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Nicole Blumberg

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San Francisco City Hall Elopement | E & J

January 12, 2023

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Emily and Jole’s San Francisco City Hall Elopement

Emily and Jole’s San Francisco City Hall elopement came together for two of the most adventurous, free-spirited people I’ve had the pleasure of working with. They travel everywhere together, usually pretty spontaneously. When they decided they wanted to elope, they canceled the big wedding they’d been in the middle of planning back home in Southern California. They knew who they were and how they wanted to do this. So they drove all night from Southern California to elope with just the two of them.

A Ceremony on the 4th Floor

Being the lucky ones, we were able to use City Hall’s 4th floor, since no other weddings were being held there that day. It’s one of the more expensive areas to reserve, unless you’re renting out the entire building. For a few quiet minutes, Emily and Jole had that grand rotunda entirely to themselves. If you’re picturing your own San Francisco City Hall elopement, our complete guide to City Hall elopements walks through exactly how floors like this get reserved, along with timing and the best spots for portraits.

The First Kiss and Portraits Inside City Hall

After they said their vows beneath the rotunda’s dome, Emily and Jole shared their first kiss in front of the building’s grand arched window. We spent some time exploring City Hall’s interior for portraits afterward. The carved stone walls, the grand staircase, and the gilded marble corridors make this building one of the most photogenic city halls in the country.

Emily laughing joyfully with windblown hair outside San Francisco City Hall, holding a bouquet of white and cream roses, as Jole follows behind holding their marriage certificate
Jole smiling against San Francisco City Hall’s carved stone wall, holding a bouquet of white, peach, and green flowers and their marriage certificate
Close-up of Jole fastening the back of Emily’s lace-topped wedding gown, a quiet getting-ready moment
Emily and Jole exchange vows with their officiant in the empty grand rotunda of their San Francisco City Hall elopement, the domed ceiling and twin stone urns framing the scene
Emily looking up smiling at Jole during their ceremony, ornate carved marble visible behind them
Jole facing Emily during their vows, her bouquet in hand, the officiant just visible at the edge of the frame
Jole smiling and holding Emily’s hand during the ceremony, her lace sleeve visible
Wide shot of the ceremony beneath City Hall’s domed rotunda, the officiant and couple standing near the balcony rail with the vast marble hall empty around them
The officiant reading from a booklet as Emily and Jole hold both hands facing each other beneath City Hall’s arched window
A view from behind the couple during their ceremony, showing the rotunda’s ornate ceiling and stone urn
The officiant facing Emily and Jole as they hold hands, City Hall’s rotunda archway behind them
Emily and Jole married in San Francisco City Hall’s 4th-floor rotunda, the empty domed hall and twin urns showing they had the grand space entirely to themselves for their elopement
Black-and-white close-up of the ring exchange during the ceremony
Jole and Emily holding hands as the officiant reads their vows beneath the arched window
Emily and Jole’s first kiss as newlyweds in front of City Hall’s grand arched window
A closer view of the newlyweds’ first kiss by the arched window
Emily and Jole embracing tightly just after their first kiss, her wedding ring visible on his shoulder
Jole kissing Emily’s temple as she laughs against the carved stone wall inside City Hall
A close portrait of Jole kissing the side of Emily’s head as she laughs with delight
Emily and Jole laughing together in the rotunda hallway, ornate arches and a wall sconce behind them
Jole smiling at the camera while Emily leans in to kiss his cheek near the arched window
Emily and Jole nose-to-nose, smiling warmly at each other inside City Hall
Emily cupping Jole’s face as they smile at one another
Emily and Jole kissing while perched on a marble ledge inside City Hall’s grand arched hall
A moody portrait beneath City Hall’s rotunda dome, the couple kissing at the base of a huge arched window flanked by stone urns and a marble staircase
Emily and Jole standing arm-in-arm facing the arched window, seen from behind, flanked by City Hall’s ornamental stone urns
Jole resting his forehead against Emily’s head, her peach-and-white bouquet in hand, against a plain sandstone wall inside City Hall
Emily laughing broadly, cheek-to-cheek with Jole, against the same sandstone wall
Emily and Jole standing side by side holding hands and smiling at each other
A close crop of the couple’s clasped hands and Emily’s voluminous white skirt grazing the floor
Emily and Jole holding hands and smiling bashfully, looking down together
Emily glancing back over her shoulder as Jole embraces her from behind
An overhead close-up of the newlyweds’ clasped hands resting on the folds of Emily’s gown
Emily and Jole seated on the floor, foreheads together and smiling, hands clasped in her lap
Emily and Jole seated on the floor, bouquet in her lap, looking up at each other and smiling
A closer crop of the same seated, hands-clasped moment on the floor
A black-and-white detail shot of Emily’s bouquet of garden roses, dahlias, and eucalyptus
Emily and Jole descending San Francisco City Hall’s grand staircase, its gilded wrought-iron balustrade catching the light
Emily and Jole walking hand-in-hand down a long, column-lined marble hallway inside City Hall
A wide architectural shot of City Hall’s soaring domed archway and gilded lamppost, with the newlyweds embracing far below
Another wide shot showing off City Hall’s monumental scale, the couple embracing in the sunlit corridor below the dome
Jole kissing Emily’s temple in a column-lined corridor, backlit by a bright window at the end of the hall
Emily and Jole face-to-face in the sunlit corridor, tall columns framing them on both sides
A distant, high-angle view of City Hall’s elaborate gilded railing and columns, the couple small in frame below
Jole smiling broadly while Emily kisses his cheek between the columns of a bright corridor
Emily and Jole walking hand-in-hand out through San Francisco City Hall’s gilded entrance at the close of their San Francisco City Hall elopement, the "City Hall" signage visible on the glass

Out Into the City

After their marriage, we walked around the city and just had fun taking photos. From City Hall, we crossed the street toward the symphony, hopped in cabs, and stopped for cupcakes at the ever-so-wonderful Miette bakery — one of our favorite stops on any San Francisco City Hall elopement. Being as spontaneous as they are, Emily and Jole didn’t mind that I didn’t have a set plan for where to take them. They just wanted to enjoy the city and have fun in front of the camera.

Emily and Jole walking down San Francisco City Hall’s wide granite exterior steps hand in hand
A black-and-white version of the couple descending City Hall’s exterior steps, the building’s signage visible on the facade
A black-and-white shot of Emily and Jole walking and laughing on the sidewalk beside City Hall, the city skyline behind them
Emily smiling back at the camera in front of the symphony’s gold-trimmed glass doors, Jole trailing behind holding her hand
Jole nuzzling Emily’s neck in a close embrace outside the symphony, her bouquet visible between them
Emily looking toward the camera over Jole’s shoulder during the same embrace outside the symphony
A black-and-white version of the couple’s embrace outside the symphony’s glass doors
A black-and-white detail of Emily pushing her hair back, her wedding ring clearly visible
A detail shot of Emily’s dress and Jole’s shoes on a sunlit San Francisco sidewalk
Emily striking a playful pose beside Jole on a residential San Francisco street
Emily and Jole seated at an outdoor café table beneath Miette bakery’s pink awning
Emily and Jole kissing near a display of sweets in Miette bakery’s window
Another frame of the couple at the same Miette café table, Emily glancing back at the camera
Emily laughing with a cupcake in hand inside Miette bakery, a pastry case visible behind her
Emily and Jole kissing inside Miette bakery, cupcake still in hand
An extreme close-up of the newlyweds’ hands holding a single frosted cupcake with a candied flower on top
A wider view of the Miette bakery café table, the city skyline reflected in the storefront glass
Emily and Jole laughing mid-conversation at the Miette bakery café table
Emily and Jole each taking a playful big bite of a chocolate treat at Miette bakery
Emily and Jole embracing at a wooden table inside a San Francisco wine bar, their wedding rings visible
A cooler-toned version of the same wine bar embrace, a different crop of the same tender moment
Emily and Jole beside a San Francisco taxi cab, city buildings and a streetcar in the background

Ending the Day in the Woods

We finally ended our adventure in the woods, where Emily kicked off her shoes and the two of them just enjoyed being married. After that, they went on to travel to a few more places around the world to continue the celebration.

Emily, barefoot and holding up her billowing skirt, walking arm-in-arm with Jole down a wooded trail to close out their San Francisco City Hall elopement

More San Francisco City Hall Weddings

If you loved this elopement, here are a few more City Hall celebrations from the archives:

And if you’re planning your own day at City Hall, I’d love to help — here’s what it’s like to work with me, and you can get in touch here.

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