Category: Marriage – Wedding & Commitment

The historic building of City Hall, complete with stately elegance and exquisite architecture, is a perfect venue for your wedding. The spectacular beauty of the venue attracts all kinds of couples for their wedding ceremony and the good part is, it doesnât have to burn a hole in your pocket.

Be it a one-hour wedding ceremony on the Mayo’s balcony with an amazing view of the grand staircase or a 4th-floor wedding under the dome of rotunda, you can never go wrong with a wedding at SF City Hall. The only thing you need to get correct is hiring the best San Francisco wedding photographer. Research in depth before hiring any SF wedding photographer. Check out their portfolio and reviews online.

Read on to discover what getting married in San francisco City Hall entails.

Here are the venues that are available at San Francisco City Hall.

Rotunda will be perfect for your royal-class wedding with its amazing architecture, a view of the royal staircase, floor to ceiling columns and bright light. This large space can accommodate 800 people including the dinner seating arrangements. Rotunda will be perfect for a dinner and dance under the ornate dome.

Mayors’ Balcony

This is one of the most central and visible parts of the building. It is easily noticeable because of its location just underneath a big clock and the golden railing makes it even more beautiful. Mayors’ Balcony best suits a smaller wedding ceremony, offering the best photography experience for your wedding ceremony. It has a seating capacity of 80 â 100 guests.

The Fourth Floor

The fourth floor is convenient for a one-hour marriage ceremony with an astounding rotunda overlook from the south and north galleries. The fourth floor is often chosen for its long hallways which makes it ideal for staging a procession for your ceremony. It can hold a seating capacity of 60 guests.

North & South Light Courts

The North & South Light Courts is City Hall’s most versatile room which is located off the rotunda and can be incorporated into a rotunda event or can be rented separately. This room is well known for its significant elegant marble walls and large space of 7,000 Sq.ft. The South Light Court is similar to the North Light Court, with the only difference being that this place houses an art exhibit for your guests to enjoy. Both courts can cater up to 800 guests.

How to Get Married in the City Hall

Any person who is older than 18 years with a valid photo ID proof are welcome to exchange their vows. You don’t need not be a US citizen or a permanent resident. Destination weddings are common here and international couples are welcomed in this historic building. Booking an appointment is the first step you should take. The best time to make an appointment is 90 days in advance, or the soonest you are able to book your dates. Friday afternoons are busiest so itâs best to book your dates well in advance.

The first appointment will be made for your civil or private ceremony with a fee of $81 and $1,002 respectively. A maximum of 6 guests are allowed for the civil ceremony and up to 100 guests are allowed for the private ceremony. The second step is obtaining your marriage license, which can be done within 90 days prior to your ceremony. You can also obtain your marriage license as short as 1 hour prior to your ceremony. Just ensure you have your license before you say “I Do”.

When it comes to planning your wedding day, you don’t want to miss a single detail. Everything has to go right, which is why you don’t start planning a week before the big day. Instead, you start planning that special day the moment you get involved with a person you can see yourself growing old with. Why? Because it involves many people having to prioritise their schedule to be there. Plus, many of the elements require a deposit. For example, the photographer might request a deposit, which you can’t get back if you cancel at the last minute.

So, if you want your wedding to go smoothly as possible, here are some solid tips.

1. Start Saving Early

Let’s face it, the old tradition of the bride’s parents paying for everything isn’t really relevant anymore. Unless you have rich parents who are willing to provide a budget, the bill is typically shared among everyone. This means saving up early and knowing you won’t have financial stress when the day comes. If only love could pay the bills, right?

2. Book The Venue

Another important element is the venue for the wedding. Not only do you want to choose one that will make your day more special, but it should also be able to accommodate the people you’re inviting. In other words, will guests be able to get there easily enough?

3. Pay Attention To The Weather

You want to settle on whether it will be an indoor or outdoor wedding. Because if the weather doesn’t play along and everything happens outside, you are going to have a bunch of drenched guests with nowhere to go. Always have a backup plan just in case the weather changes. It will save you loads of frustration knowing you won’t have to cancel due to venue issues.

4. Don’t Diet Too Hard

The necessity for the bride to look her best is only natural. And this usually leads to some intense dieting and exercise. But keep in mind how starved and exhausted you are going to be at the wedding. And do you really want to spend the day grumpy? Pay attention to what you are eating, but don’t starve yourself. Secondly, become a little more proactive and follow realistic exercise schedules.

5. Enjoy The Journey

Last but not least, remember to enjoy the journey of planning your wedding day. It’s not something that comes around often, so make the most of it.

Music is important in a wedding as it helps set the mood. It can make the wedding more romantic and dramatic, and it can make a dramatic moment lighter and more fun.

For the wedding ceremony, you need to focus mostly on the music for the processional and recessional. You’ll need music in the background as the wedding participants enter; this signifies that the ceremony has begun. You’ll want to remember the moment the bride walks towards the groom and the lovely music playing as she does.

The most popular wedding march is The Bridal Chorus from Richard Wagner’s opera Lohengrin more popularly known as Here Comes the Bride. For the recessional you can use the classic Wedding March by Mendelssohn. Both of these songs are popular, have been used in a lot of weddings all over the world, and are considered classics. Although nowadays more couples are open to using modern songs for their wedding. Songs like Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years is a popular choice, while some choose a more fun and upbeat song like Chris Brown’s Forever.

At the wedding reception you can choose whether to hire a live band, or hire a DJ for the music. You have to consider a lot of factors before you make the decision. Ask yourself what vibe you want in your reception. Do you want a cool and laidback vibe, or do you want guests to be able to dance around? You have to consider also the variety of music you want to be played, check if your venue will be able to accommodate an entire band or just a DJ’s booth, and of course, check which one will fit your budget.

Live bands are traditional and are great because they can get a crowd excited. There are songs that actually sound better when performed live. However, a live band is more expensive than a DJ, and sometimes the number of songs they can perform is limited to their repertoire and style, so they might not be able to perform all of your requests.

DJ’s nowadays are more creative and can play all the songs that you want to hear at your wedding. They can also help pump up the crowd to keep the party going, and have everyone in a good mood. However, DJ’s can’t provide the same excitement as a live band. If the DJ you hire is not so friendly and energetic, then he can change the mood of the party and become a buzz kill.

Take your time in making a decision regarding the music in your wedding. Make sure you’re able to watch them live before you choose between a band and a DJ. Listen to their playlists, watch their videos, and ask them to play your favorite songs. Make sure that they’re exactly what you want to hear for your wedding. Do some research and ask your friends for recommendations. Choose carefully to make your wedding fun and unforgettable.

Finding a wedding venue that suits your needs is perhaps almost as essential as picking your dream dress. Once you have found the perfect venue, the rest of your wedding will come together with ease as details such as decor, style and the colour scheme of your big day will be inspired by the location you have chosen. To help you determine whether a venue is your ideal fit, its important to consider a variety of circumstances and keep these important factors in mind.

Decide What Type of Venue You Desire

Manor houses, country hotels and other listed buildings are very popular for weddings and create a gorgeous backdrop for anyone wanting to enjoy a special day surrounded by architectural splendour and rolling meadows. You might have found a beautiful manor house available for weddings and most country estates that hold weddings are well versed in the procedures and offer a variety of packages that can be tailored to fit your needs. However, if you prefer something a little less traditional, there are many other avenues that can be explored. Depending on your personality, you may want to opt for a quirkier establishment. When you decide on your venue, it is essential that you consider the time of year. A wet-weather alternative is always a good idea to ensure that rain doesnt ruin your day.

Check Your Space Requirements

One of the most important aspects of choosing a wedding venue is making sure that you can accommodate everyone on your guest list. This may seem like an obvious consideration, but often a venue is seen empty, and once tables and chairs, a band stand or DJ stage and lighting are in place, the size of a room quickly becomes reduced. An outdoor venue is a great option for a large wedding as there is plenty of space. Any venue that has an indoor-outdoor flow will also easily accommodate an excess of guests. If possible, ask the venue if you can sneak a peek at another wedding of a similar size and see how the space is utilised and how much elbow room there is for every guest.

Confirm the Existing Colour Scheme

Theres nothing worse than finding your perfect wedding venue and realising the decor doesnt match your dream colour scheme. When looking for a venue, it’s essential that you check whether the walls and decor are neutral or will suit a colour scheme that you desire, and that you are not going to end up clashing pink table cloths with red walls or similar. Youll also need to check that the style of your decor doesnt conflict with the venue’s, and that you are able to decorate as you prefer.