wedding gown and veil, but more importantly it was her personality that came through in the pictures. As you go through these photos realize that most of the great poses and expressions were created by her. We like to take credit for amazing photo shoots, but the truth is, the couple also makes a big difference. The affection they showed for each other was obviously genuine and I think we did a good job capturing it in their wedding photos. To receive more details about these San Francisco city hall wedding images, scroll down below the gallery. We provide detailed information and background on this fun and amazing San Francisco city hall wedding. This can be a reminder for any engaged couples looking for a wedding photographer. Remember that you will only get out of your wedding pictures what you put into them. We all share the responsibility to make sure your San Francisco city hall wedding pictures come out great!
One of the options brides and grooms are faced with when they make the decision to marry at San Francisco city hall is whether or not they want a "reserved" wedding ceremony. Reserved weddings differ from civil ceremonies in that they allow the couple to have a large number of guests and take place in a designated area. Not only are many guests allowed, but they even get to sit down in comfortable chairs to watch the bride and groom get married. Civil Ceremonies limit the guest count to only 6 and the couple are usually not allowed to say their own vows. Some Marriage Commissioners allow personal vows, but they have to be super short. (Note: If you want to do perform personal vows, talk to your City Hall marriage commissioner prior to the ceremony.)
The other big difference is that Reserved weddings allow the couple to have privacy during their ceremony. The reserved area is roped off which prevents tourists and strangers from wandering through your ceremony. This should not happen during a civil ceremony either, but there is that chance and I have seen it occur. Of course, you do pay a premium for all of these benefits and that price is $1,000. I know that sounds like a lot of money, but if you compare it to other San Francisco venues it's a relative steal! Just don't forget that you also have to hire your own officiant as San Francisco city hall does not generally supply officiants for Reserved Weddings. I have seen some exceptions, but they were for emergency situations. Plan on paying between $250 to $350 for a wedding officiant for your city hall reserved wedding. We are happy to recommend some to you.
This is a tough decision for the bride and groom. In fact, if you polled the leading San Francisco city hall wedding photographers I know they would have a hard time deciding on which they prefer. There are good things about both locations and few minor drawbacks for each one. I personally tend to prefer the Mayor's Balcony because there are more angles to obtain great photos from. In addition, I can usually position myself as the wedding photographer so I minimize strangers showing up in the background. This is also possible on the 4th Floor North Gallery, but it is a bit more challenging. It is possible to position the ceremony in a different direction in both locations, if you have a major problem with seeing strangers in the background. In both cases, the others are pretty far away, but you will see them if they are there. This is something you should discuss in advance with your San Francisco city hall wedding photographer. Most reserved ceremonies take place in the same spot, but this can be changed if you plan in advance and notify the Events Department.