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Mariel & Chloe and my take on booking a photographer

I had an interesting email conversation with one of the potential clients. She reached out to me asking about my packages. I provided all the details. She then responded asking what is the difference between my packages on my site and my packages at another website (their rates are lower than mine). That other website is another photostudio and the only thing we have in common is we have cityhall in our name and obviously shoot in San Francisco City Hall. I responded to her with that information and explained that while I understand the price definitely matters, she should look at the photo portfolio and at the reviews to make sure the photographer is what she’s looking for. It’s not always about if you pay more, you get something better. And if the photographer charges less, doesn’t mean they are bad.

The general rule is that photographers charge based on their experience, artistic vision, etc…The main point I’m trying to say is that the couple shouldn’t book someone just based on the price. They should at least look at their portfolio. And you can tell a lot by looking at the images - these are usually the best that the photographer wants to showcase. It represents well their style, their color palette, their communication with the couple. At the end it’s your story… you shouldn’t compromise but also keep your budget in mind.

Now back to this beautiful couple. My goal is always to capture candid, real moments and to also pose my couple in such a way that it’s real. We all love watching the movies and can identify bad acting pretty easy now. Same with these images… the emotions have to be real. Otherwise the image isn’t good enough for me. As a photographers its our duty to tell the story and tell it right

Ashley & Nick

Spring this year has been a busy wedding season. I was lucky to photograph many great couples. I know I’ve said it before but when I photograph I’m not interested in just posing for posing sake or to have a cool background. My goal is to bring out the couple’s personality, their dynamic and to show their relationship through the photographs. It’s not always an easy task because most of the time I get about an hour to do that and these are people I’ve never met before. Then to add to that the couple is being photograph and we all know how when camera is in front of us we tend to feel awkward. I know I do and I do photography every single day… but I’m just not in front of the camera

Ashley and Nick are such an outgoing, easy couple. I wanted to show their fun personality, not taking it seriously and being occasionally goofy with one another. At the same time there’s a lot of softness especially that they are expecting a baby soon.

Alisson and Peter

When i photograph my couples I often start conversations on how they met. I’m naturally curious of how people meet. Often times they come from different backgrounds, different cities, countries and chances of them meeting …. well are very slim. But somehow they meet, have a wonderful relationship and want to take it to the next level by getting married. I meet couples that have been together for many years, but their relationship feels fresh, full of energy and obvious love for each other. So it’s really not how long the couple has been together but it’s finding the right person.

Alisson and Peter met via online dating app. A common story for many couples I photograph now. And it’s quite normal because people have more opportunities to meet someone they wouldn’t meet otherwise.

After getting to know them for 5 minutes the chemistry and how they balance each other out was obvious. Alisson is hyper, with tons of ideas… she literally can’t stand in one place. I’m very much the same way at times. Peter is very calm, thoughtful and fun at the same time. They both love dancing and they put on a performance for me. Alisson was born in Columbia and speaks perfect English, but Peter wanted to learn Spanish anyway. You can see that they care for each other and show it in small ways every day.

The result was a large collection of photos at the City Hall and Fort Mason. Their friends put together a picnic for them. Together with their 2 cute dogs - Burrito and Rico Suave they had a wonderful wedding ceremony and reception. We have photos to prove that

Favorite Fall wedding moments

What a fun, busy and crazy this Fall has been. I can have a separate post for every single wedding I shot because each one was unique, exciting and emotional in its own way. And once I have a bit more time I would like to go back and cover some of them. The light on the 4th Floor North side was something you can’t just pass by. I was draw to it and wanted to take advantage of it. There were these pocket of lights that make the City Hall even more mysterious and unique.

I was lucky to have some of the funniest couples that chose me. Maybe it’s not a coincidence they picked me. I always say that my goal is to not only have great photos that capture their day, but to make sure they don’t forget to have fun and to enjoy the process of taking photos. Without that the most beautiful place will look dull because they aren’t enjoying themselves and instead are posing for cameras. While I will always direct and come up with ideas and images I want to see, I love capturing these moments in between and strive to orchestra these moments.

And then there’s the actual ceremony where the couples and their guests are fully into that little moment that binds them together. I’m there to observe, watch and catch these little details that matter the most - like a tear shed by one of the guests.. or a bride, the way the groom looks at his bride.. the first kiss.. all that is important and the job of the photographer to capture it but to capture it from our point of view.

And while I love a lot of grand wide photos of the City Hall, my goal is always the couple. Make them laugh, smile, feel emotions, go back in time to their first day, or just talk to me about what matters to them. And it between all that I keep taking photos… i talk.. i encourage them to show their love for each other.. and keep taking photos.

Here are some of my favorite images and it was really hard to chose these because each wedding has a good number of images I really liked.

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

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.

Maria & Jacob

How much can a photographer do when most of San Francisco City Hall is locked for in preparation for an events - the Rotunda is closed off to a point that the ceremonies are done in the private room, the Grand Stairwell is off limits, the 2nd floor is completely blocked off, the lights are being setup on the 3rd floor. In addition to that both North and South side of the 4th floor are reserved for private ceremonies. You get a little creative

Luckily Maria, Jacob and their family were so flexible, fun and easy to work. They completed trusted me and followed along with whatever we did. We spent about an hour plus to get all the shots we needed and we could under the circumstances. But i couldn’t have been happier. We did break a few rules but without causing any issues or endangering anyone in the process.

Maria and Jacob brought so much energy and emotions to every shot that I honestly could’ve gone the whole day with them if they didn’t have a dinner waiting for them.

Alyssa & Kevin

I’m always excited when i get booked for half a day. And it’s not because i’m greedy and here to make money. I enjoying spending time with people and getting to know them. It really is - ask my wife. She’s more of an introvert who has to deal with me always wanting to talk to people, ask questions and have random conversations.

So when i had an opportunity to spend 4 hours with an amazing couple like Alyssa and Kevin I’m beyond thrilled. First off we started off walking on the beach - the weather could not have been better. Then we headed to the City Hall and had time to do both serious and fun photos. It takes a little time for people to open up and be themselves in front of the camera. And I want to get the real, true them out.

Turns out Alyssa loves dancing - so of course i wanted to incorporate that. She has a lot of natural grace and i wanted to capture that as well… along with the silliness of course.

At the end i couldn’t have been happier with the collection of photos we got. There were lots of candid honest moments during the ceremony, very cool group photos and of course plenty of Alyssa and Kevin photos to chose from.

Lisa & Louis

I just love intimate small weddings. That’s one of the best part about shooting at San Francisco City Hall. Yes, you can rent the whole City Hall for the day, for few hours on the weekend, invite everyone you know and don’t know. And i will enjoy shooting that and will give it my 200% percent of focus and creativity. But nothing beats spending 1 hour and being part of a small family. That’s the best part about being a wedding photographer. It’s the connection to the couple, to their big day and to their lives. Even if that connection last for a little bit, it’s still there. And I really enjoy it.

And while i love a lot of creative and artistic shot i love to take the images that the couple would print, hang on the wall or put on their bed stand. Print an album and look at it.

Tiffany & Bernard

One of the main reasons I enjoy shooting City Hall weddings is because majority of the time they are very intimate. There’s a small number of guests, often it’s the just the couple only. Don’t get me wrong, large, elaborate weddings are interesting, but they just aren’t as private. Often times they are about the guests more than about the couple getting married.

In the case of Tiffany and Bernard it was just them and their parents. Having 2 plus hours to spend with such a small group creates a sort of intimacy and an atmosphere where the couple gets to know you and I get to know the couple. To me they are not some people i just met. We have a moment to talk and get to know each other a little. I get to understand what they like, what they are into, how they met, etc… And the end result is we had time to do preparation photos at the hotel, first look, the ceremony, group photos, a very good variety of portrait photos as well as some individual shots.

We partnered with IqVideography to get a very cool highlights video - https://vimeo.com/379934906/85fc9e368c 

Megan & Alex

When I talk to others about their job and what kind of work they do, i realize that i can’t even consider what i do as work. Of course there are some intense days, there are days when you emotionally and physically tired, but at the end I realize that I’m around happy people who are enjoying a very special day and my job is really to capture that day for them. I’m their guest with a camera. I’m their friend who knows how to take photos. And yes I really enjoy smaller wedding like this one where it was close family and closest friends, while Lucy stood for the groom’s best man.

As a result this San Francisco City Hall wedding was filled with intimate moments during and after the ceremony. How often do you get to photograph a cute dog inside the City Hall? Not very often.. so i took full advantage of that. Lucy played her part perfectly - posing, giving high fives and barking her congratulations to the newly wed

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.

Why and How to Hire a Videographer for your City Hall Wedding

I get it - you’re having a small SF City Hall wedding. Maybe it’s just the 2 of you or maybe you have only your close friends and family attending. If you’re looking at my page then you’re considering getting a photographer, but that’s about it.

As a photographer who shoots in San Francisco City Hall on weekly basis, I see so many opportunities to capture the moments on video. And i do my best to do this as a photographer and at times do short videos for the couples. But that’s not the same as having an actual video of your day. The videographer will have a lot more material to work with the more time you give him. But even with 1 hour that footage is priceless.

It’s no wonder MTV, then YouTube took off. While I love photography and try to capture the mood, the environment, people, video takes it to a new dimension. I believe it stands complimentary to photography. It doesn’t replace photography, Take a look at some videos shot at San Francisco City Hall by our favorite video company - IQVideography.

Which brings me to the point ..

How to find and hire a really good reasonably priced videographer for your SF City Hall Wedding.

General guidance:

(And of course this applies to non City Hall weddings).

  • Watch their work - does it feel right to you? We all watch lots of movies and music videos now. Does it evoke emotions in you, do you feel the joy of the moment, is it visually pleasing? I see a lot of videos that are impersonal. They are focusing more on the surroundings as if afraid of the couple. I’m sure couples want to capture the vibe and environment of the place. Or I see videos where i don’t know here the wedding is taking place. Could be parents’ backyard. I can’t tell. Good videographer captures it all.

  • Does the style of videography fit with what you have in mind? I know it’s all about the taste. Does the music go well with the visuals? Angles, compositions, color… they can be good, but it’s not what you envision a wedding video should look like

  • Quality - does it feel like the video could’ve been shot on an iphone by a friend? Is the video shaky? Now maybe it’s their style. But unless you want to get dizzy watching your wedding video I wouldn’t recommend it.

  • Ask around - i’m sure i’m not alone who feels that with all the technology we don’t talk to each other as much as we should. Ask your friend, co-worker, someone who recently got married for a recommendation. Ask your wedding planner or a photographer. Yes, you can ask me or any other photographer you’re considering for your wedding. Once you get a name, go to first 3 steps and review their work. At the end it’s your decision

I have to say that I’m extremely lucky to know and have worked on many occasions with IQVideography. They fit all 3 criteria I’ve described above. To prove my points see the videos below.

Brittany & Dustin by SF City Hall Photo

We all know that City Hall gets busy and even when officiants try their best to be on time, things can run a bit late. But that wasn’t the case for Brittany & Dustin. Everything went smooth from the moment they checked in to the Clerk’s office. No wait time.

As we were coming up the Grand Stairwell for the ceremony, the stairwell was practically empty. I politely asked a few people to hide behind the columns so i can take a nice wide shot of the couple on the Grand Stairwell. I personally love clean stairwell shots, when the attention is drawn to the couple with the stairwell going up.

After the ceremony we headed to the 4th floor which was clear for us. Even though we can take group shots in various area, I really enjoy doing group shots on the 4th floor due to all that natural light that comes through the windows.

And of course as I always once we are done with the serious and fun shots I wanted to experiment a little - the couple had their own little pose/sign they wanted to do and I decided to take it next level.

Kristine & John by SF City Hall Photo

Our first wedding on 2019 was Kristine and John tying the knot in beautiful San Francisco City Hall. It was pretty quiet after the holiday rush. Kristine and John brought their 7 months old son Al and it was just the 4 of us wandering around the City Hall.

The wedding session turned more into a family session and I wanted to make sure I leave them with a great collection of photos with the 3 of them. The more i do this, the more I realized it’s not the fancy, artistic shots that matter to a lot of couples. It’s these true moments where the family is captured our this special day. I feel we accomplished it quiet well.

San Francisco City Hall Wedding Information by SF City Hall Photo

SF City Hall Wedding Walkthrough


Fourth Floor, SF City Hall, Rosey Bouquet

SF City Hall Photo began in 2015 as an affordable and high-quality photography service for couples getting married inside the iconic downtown building. After spending so much time in and around the structure, we thought we should share some tips and suggestions for making your San Francisco City Hall wedding even more enjoyable, and perhaps alleviate any confusion you may have about how the entire process works.

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Civil ceremonies take place Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 3:30pm. You must first make a reservation online to schedule an appointment for your marriage license and your marriage ceremony.  Payment for both services is due upon making the reservation, and is $107, and $86 respectively.  

Whenever possible, we recommend getting your marriage license on a day other than your ceremony date. However, if your license and ceremony appointments are on the same day, make sure to schedule them at least one hour apart.


      Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio got married at SF City Hall in 1954!

The County Clerks Office in room 168 is where you will check in and handle your paperwork.  You'll receive a ticket before being asked to wait in the hallway until your number is called. Getting through the office is generally a breeze, however, it's always wise to arrive early in case their are delays.  

Once your number is called we go back inside the clerk's office and meet the person who will be marrying you that day. Interestingly enough there are more than a dozen volunteer officiants who rotate during the week. We have had the pleasure of working with almost all of them and, very similar to us, they love what they do.

After greeting and handling paperwork, you will be asked if you are exchanging rings and given the choice of where you would like the ceremony to take place: private room or the Rotunda. The idea of a private room may sound appealing but in reality is a rather drab, windowless box which doesn't allow for stunning images. The Rotunda is the place to be.

You too can be a deputy marriage officiant for a day!

Another thing to keep in mind is the length of the ceremony itself. If you elected to use a city-appointed officiant the ceremony itself lasts no more than 5 minutes. You will also not be allowed to exchange your own vows. A private officiant is something to consider if you would like to share your own written vows with your partner.

After choosing your location you both will be asked to show your identification and sign the marriage license. One witness (Two Max) needs to be present to sign the license as well as the decorative certificate City Hall provides for newlyweds. If your wedding is a low-key affair with just the two of you we can happily act as an official witness and sign the corresponding documents, just let us know.


Finally, the paperwork is settled and you are asked to head upstairs to the Rotunda to wait for the beginning of your ceremony. Typically there are at least 2-3 other couples getting married by the same officiant, so while you may be the first or last, it is best to go straight to the Rotunda forthwith to avoid any delays and potentially lose your place. We can help usher the rest of your party upstairs so everyone can watch this magical moment.

Local Merchant Spotlight: PALOMA

When we have free time after a wedding at City Hall we like to explore the surrounding areas. I happened to find an amazing store right at the edge of Hayes Valley called PALOMA. The owner and resident master craftsman Larry is not only friendly, he let me hang out inside the shop the whole afternoon just watching him work on things. His specialty is hand-stitched leather goods from wallets to travel bags. The selection of material is amazing and he will walk you through the entire process. I ended up getting a new leather tote bag that is buttery-soft and a wallet. Check them out sometime.

PALOMA 112 Gough Street SF, CA 94102 415.666.2269

How to Get to and From San Francisco City Hall

It's easy to get wrapped up in all of the details of your wedding day. From finding the right dress to the perfect pair of cuff links, every little thing matters so much. But when you are all dressed and ready what is the best way to make it to the City and City Hall without causing undue stress and hardship on yourself and your guests.

Here are some tips to try and alleviate this confusion.

Public Transportation (BART, Muni, etc.)

If you have a morning ceremony it can get very, very busy on the commute into the city. If you are driving from the East Bay or the Peninsula the drive can easily become a two-hour plus nightmare if you don't leave very early. If you can take BART in we highly-recommend this option as you can exit at Civic Center and walk to City Hall in less than ten minutes. No worries about finding a parking space, or feeding the meter. You can arrive at City Hall early and change in one of the private bathrooms they have. Yes it is decidedly less romantic than driving away into the sunset but you can't beat the practicality.

Private Transportation (Your car)

Well if you know San Francisco traffic during the week then you know trying to get into the City from 7am to around 11:30am can be really bad. Even if we have a shoot at 10am, we still leave the house before 6am to cross the bridge before traffic gets insane. I know this sounds a little silly, arriving hours before the shoot and just sitting around. In fact, we like to arrive early as we can snag parking at a cheaper rate (more on this later), grab a leisurely breakfast, and double-check gear and appointments all before 8am. I have seen firsthand what it is like to get to the toll crossing before 6am and breeze through, and go 15 minutes later when it seems like every commuter in the Bay is trying to get across the bridge. Those few minutes can mean a difference of over an hour in commute time.

Car Service (Uber, Lyft, etc.)

I love to be driven around. It's so carefree and helps me to relax. Taking an Uber from your hotel to City Hall is one of the best and most convenient ways to get to your ceremony. You don't need to worry about parking fees and feeding the meter, you just get dropped off in front and you are good to go. If you are staying in the City proper, this is one of the best ways to get to City Hall.

The Best Wedding Photography Locations in San Francisco Part One

While we are well-known for our work at San Francisco City Hall we want share some of best locations in San Francisco to take wedding photos. This is Part One of an ongoing guide.

The Palace of Fine Arts.

The Palace of Fine Arts and a surprise cameo on the bottom-left by a Swan.

The Palace of Fine Arts and a surprise cameo on the bottom-left by a Swan.

I would venture this is the most-photographed public location in San Francisco for couples, families, and any possible occasion in-between. Everyone stops here to look at the lovely lake, marvel at the Swans and Ducks, and take some beautiful photos underneath the dome. You can make a circuit around the entire place in 15-minutes, stopping along the journey to take all different kinds of photos. While weekends tend to be the busiest, we also shoot here during the week when there are fewer crowds and we get a better chance at getting the perfect shot.

Fort Point

The Golden Gate Bridge as seen from Fort Point.

The Golden Gate Bridge as seen from Fort Point.

Less than ten minutes away by car we have Fort Point. Tucked away beneath the Golden Gate Bridge on the San Francisco side this location offers a million-dollar view of the Bridge and the Marina. On weekends the Fort is open to the public and you can photograph along the corridors and even the roof. Amazing light at all times of the day but it can get really windy. Also there is no elevator to the top so be prepared to walk up all those stairs to the top and back down again.

Maiden Lane

Maiden Lane near Union Square is a great place for a quick shoot.

Maiden Lane near Union Square is a great place for a quick shoot.

Located in the heart of Union Square, Maiden Lane is an approximately two-block long street tucked away in between the hustle and bustle of the City. On afternoons there are outdoor tables where you can relax and have a coffee while doing some great people-watching. While the street is short, it is great as a backdrop for portraits. Timing is hit or miss here as they don't always have the place cleaned up and there can be cars, but we are good at working around that.

Until next time, stay tuned for Part Two!


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