Jessica and Luther are health care workers who first met while working at a clinic one block from San Francisco City Hall. So when they got engaged and it came time to pick a wedding venue, City Hall was an easy choice! It is arguably the prettiest City Hall in the nation, and you can customize your wedding day around it, like Jessica and Luther did. Their day flowed beautifully in three parts, with lots of special moments, both big and small.

When the day of their wedding arrived, and it was a crisp and sunny November morning, with stunning views of San Francisco from their hotel suite at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero. Before their City Hall nuptials, they first prepared an intimate Chinese tea ceremony with their parents and a few family members.

The couple’s suite at the Hyatt had a balcony that was a perfect fit for their tea ceremony, and allowed them to easily get ready for both the tea ceremony and their afternoon wedding, all in one place. That morning, their family spent time with them in the suite, helping to set up their tea ceremony, eat a bit of breakfast, and take Bruce, their goldendoodle, for a walk. The couple got ready and it all felt like a sweet, stress-free start to their wedding day!

From Jessica: “We wanted to incorporate a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, which was important for my family. The ceremony was an intimate and special moment to share with our parents before the wedding festivities.”

The tea ceremony was so intimate, emotional, and heartfelt! The start of a wedding day can sometimes feel a bit chaotic, but the tea ceremony allowed for time to quietly pause for a moment with the couple and their parents, before the larger ceremony and celebration. After their tea ceremony, they each changed into their wedding attire for their western ceremony at San Francisco City Hall. They opted to not have a wedding party, so the bride’s mother helped her get dressed. The pace of the day never felt hurried, thanks to great planning from the couple and coordinator Jana Tom!

Before heading into City Hall with the bride and groom, we made a few stops to some old stomping grounds. The bride’s family member provided transportation, which was so helpful in getting around the city to different photo spots.

The first was a quick but very important stop for a photo in front of the health clinic where the two first met while working there. They had their first date celebrating Pride in Civic Center Plaza, and also had a lot of lunches together in the Civic Center neighborhood.

City Hall has so many great angles, but this one is a favorite of mine. We made a last stop at the elegant gates of Memorial Court for some sunshine and smiles. I love photographing some pre-ceremony jitters and excitement!

City Hall was its usual hustle and bustle, but with the North Balcony reserved, the space was quiet and calm as guests began to arrive. Florist Katharina Stuart delivered flowers that brought wintery pops of color and texture against the grand Beaux Arts architecture of City Hall.

The couple reserved the North Balcony, which is highly recommended if you would like to have a large group of guests, and a more private ceremony. And you may have your own officiant, which they did. The bride’s brother-in-law did a great job leading the ceremony!

After the ceremony we took a big “everyone” group shot, then family photos. Then the guests departed for cocktail hour at Wayfare Tavern, and we took a few more photos around and outside City Hall before departing.

Any advice for planning a wedding? From the bride, Jessica: “Wedding planning was one of the most stressful things we had to go through. What really helped was dedicating a day each week to discuss wedding planning. We also had a significant amount of help from our Day of Coordinator, Jana and Sonya (even things that were beyond her scope as our photographer). We wouldn't have been able to pull it off without the amazing support from our wedding vendors.”

These two had such a sweet love for each other, but it was also clear that they genuinely cared about each and every guest in attendance at their wedding. It is always an honor to photograph such a thoughtful and classy couple like Jessica and Luther; happy one year anniversary!!

We paused for a few photos in Civic Center Plaza. Their wonderful chemistry, combined with the golden hour light, combine for some magic moments!

Next, it was on to the third chapter of their wedding day— their celebration at Wayfare Tavern! The plush forest green velvet, classic vintage finishes, and the cozy feel of Wayfare Tavern were a perfect setting for their family style dinner reception. The Sequoia room seats up to 50, so it’s a perfect size for smaller San Francisco weddings, and pairs so nicely with City Hall nuptials.

The couple organized their table groupings by favorite places around the world of theirs: Hawaii, Alaska, Thailand, Edinburgh, Tawain, Mount Rainier, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. Each setting had a some chocolates as a favor for each guest. During the reception there were lots of great toasts, a family style dinner, great conversation, and last but not least, the cake cutting!

Thank you to Jessica and Luther for having me as your wedding photographer! It was an absolute pleasure.

Vendor Team

Planning - Jana Tom Event & Design
Getting Ready Hotel & Tea Ceremony Venue- Hyatt Regency Embarcadero
Make up & Hair - Design Her Image
Dress - Kinsley James Couture Bridal
Bride’s Shoes - Loeffler Randall
Flowers - Katharina Stuart
Ceremony Music - Corelli Strings
Ceremony Venue - San Francisco City Hall’s North Balcony
Reception Venue & Catering - Wayfare Tavern
Cake - Butter &
Transportation - Collin Lau
Photography - Sonya Yruel

Thinking of getting married at City Hall and having a reception in San Francisco? Check out this City Hall wedding with an elegant and intimate dinner reception.
And here are more examples of San Francisco City Hall weddings!