Expert Advice on Pulling Off a Small, Intimate City Hall Wedding (That Won’t Break the Bank)

According to Sunnyvale wedding planner Denise Lillie, the holidays are known to those in her profession as “engagement season.”

But there are many reasons that couples may opt for a smaller, simpler elopement-style ceremony, she said — not least the financial pressures of a big traditional wedding. According to a 2025 survey of around 17,000 couples by wedding website The Knot, the average cost of a wedding in the United States — the wedding dress, the venue, the band, the catering and so much more — is $33,000. In San Francisco, it’s $51,500.

Lillie started seeing an increase in inquiries for these types of events during the height of the pandemic, when she observed many people wanting to make the commitment quickly and save a bigger celebration for later down the line — as well as a growing appreciation for the “aesthetics” of a small, intimate wedding ceremony among Gen-Z, she said.

So if you’re one of those couples seeking to marry a partner as quickly and affordably as possible, how can you make a smaller city hall ceremony still feel special, without breaking the bank? Keep reading for advice from the wedding experts on how to make a simple, local ceremony extra enjoyable for you and your guests — whether you’re planning a larger party later or not — with particular tips for getting married at San Francisco City Hall.

And if you’re looking for a breakdown of the logistics of getting married swiftly and affordably, from marriage licenses and certificate costs to timeframes, check out our earlier guide: From Paperwork to Costs, the Basics of Getting Married in the Bay Area.

• Jump straight to: How to get married in San Francisco City Hall

Know that not all costs are ‘essential’ …

Beyond the basic costs of a marriage license and paying someone to perform your ceremony, there are a lot of expenses people associate with weddings, said Alexis Levy, a San Francisco-based lawyer who is licensed to marry people in California: Rings, clothes, venues, “all that kind of stuff.”

But Levy explained that “none of those are technically legally required to get married,” and rather to see those costs as “just common pieces of a wedding.”

KQED’s own Adhiti Bandlamudi echoed this advice for couples to work out what’s truly important to them for their own big day.

When it came to her own civil ceremony in 2021 at San Francisco City Hall, Bandlamudi wore a white dress purchased from Anthropologie.

Afterwards, she and her loved ones gathered together in the couple’s cozy Richmond apartment, with takeout Indian pizza for catering. She even made her own gingerbread wedding cake.

… and figure out your own priorities

For some couples, the emotional stress of weddings — the costs, the planning, the constant wondering of what other people and families are going to think — can burden them. But, Bandlamudi said, “it’s your wedding.”

She recommended that couples focus on what that day means to them: “Is it the vibes? Is it the music? Is that the food?”

Once you and your partner have discussed the elements that truly matter to you, “focus on that, make it really special,” advised Bandlamudi. This will also help you eliminate certain aspects and costs you just don’t need or want.

And now that you’ve established your non-negotiables …

Make a checklist to manage the day itself …

For the majority of intimate elopements or city hall weddings, “most couples really tend to manage the event themselves,” said Nilou Nouri, a wedding planner based in the Bay Area.

But sometimes she’s looped in to make the “day a little more effortless for them,” like managing florals, guests or booking a photographer.

While an elopement is “still a special day for you,” wedding planner Lillie said, there may be some key aspects you can overlook in the rush and excitement.

For example, hiring a content creator — a person to film vertical videos of the ceremony optimized for posting to platforms like Instagram or TikTok — has become super popular among couples, even during shorter weddings, Lillie said.

A couple may also choose to book a photographer or hair and make-up artist. She said a lot of services can be reserved on short notice by sifting through wedding groups on social media.

Lillie suggested couples come up with a plan or checklist ahead of the ceremony — or designate tasks to friends, family or a planner.

… and work out your day’s timeline

Timing is important, especially since the ceremony itself is an appointment of a certain length. You and your partner can establish:

• What is the timeline for the day?
• If you are meeting at the city hall, what time is everyone getting there? Where are you physically meeting? Remember to allow time to go through the city hall’s security.
• Where will you park? (For example, “the best parking for San Francisco City Hall is under the Civic Center Plaza,” added Nouri.)
• Do you want a bouquet?
• Do you want a cake? Will it be delivered somewhere, or will someone pick it up?

Even just a few days of planning is worth it, Nouri said.

“My advice would be to still take that personal time for yourself and do what’s important,” she said. “Not to overlook that … just because it’s on a more intimate scale.”

Consider all the free places you can take your wedding pictures

Any public spot in San Francisco City Hall is free to take pictures, explained Nouri. And it’s such a beautiful space that Nouri “definitely” recommends springing for a professional photographer to capture your day, even if only briefly.

“There are some photographers who do City Hall specials,” she said. “Maybe you hire them for 30 minutes to 60 minutes or 90 minutes.”

Other free places around San Francisco alone that are popular photography locations include public spaces like:

• The steps outside of San Francisco City Hall
• The steps outside the Asian Art Museum, next to City Hall
• The Palace of Fine Arts
• The Presidio, especially Lovers Lane
• Sutro Baths
• Baker Beach

Case study: How to get married in San Francisco City Hall

Book your ceremony, depending on guest list and day

“I love City Hall weddings,” Nouri said. “It’s one of the most beautiful venues in San Francisco.”

Given its popularity, San Francisco City Hall requires booking in advance. If you want a large ceremony at City Hall — defined as more than six guests — or want to get married on a weekend or holiday, you’ll have to book through the city’s events page. Among its offerings is a one-hour wedding package, which costs $1,200.

If you have six or fewer guests, you can book an appointment for a smaller civil ceremony. That’s what KQED’s Bandlamudi did.

She said while she and her parents were excited about a “traditional big Indian wedding,” she and her now-husband wanted to have “something a little more intimate before the wedding.”

San Francisco City Hall felt like a natural choice since “it’s already such a pretty place,” she said. “In the morning, we had our appointment at City Hall,” and had their “a very, very quick ceremony” performed by a judge.

Bandlamudi said she was surprised by how relatively easy the whole process was.

“It was very simple. And anyone can do it,” she said, although she noted that they had to book the ceremony itself “pretty quickly” after getting the license.

San Francisco County Clerk Diane Rea said City Hall offers around thirty to forty appointments a day for their weekday ceremonies. Many of these are in the rotunda area, Rea explained, and are “short and sweet.”

Consider the day and time if you don’t want a busy scene

In Nouri’s experience, the best times for elopement-style ceremonies at San Francisco City Hall are around 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. Midday, around 12 to 3 p.m., tends to be the busiest time, she said. And Mondays or Fridays especially bring crowds to City Hall, Nouri noted.

For her, the busiest months for weddings at San Francisco City Hall are February, with Valentine’s Day and “2” being a lucky number in some cultures, and June, for Pride Month.

Know you’ll be sharing the space — and stay on time

While three couples may share an appointment, the ceremonies at San Francisco City Hall are one at a time. Rea said in the excitement of the wedding, some couples may wander off to take photos as they wait for their ceremony, but it really helps if the couple stays in the area and takes pictures after the ceremony.

“It’s really important to be on time. Because that could snowball through the day if they’re late,” she said, and couples will have the rest of the day to take pictures after the ceremony.

Keep in mind: a government space like City Hall draws people for all types of occasions, like graduation or quinceañeras. Expect to potentially run into crowds, and for noise to travel within the building.