Posts tagged sfcityhallwedding
Lillian & Bowen

Call it luck, call it experience, call it the 6th sense, but so far I’ve been able to work around the most difficult situations at the City Hall to get great shots. And we didn’t need hours to do this. Lillian & Bowen booked me for 1 hour on a Friday. The City Hall gets normally very packed, but in this case the Grand Stairwell area was getting blocked off as the crew was setting up for an upcoming event.

I always arrive earlier to the City Hall as I wait for my couples. And I’m watching the Grand Stairwell area slowly getting blocked off from all sides except from the center. I see Lillian and Bowen (as they arrived early too) and after a quick introduction, rush over to the Grand Stairwell, where i get stopped by the manager overseeing the setup. He goes “sorry this area is closed”. It just got blocked off fully and so I ask him for just a few minutes to take my couples’ photos. He was nice even to let us do it. There were a few more couples with photographers rushing to get a few shots, so I quickly set up my lights and got some great photos of my couple. 2 minutes later the Grand Stairwell was completely blocked off to the general public.

As we proceeded after the ceremony to the 4th floor, it was packed, but we were lucky to get a very cute shots then and then moved to the 2nd floor Mayor’s Balcony which happened to be empty. And since the stairwell was empty too, we got some great shots from the Mayor’s Balcony.

When couples reach out to me asking what kind of photos I usually take within a certain amount of time, I promise them to make the best use of that time.

Christine & Tim

It’s quite true - every photographer has their own style not just in how the see the final image, but how the communicate with people, how they get those reactions. I came to the City Hall a bit earlier (as I typically do) and I was observing others at work. I have to say I always do that because there’s something to learn from everyone. I remember reading a story about Jimi Hendrix who’d go to clubs and watch other guitarists play and would take notes. We as photographers have to do the same. There’s a lot to learn from each other.

I can see some photographers spending a lot of time on the Grand Stairwell often time having the couple stand in the same pose for a few minutes. You can see the couple getting tired and not having as much fun when you have to freeze as a mannequin. There are photographers who laugh, joke with the couple and quickly move around the City Hall. I personally prefer that breezy approach. But I understand some photographers are looking for more magazine style photo. Like I said everyone has their own style and I’m in no way criticizing it. I just have my own preferences.

The session with Christine and Tim showcase it quite well. We started with the 1st look photos and then went from there. Their wedding was not just about the 2 of them, but about the family. And you could feel a connection between Tim, his son and his grandkids and how they all connected with Christine. Just focusing on Christine and Tim on the Grand Stairwell for 30 minutes would do complete misjustice to their story. The best part is I photograph couples at different ages, and it really doesn’t matter how young you are, the wedding day is special and my goal is always the same - bring out the real personalities, have fun, the couple have fun and enjoy themselves. And we did just that

Emma & Jake

I’m not a big proponent of large weddings. I understand there are large families and it’s hard to invite only a few people. There are also lots of friends and if you invite one, someone else might get offended. So while I shoot larger weddings I enjoy smaller events at San Francisco City Hall even more now. Yes, they don’t last all the day. There are less people and it could feel less private just because it’s a City Hall. But to me these weddings are more personal, intimate with a closer connection between the couple, their guests and me. I heard one of my favorite photographers and people Fer Juaristi say once that he wants the couple to treat him as a friend with a fancy camera. It’s how I approach weddings. To get great photos there has to be an emotional connection. It’s impossible to put it to words because at the end it’s either there or it’s not. And I understand that not everyone is open to strangers and that’s ok as well. It’s not about how much we talk, but about how much we explore during our session: how much we explore our emotions, happiness, joy, our family. For that amount of time we create the images that weren’t there before and to me that’s exciting.

The moment I saw Emma’s dress I had a thought of some Shakespearian play. And it wasn’t just the dress. It was her personality, how softly she talked and how gentle she was that brought the person in me who loves history, historical fiction and anything that deals with time before I was born. So for some of the couple shots I wanted to create this sort of a dream atmosphere.

The result are some fun candid images, first look, couples’ photos and so much more. I picked a handful for this blog

Rodrick & Jonathan

I do say it quite often but this is true. People come from all over the states and in some cases the world to get married in San Francisco City Hall. And why wouldn’t you! It’s a unique venue that allows people to have a simple civil ceremony at a very low cost.

Jonathan and Rodrick came with their family from the Philippines. They were such an amazing couple and just a real pleasure to work with. I really liked their matching socks and I wanted to have an image to showcase them without being too cliche.

Hans & Luke

When taking photos I was talking to Luke and Hans that it’s interesting how just 45 years ago Harvey Milk got shot in San Francisco City Hall just for being gay. And look we’ve come a long way as an American society to officially accept people for who they are regardless of their sexual preference. And if you have a relationship with a person why deny them an option to get married? How does it really effect other people?!?

I’ve been raised in a very liberal family where my parents looked at the social and political structure from a higher point of view. They were educated in the best universities in Moscow (my dad was an architect and my mom - a speech therapist, my grandmother was a doctor). They have taught to be critical and not simply accept the ‘propaganda’ but to look deeper. 4 years of university majoring in History taught me that there’s no black and white. The truth is somewhere in the middle. It also taught me that while the whole point of history is to learn the lessons and not to repeat our mistakes, we keep making the same mistakes over and over, not learning as a society. But the reasons I often quite simple - self interest.

With that said… what is the self interest in having a people of the same sex get married?! None.. it’s their business. And i’m extremely lucky to have been there and capture the marriage of Hans and Luke with their families in attendance

How much time should I book with you?

Quite often I get asked “What package is best for us?", “How long should our photo session at the City Hall should be?”

My answer is “It depends”. And here is what I suggest to consider:

  • Do you have a larger wedding party?

  • Have you booked the civil ceremony at the City Hall Rotunda or booked 4th floor or Mayor’s balcony?

  • Is it just the 2 of you?

  • Do you have specific images in mind that you must have?

MY RECOMMENDATIONS

  • 30 minutes is truly designed to cover the ceremony. If it’s just you or have a small group of guests will take group photos after the ceremony and will have 10 or so minutes for just the 2 of you.

  • 1 hour - If you have a wedding party and/or would like various photo combinations with them and a few couple portraits this is a great option for you. We can do a lot in an hour (samples below)

  • 2 hours - If you have a specific images you’d like, specific locations including outdoors and potentially have a larger wedding party (10 or more) I would suggest this package

  • 4 hours - couples that would like cover their reception after their City Hall session

I understand not everyone wants long sessions around the City Hall and couples are also cost conscious for very good reasons.

Keep in mind no session is alike. They are all unique because of the couples, their families and mostly because of space availability at the City Hall at the time.

My general recommendations when selecting the right package for you:

Here are examples of full session:

30 minute session - ceremony, family/guest photo (if present) and few portrait photos in 2-3 locations at the City Hall

1 hour session - more couple’s photos around the City Hall

1 hour session example 2 - more couple’s photos around the City Hall

2 hour session - for larger wedding party and more photos around the City Hall (especially if you have specific requests)

Elena & Marco

It was June 10 2022 and it was THE hottest day in San Francisco this year. It was steaming 95 degrees outside at 11 AM when we did the outside shots.

I happened to know Elena through friends. As a matter of fact her friend recommended me as a photographer and when she reached out to me she didn’t realize she actually knows me. It’s been many years since we’ve seen each other so it’s quite understandable.

Their ceremony was scheduled for 9 am and I said if you’d like to get some nice clean shots of the Grand Stairwell let’s start a bit earlier. Well… as you know Hair and Makeup can take a while, so they ended up running a bit late, they also forgot their marriage license at home and basically we were behind.

But… here is a lesson to all the couples. It all worked out quite well at the end. They had a wonderful officiant - John, all their family and friends they invited made it on time to see the ceremony and they got married. They also weren’t stressing about all the issues they had. They were enjoying their day. Luckily I didn’t have another session till 11.30. So i could give them some extra time.

Of course.. i’m not saying it’s ok to be late and forget your marriage license. Do come prepared and on time especially that your photographer might not have time beyond the scheduled time. But as we know life has full of surprises. Here is an example when the couple really enjoyed their big day and didn’t let any small obstacles mess up their day.

Amanda & Nicholas

I love the first look. I don’t mind arranging it. I’d make sure the groom is positioned in the right place and not looking around too much. I’d arrange to meet the bride at the City Hall entrance and walk her to the right spot.

In case of Amanda and Nicholas, I wanted to hype it even more. I built up the anticipation with Nicholas and then took a few photos of him. I showed them to Amanda and told her he was very nervous (and he truly was).

Amanda looked beautiful and obviously Nicholas hadn’t see her yet. So I told her to take her time when she walks and build that anticipation for Nicholas even more.

And we got some awesome photos from that.

If you’re ever wondering why book the 4th floor for a private ceremony having an awesome harpist could be one of the reasons.

Here are some highlights from our 2 hours session

Bella & Joseph

I love January. Not just because it’s when my birthday is but because it often feels like a fresh start. Maybe it’s because of the vacation and holidays and maybe because in our minds new year is a sort of reset when we start anew.

First wedding of January after holiday and a long deserved vacation and I loved being back at the City Hall. The light at the City Hall in winter time is one of a kind. It’s low and it hits the windows on the north side, bouncing off the walls, creating this ethereal feel.

I love backlighting my couple, often times using another light on them as I like to have more light on the faces. Other times I’ll just ask my couple to be directly in the sunlight and pose them in such a way that it works. With Bella and Joseph I was able to experiment and try what I don’t usually do. And that’s the best part of what I do and makes me excited. It’s never the same and it’s not going to be the same for my couples. It’s not this pose with this spot - a template shot. No it will always vary and will be adjusted to the couple, to the feel, the mood, the light. So many little components go into the shoot and it’s not something we think about in order. All those things go through our head at once. Often times it’s not even a thought, it’s a feel.

You can compare it to a jam band. A great jam band just go for it. They aren’t thinking of the guitar solo.. they are in the moment enjoying what they do. I feel wedding photography is similar to that. While I can plan some shots, more often there’s just no time to do so within 1 hour session. And within that time I try to get to know the couple, observe their behavior with each other, get them relaxed, get them feel comfortable and to not think of me as a photographer but as a friend who’s going to take their photos.

And at the end I feel i had a good session when I have a good mix of images - from candid moments to real emotions to a few artsy shots that make sense and aren’t done for the sake of doing it.

Priscilia & Derrick

This was by far the most unique and insane wedding sessions I’ve ever shot. Insane because San Francisco got covered with dark orange haze making a day look like a night time. We never saw the sun and there was barely any light when we started at 11.30 AM. It felt like we were on a different planet.

But that didn’t stop Priscilia and Derrick. They originally planned to get married on Bali this summer, but COVID changed these plans. They ended up booking a virtual ceremony at San Francisco City Hall followed a session with your truly. But another surprise happened on the day of their wedding. Wildfires burning in California and Oregon brought down a huge dark orange cloud covering San Francisco Bay Area, creating what some call a ‘nuclear winter’ feel.

How many times have i said I get very lucky with the couples i photograph? I really am! Priscilia and Derrick just went along with whatever the day brought them. I offered to reshoot some other day when there was light if they felt so. But they were dressed up, ready to go and willing to go with whatever the day brought them. And I’m so glad they did. We got some of the most unique wedding photos and the couple was really happy with the end results. The credit really goes to them for enjoying the day no matter what happens. It’s a lesson we can all learn

Elopement - what to do when San Francisco City Hall is closed for wedding

San Francisco City Hall has closed its doors on March 17 and hasn’t reopened since. Unfortunately there’s no sign of it reopening to host numerous weddings. On average 30-40 weddings were officiated in San Francisco City Hall. I was told around 90 weddings were held on popular dates like Valentines day or 7-7-2017, If we do the math a large number of weddings got cancelled this year.

In case you didn’t know all San Francisco City Hall officiants are volunteers. Even when City Hall reopens for wedding I imagine the number of these weddings per day will be a lot smaller.

So what do you do?! The beauty of the SF City Hall is that it provided an intimate, budget wedding in a one of a kind location. Add a photographer who knows the City Hall in and out, and you get memories and photos preserved for the rest of your life. But let’s not divert. This is in no way about me :)

It’s about couples that would like to get married, planned on getting married in San Francisco City Hall but got their wedding canceled or unable to book in the near time future. What do you do!?

While i love San Francisco City Hall, there are options.

  1. While San Francisco County offers “deputy commissioner for the day” program where you can marry specific couple, it needs to be obtained in the City Hall which is currently closed. So unfortunately this is not an option at this time

  2. You can hire a officiant. Formal officiant cost varies, but typically is around $300-$500

  3. Anyone can be an officiant. The process is relatively simple and you can have your friend or family member officiate your wedding. It has to be someone you trust to take care of the paperwork and not lose it while celebrating your wedding. As a matter of fact i often recommend this option because it ends up being more personal. I have officiated several weddings for close friend. While it’s nerve wrecking (oh that pressure) it makes your wedding even more special in my opinion.

Here are few resources to consider to become an ordained minister:

  • https://www.ulc.org/

  • https://theamm.org/

There are several other institutions that provide these services but it’s basically the same concept. Make sure all your paperwork submitted in timely fashion after the wedding is officiated.

Now that you have an officiant, you need a place. That is the easy part if your wedding party is small. Remember San Francisco City Hall enforced rules of having 6 guests only at the Rotunda. If you were looking for Rotunda wedding, you probably had handful of guests. You can get married on the beach - San Francisco, beaches like Bakers beach, Half Moon Bay, Stinson Beach are all great places to tie the knot.

There are plenty of other locations to consider including doing it in your own back. The point that if you’d like to get married nothing should stop! No viruses or lockdowns. Of course you have be safe and smart when planning your wedding Make sue you stick with current restrictions and regulations.

And of course we would love to photograph your wedding. A few photos from non City Hall locations that we shot recently

Tala & Jad

On March 17 for the first time since reopening in 1999, San Francisco City Hall closed down for all wedding ceremonies. As counties in San Francisco Bay Area became the first in the US to mandate “shelter to place” order, all wedding ceremonies got cancelled through April 17..

While coronavirus was taking hold on Europe and various parts of the world, it was still relatively on a low radar in the US. The toilet paper panic hasn’t started. Beans, pasta and rice were still available on the shelves at the stores. But couples started cancelling their wedding as they were concerned already. All that changed in a few days when more and more cases of COVID 19 were being reported in the US, particularly in SF Bay Area.

Tala & Jad didn’t want to cancel. They were determined to get married. They didn’t have a large party. It was just them, Tala’s brother with his wife and daughter. And they were lots of fun! You could tell from the start when they are just “good fun people”. They laughed, joked … and then even danced extremely well.

While this was one of my last sessions at the City Hall before the lockdown, I have no doubt life will go back to normal. Engaged couples will once again walk into the City Hall and leave it happily married… with great memories and photos.

Morghan & Bryan

When Morghan emailed saying i photographed her brother in law wedding 2 years ago and was wondering if I’m available to do the same for her and Bryan, I was flattered. I did indeed photograph Kelsey & Sam wedding and they were an awesome couple to work with - https://www.sfcityhallphoto.com/blog/2017/10/17/kelsey-sam

I obviously was flattered and was happy to see some familiar faces - Bryan’s family , and new faces all happy and excited because it was a special day for all of them.

After being together for 5 years Morghan & Bryan didn’t lose any of the playfulness, emotions, care and love for each other. It felt like they’ve been dating for just a few months. It felt fresh and new. Now i don’t mean to imply that many couples lose that after few years of living together. Not at all… but as human being we naturally get used to something rather quickly.

It was a real pleasure spending a bit of time with Morghan and Bryan. I learned that they both do video game design. So i figured i’ll convert the City Hall into something else playing around with color gels.

At the end of our session I felt that we not only captured the ceremony, family moments, but went through variety of emotions with them, had loads of fun and all that with San Francisco City Hall in the backdrop.

Kaonta & Terry

Remember that old movie with Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock - Forces of Nature, where they are both trying to make it home no matter what natural disasters stand on their way.

The difference with Kaonta and Terry is that they were heading to San Francisco from Houston when Hurricane Imelda threatened their plans. They were lucky to leave Houston area. George Bush Houston airport got shot down when they had their flight. So they drove to Austin to leave from there and that wasn’t a direct flight. So they arrived late night or more like 2 AM to their hotel room, barely got any sleep and started to prepare for the wedding at San Francisco City Hall. They were lucky to at least have made it to San Francisco. One of their guests got stuck in Houston and couldn’t leave. Kaonta’s family were lucky to make it from Houston and arrive on time to San Francisco. Return back home wasn’t without misfortunes either with emergency rooms and car flooding.

But for the evening of September 20 it wasn’t important. What mattered is 2 people got married in San Francisco City Hall in the presence of their close family. The officiant was local SF judge who happens to be Kaonta’s cousin. A small reception that followed in The Chambers (5 minute walk from the City Hall) was intimate, person and very tasty. I was treated as part of the family and dined with them.

Even though it was a long and tiring day for the bride and the groom, they held it together very well. At the end these are the images that will tell the story for them. All the disasters pass and life continuyes

Portraits - my new obsession

Before i had my first “professional” photo shoot. Before i was even able to set exposure on my camera or focus correctly, I was attracted to people’s portraits…. actually i’ll say it differently. I was always interested in people - their emotions, passion… how it is reflected on the faces and body language.

While I enjoy shooting weddings - whether it’s a small San Francisco City Hall wedding or a larger weekend wedding - i always feel that I wish i had more time to spend with the people. Weddings are fast paced, adrenaline rushed, in the moment photography. While I always will set time aside for couples portraits, I don’t want to take over one of their biggest day in the lives, especially when the couple has family and friends attending.

My dream of having my own studio came true this summer when I built my own studio in Santa Clara. On weekly basis I work some amazing people, who trust my music choice and go along with my inquisitive and at times silly questions.

With portrait photos, especially studio, there’s no time pressure, no space pressure. To me it’s a sort of meditation. I have a chance to get to know the people and they have a chance to get comfortable and get to know me. I’m genuinely interested in each one of them. I want to understand their thinking, philosophy, personal experiences, what drives them.

I don’t want this to be a stare in the camera, I want the image to have a meaning. It’s about the mood, the true emotions, at times conflicted desires as we so often have. It’s about telling a story with a few images. A story about the person, their life, what they feel… That’s what i try to achieve every single time I do any kind of session, but more so when it’s a portrait session.

For more information on my packages I have created this page. The packages are very low priced for a reason as my goal is to attract more people who are interested in headshots and portrait photos.

https://www.sfcityhallphoto.com/portraits

Melanie & Andrew SF City Hall Wedding

Mel and Drew lived , went to school next to each other without actually knowing it. They bumped into each other and were introduced at a few parties, but nothing more happened. They continued living their lives. They kept bumping into each other at friend’s parties or events. They kept talking and texting over some period of time and then on July 4th Drew asked Mel on a date. They had dim sum, went to City Lights Books, then walked throughout Chinatown and North Beach and along Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf. They went to Lou's Jazz Hall and listened to live music, then took a cab to the Mission District and enjoyed fireworks from the roof top of Lolinda El Techo (then known as Medjool's) and walked back together through a sea of illegal fireworks as police sirens echoed the Mission streets.

Then while on vacation in Paris Drew proposed to Mel.

Melanie and Andrew get hitched on the 71st wedding anniversary of Melanie's grandparents with friends and family.

SF City Hall Photo favorite vendors/partners

After working at SF City Hall for many years you build relationships, you get to know other vendors. I’ve done my homework on all the vendors I recommend. I would stand 100 percent behind this list. I’m hoping it’ll help you when you’re planning your SF City Hall wedding.

Flowers

  • http://solambiance.com . Oxana, the owner of Solambiance is outstanding. First time I worked with her was many years ago for my own personal project. She came recommended to me through a videographer. Since then she’s my to go florist - whether it’s for clients or myself. She is very creative with her bouquet and has an overall good sense what goes well with what. On top of that she’s one of most dependable and responsive people I know

Hair/Makeup

My 2 favorite studios. Both great in their own mind. For a photographer working with the right makeup/hair stylist is the key.

  • https://www.tripletwist.com/ - Mei is extremely patient, soft spoken, very attentive and detailed. She styles, while her husband Robert takes care of administrative part. Every single bride I recommended Mei to sang her praise. And of course the results were amazing.

  • https://www.bunbunbridallab.com/ - Felicia runs her studio so well. She’s the main stylist and the administrator. She is very well organized and very friendly. All brides love her as she makes them feel like she’s known them for a long time. And of course her results speak for themselves. She has an IG page that shows before and after.

Music

This is my personal favorite since I’m also a musician at heart and occasional playing now.

  • https://www.corellitrios.com/ - Midori is the heart of Corelli Strings and she can put together any ensemble you’d like for your wedding. She only works with great musicians. I’ve watched them perform at wedding on many occasions. They are not only fantastic musicians, they truly enjoy playing. On top of that Midori is very responsive, reliable and is a great person to work with

Videography

  • IQVideography - I’ve dedicated the whole Blog Post to my favorite video studio. Alex is not only a very talented videographer, but great business partner and a friend.