City Hall & Redwood Wedding-Tips for a Perfect Pairing
This beautiful young family headed to San Francisco City Hall to celebrate their intimate-sized elopement and we're loving everything about it! Their low-key love story inspired us to create a day they'd never forget for themselves and their immediate family members. Luckily we have tons of beautiful inspirational pictures for you, so scroll down and get pinning!
The Vibe: "We both have roots in Hawaii, but getting married at San Francisco City Hall fits our budget so much better and is easier for our families to attend. We want a day that feels intimate and emotional and also pays tribute to our native island home. Our wedding is inspired by the Hawaiian Islands, so after our SF City Hall wedding ceremony we'll travel with our whole family to Muir Woods National Monument, which is a short 35-minute drive from San Francisco to feel close to nature and Mother Earth.”
Favorite Details: The bride wanted to surprise her groom by special ordering real Hawaiian leis shipped in through our florist Marina of Fresh 4 Us. It took a bit of time to find the exact design that she wanted, made from fresh tea leaves and shipped overnight, so they'd be perfect for her wedding. The groom was overwhelmed with emotion when he was presented with his lei and placed the traditional crown on her head before their ceremony. The entire vibe shifted into island time, and the day was a dreamy sequence of perfect moments after that.
Memorable Moment: Once the couple walked into the forest, they couldn't stop talking about feeling magically transported back to the islands. Walking through the trails with their native lei and crown, they looked like they were in another place entirely. It was easy for them to imagine that they weren't in California at all! We directed them to a private cove with a large Redwood tree, and they climbed up and sat side by side. They both had wedding vows that they wanted to read to each other, but SF City Hall doesn't allow private vows during their civil ceremonies because of time constraints. We suggested to them that we could find them a perfectly secluded spot, to read their wedding vows aloud to each other in the heart of the ancient redwood forest. They lit up at this suggestion, and told us, "Saying our vows among the ancient trees was the most sacred part of our day. We truly felt at one with each other and total Loh-kah-hee (unity) with the world." They bought their beautiful vow books on Etsy for about $18.
How to go to Muir Woods: The first thing you'll want to do is visit their website. You'll need to buy a parking pass for each car in your group ahead of time. There is no reliable internet in the Muir Woods area, so please plan. You'll order your parking pass for $9 for a regular car, and Muir Woods will email you a barcode. Make sure you screenshot the barcode in your phone's photo section, so you can quickly pull it up when you arrive. You'll need to choose the 30-minute time frame that you want to arrive, and they won't let you in before your allotted time. You can also order your entry pass at the same time. The amenities include an ADA restroom, a gift shop, and a newly remodeled in 2023 cafe. Pro tip: Order the grilled cheese and hot chocolate.
Directions from San Francisco City Hall:
Muir Woods National Monument is 11 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge
Take Highway 101 North
Take the Mill Valley Exit
Follow signs to Highway 1
Follow the signs to Muir Woods
A Word Of Advice: San Francisco City Hall is the most malleable wedding venue that you could ever find. Because the background is so neutral, it's very easy to transform it into so many different ways and for an endless array of themes. This couple looked like the King and Queen of Hawaii in days gone by, but we've also planned weddings for couples who wanted a Great Great Gatsby, 1920's theme, or a modern couple who wants an elegant wedding with clean lines, without a lot of fuss. The layout works equally well for whatever your vision is.
How To Enhance Your Experience: Just because a lot of our events center on San Francisco City Hall wedding photography, you don't have to stop there. You can pair your City Hall experience with one or more other locations in the Bay Area for a beautifully diverse wedding photography portfolio. San Francisco has some incredibly scenic and popular locations. Where do we love?
Sutro Baths for high cliffs, wild giant lilies, and historic ruins, Pier 7 for a walk out into the bay. It features a wide newly restored wooden plank walkway and old-time lamposts with lights. Perfect for sunsets. You might like the Japanese Tea Garden for its towering red pagodas and a lagoon with koi fish, or maybe the beautifully landscaped Lyon Street steps with a perfect birds-eye view of the Palace Of Fine Arts and San Francisco Bay. And don't forget the cable cars!
Are there Hawaiian-inspired restaurants In San Francisco?
If you want to steal this couple's Hawaiian-themed wedding and take it to the next level, here are some of our favorite restaurants where everyone is treated like Ohana!
1. Liholiho Yacht Club
871 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA
They open at 5 p.m., so if you book your San Francisco City Hall wedding from 2:30 to 4:30, you can head right over for dinner.
2. Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar
950 Mason St, San Francisco, CA
They also open at 5 p.m.
This local gem never fails to blow our minds. Located under the beautiful Fairmont Hotel, you'll find this tiki-themed bar with Pacific Rim dining and huge umbrella drinks. (And the famous lagoon with a band that floats out on a barge to entertain you and your guests)
Sprawling tiki-themed lounge in the Fairmont Hotel featuring Pacific Rim cuisine & umbrella drinks.
3. Pacific Catch
1200 9th Avenue, San Francisco
If your wedding is earlier in the day then Pacific Catch with their newly renovated. light and bright dining room could be the perfect place to bring your family and guests for a Hawaiian-inspired wedding reception. They are open from 11 am to 9 pm.
If you think that San Francisco City Hall is the perfect wedding venue for you, then please reach out through our contact page. Happy wedding planning!
