Website Design in San Francisco for Vendors Who Work Weddings at City Hall

Updated November 2026 · Written and maintained by the Progression Agency strategy team

San Francisco City Hall marries couples three ways: the County Clerk’s ceremony for six guests or fewer, a one hour package on the Mayor’s Balcony or the Fourth Floor Gallery, and an evening rental of the Rotunda. Each path has its own office, its own clock and its own list of what a florist, musician or planner may bring. Website design in San Francisco for a wedding vendor writes each package to the path it belongs to, so the couple books something City Hall will allow. Progression works from New York, builds San Francisco sites remotely, and will meet a client in the city for a session on request.

Thrown petals on the Grand Staircase, in a package photo

A florist’s gallery shows petals thrown down the Grand Staircase under the caption Our City Hall package. The Events Office says throwing petals, real or artificial, is not allowed inside or outside City Hall and is strictly prohibited.

The Events Office adds a note of its own: photos of previous City Hall weddings found online may not reflect what is included in a package. The vendor’s gallery is where couples first see what a package looks like, so the photos have to match what the coordinator will allow.

• A gallery photo is a promise about the day.
• The caption names the path the photo belongs to.
• Photos that show what the rules forbid come down.
• The page tells the couple to check with the coordinator.

Website design in San Francisco for City Hall wedding vendors

The City Hall Events Office page says the Events Office licenses all private rentals, the Office of the County Clerk handles civil marriage ceremonies, and the San Francisco Film Commission regulates commercial film and photography. A San Francisco website design company that builds for wedding vendors starts by asking which of the three paths each package serves.

The Get married in San Francisco page on SF.gov is the couple’s starting point. A vendor’s site should read like the next page after it, with the package tied to one of the paths the page lists.

• County Clerk: the civil ceremony for six guests or fewer.
• City Hall Events: the one hour package, on weekdays.
• City Hall Events: the evening rental of the Rotunda and Light Courts.
• Film Commission: commercial film and photography.

Three ways to marry under the dome

The table sets the three paths side by side. Fees are shown as the SF.gov pages post them, and the Clerk’s fees are those effective July 1, 2026.

The Clerk’s ceremony for six guests or fewer

The Clerk’s page takes reservations for an in-person ceremony with six or fewer guests, and walk-ins are not allowed. The couple presents a valid original California marriage license, brings valid government-issued photo identification and arrives 15 minutes early. More guests, or a weekend or holiday, means booking a space through City Hall Events.

One hour on the Mayor’s Balcony or the Fourth Floor Gallery

The package starts at $1,200 for up to 100 guests, Monday to Friday. The Mayor’s Balcony holds 40 seated plus 60 standing, and the Fourth Floor Gallery holds 60 seated plus 40 standing. The 60 minute reservation is strictly enforced, and a late arrival does not extend it.

The evening rental of the Rotunda and Light Courts

The Rotunda, North Light Court and South Light Court are bundled, and evenings are available on weekdays and weekends except Tuesdays, when the Board of Supervisors meets. Sheriff’s Department costs are mandatory and not included; the Events Office says they typically run $10,000 to $15,000 or more by guest count, and subject to change.

What a City Hall vendor site costs

Pricing depends on scope and is set in the written proposal, and published prices are subject to change. A vendor site is usually a brochure build with a package page for each path and an inquiry form.

Progression’s listed site prices

These are the fixed-scope prices on our website design and development page. Hosting and maintenance are separate.

Listed, and listed for what

The qualified vendors page says clients are required to use the qualified vendor lists for all services at City Hall Events, and that listed vendors are pre-approved, meet building requirements and know the rules. The application process for new vendors opens annually in July.

The categories also include lighting, musicians for one hour weddings, and rentals of equipment, gaming and photo booths. A vendor’s site names the category it is listed under on the Events Office’s current list and nothing more. It never suggests City endorsement. A vendor that is not listed says plainly which paths it can serve.

Florists and musicians can see our florist website design and musician website design pages.

Package pages built around a strict 60 minutes

The one hour package fixes the start times by space, and the 60 minute period is strictly enforced. Capacity is 100 guests in all. Chairs are optional rentals, with the final chair count, type and vendor information due two weeks before the ceremony, and couples bring their own officiant, who must follow California’s officiant guidelines.

The package page shows the start times as City Hall sets them, a timeline that fits inside the hour, and a booking form that asks which space and slot the couple holds. A web development company in San Francisco can build that form to collect the slot and hold it against the page. See our wedding website design page for the general build.

• Slot times as City Hall sets them, by space.
• A timeline that fits inside 60 minutes.
• No formal rehearsals; a visit beforehand is unofficial and self-guided.
• A form that asks which space and which slot the couple holds.

Can the form promise a time?

No. It records the slot the couple holds with City Hall, and the Events Office confirms the booking.

Two florals under 36 inches, and nothing thrown

With advance approval, a couple may have two standing florals at the altar below 36 inches, and the florist must be on the qualified vendor list. Handheld florals such as bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages need no advance approval.

The Events Office says helium balloons, mylar or plastic confetti, and decorations that damage building surfaces with paint, stickers, nails, fasteners or glue are not allowed, as are smoke or fog devices. The prohibited items page lists them. A florist’s or decor vendor’s City Hall page shows only what the rules allow.

On cultural traditions, the Events Office says it tries its best to safely accommodate them. Hand-supported chuppahs need advance approval, freestanding chuppahs and fire rituals are prohibited, a sand ritual needs advance approval, and other cultural items need approval from the coordinator at least two weeks before the wedding. A planner’s page sends tradition questions to the coordinator and does not rank or comment on any tradition.

• Two standing altar florals below 36 inches, with advance approval.
• Handheld florals without approval.
• Nothing thrown: no petals, rice, confetti or other loose items.
• No balloons filled with helium and no adhesives on building surfaces.
• Tradition questions go to the coordinator at least two weeks ahead.

Web design in San Francisco for photographers on Rotunda closure days

The one hour package page says the Rotunda, its stairs and the surrounding area can close to the public for some evening setups and are then unavailable for photos, with no exceptions. The Rotunda closures page lists dates and closing times and says to check it again on the day of the visit.

A photographer’s site links the closures page instead of promising staircase portraits. Commercial shoot questions go to the San Francisco Film Commission. The site prints no closure dates, since the City says times and dates are subject to change.

• A link to the closures page, not a copied list of dates.
• A line that stairs portraits depend on the day.
• Commercial shoot questions to the Film Commission.
• See our photography website design page for the general build.

License, witness and the 90 day window

Couples ask vendors about the paperwork. The Clerk’s pages say a California marriage license must be issued within 90 days of the ceremony, licenses are not sold on the ceremony day, and the couple brings the original license, photo identification and arrives 15 minutes early. One witness is needed with a public license, and none with a confidential one.

The Clerk’s fee page lists, effective July 1, 2026, a public or confidential marriage license at $129 each, a civil ceremony at City Hall during office hours by appointment at $113, an offsite, weekend or holiday ceremony at $336 and a one-day deputy marriage commissioner at $186. The ceremony page has the reservation steps.

An officiant’s or planner’s FAQ links the Clerk’s pages rather than restating the law, and sends legal questions to the Office of the County Clerk.

• License issued within 90 days of the ceremony.
• Original license and photo identification on the day.
• One witness for a public license, none for a confidential one.
• Legal questions to the Office of the County Clerk.

The planner the evening rental requires

A professional wedding planner is required for every evening wedding, and must not be a guest, family member or friend. The planner attends the mandatory site visit and the event, and the caterer and other vendors do a site visit about six weeks before, by appointment, Monday to Thursday, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. The evening weddings page has the rest.

A planner’s City Hall page lays out the steps in order so a couple sees the planner’s role before the first call. Open flame needs a fire permit and an onsite Fire Watch, a certificate of insurance is required or insurance is available through the Events Office, the final invoice arrives about three weeks before, and final payment is due no later than five days before. See our wedding planner marketing page.

1. Book the Rotunda at least six months ahead.
2. Hire the planner, who attends the site visit and the event.
3. Hire every vendor from the qualified vendor list.
4. Complete the site visit about six weeks out.
5. Pay the final invoice no later than five days before.

What does the planner’s page leave out?

Sheriff’s costs are mandatory and not included in the rental, and the page says so rather than hiding them in a quote.

Which office answers which wedding question

A vendor’s page cannot answer every question, and it should not try. The table sends each kind of question to the office that holds the answer.

Who does a couple call about a license?

The Office of the County Clerk, in Room 160, which handles civil ceremonies and licenses. The vendor’s page links the Clerk and stops there.

Who approves a florist’s altar arrangement?

The coordinator at the City Hall Events Office, in advance. The florist’s page says approval comes first and that the florist must be on the qualified vendor list.

Where do accessibility questions go?

To the Events Office. City Hall has accessible entrances on the Van Ness Avenue, Grove Street and Goodlett Place (Polk Street) sides, with accessible restrooms on every floor.

Can a vendor’s page say what the building looks like on the day?

Only in general terms. Ceremony areas are roped off, City Hall stays open to the public on weekdays, and the coordinator confirms what is available.

Frequently asked questions