Last fall, Ali and Nick held their wedding on the Mayor’s Balcony at the elegant and classic San Francisco City Hall. Then they celebrated on a rooftop at 25 Lusk, with their closest friends and family. The ceremony was short and sweet, and the couple made sure they had plenty of time to celebrate with their guests!

The bride and groom take a stroll across Polk street from City Hall to the Civic Center Plaza.

The ceremony was private and held on the Mayor’s Balcony, which has such a stunning vantage point of all of City Hall! It seats up to 40 or can have 100 guests if standing. The couple had already filled out their marriage license in advance, their two witnesses just had to sign the license and then it was dropped off at the County Clerk’s office (no stress!). San Francisco City Hall is amazing as both beautiful and practical for couples that want a classy, modern, and hassle-free wedding.

The ceremony on the Mayor’s Balcony at San Francisco City Hall.

The ceremony on the Mayor’s Balcony and the bride’s beautiful bouquet with thistle, eucalyptus, and a protea.

The florals were designed by Natasha Kolenko of Golden Fields Floristry. They were a beautiful blush pink and ivory palette, with a contrasting cool green eucalyptus and blue thistle for texture. The King Protea made the perfect statement flower in the bride’s bouquet!

A good friend played an acoustic guitar for the ceremony, and the groom’s uncle officiated. Another friend brought a rug for the couple to stand on, in lieu of a traditional alter.

Just married! The couple recessed down the aisle and then grabbed the elevator up to the fourth floor balcony, where you can find the most beautiful light in San Francisco’s City Hall. Their family and wedding party followed for photos, and the rest of their guests headed off to the reception.

The groom hanging out with his groomsmen on the Mayor’s Balcony.

The wedding party at San Francisco City Hall.

The bride with her favorite ladies take a stroll on the fourth floor. There was a lot of love and fun in this wedding party, and they kept the energy going all day!

It’s hard to find a private moment with your new spouse on your wedding day! But if you can set aside a small amount of time in the busy wedding schedule, even if it’s driving together from the ceremony to the reception, those are really precious moments you will remember when you look back on your wedding day.

The bride and groom share a private moment at San Francisco City Hall.

The bride’s beautiful veil and gold chevron barrette was a DIY element and also matches the chevron shape of her wedding band.

We went all over City Hall for photos. Love the repeating design of the stairs!

The bride and groom on the grand staircase at San Francisco City Hall.

A normal Friday at City Hall can be busy, and the grand staircase is often the most desirable photo location for couples having civil ceremonies, as well as tourists stopping by. However, everything just fell into place perfectly for Ali and Nick’s wedding day. And somehow in the late Friday afternoon last October, the grand staircase and rotunda magically cleared, and the bride and groom had the place to themselves for some relaxed, sweet photos together.

The newly weds share a kiss on the Grand Staircase, and the groom twirls the bride on the marble floor of the Rotunda.

The bride and groom make a grand exit from San Francisco City Hall.

San Francisco City Hall is not only a stunning work of Beaux Arts architecture on the inside, but it also has beautiful places outside and around it that are great for taking a walk and capturing some photos. So we departed City Hall and took a walk across the street. With a more intimate sized wedding, the couples’ schedule had space to take these photos, as well as plenty of time for them to celebrate with their family and friends. Such a perfect day!

Crossing the street with San Francisco City Hall’s iconic dome in the background.

Late afternoon golden light shined on these two as they strolled near City Hall.

Memorial Court with its ornate gate and expansive lawn was our last stop before heading over to the reception.

The welcome table and reception flowers at 25 Lusk.

The rooftop terrace at 25 Lusk, a modern urban oasis in San Francisco’s SOMA district, welcomed guests for cocktail hour. It was the perfect blend of an urban vibe with its wood and metal textures, lush green table garlands, and a view of the city at sunset.

The bride and groom’s grand entrance to the Rooftop Terrace at 25 Lusk.

A margarita and eucalyptus garlands at the wedding reception.

The wedding reception tables at the Rooftop Terrace at 25 Lusk.

After some heartfelt and sweet toasts from close friends and family, the couple kicked off the party with their first dance.

The bride and groom’s first dance at 25 Lusk.

The bride dances with her father on the rooftop terrace.

The second best thing about your wedding day, after marrying your love of your life (of course), is seeing ALL your favorite people in one place. These are some of the sweetest moments and the couple really made sure to spend time with all their guests, and having a smaller guest count of about 50 really made that possible!