Outside of the PNW, there are so many beautiful destinations to elope within the United States. I consider myself somewhat of an encyclopedia for elopements, so you’ll always catch me brainstorming different ideas for my couples. One of my favorite spots to suggest is the infamous NorCal city of San Francisco, so I wanted to put together a guide on exactly how to elope here!

Why should you elope in San Francisco?

I personally have some of the best memories in San Francisco, which is exactly why I love shooting elopements there! Between wandering the beautiful streets, trying all the cute coffee shops, and going on all the adventures that the city has to offer, there’s not much that I don’t love about this city.

Now don’t get me wrong, I will always love elopements in the PNW. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love traveling to other places and helping my couples find the perfect elopement location for them! For couples looking for a California destination to elope, San Francisco would be a great option to consider. Here’s a few indicators that eloping here would be perfect for you and your love:

You want to elope somewhere metropolitan that’s full of culture and adventure, while still being on the coast
You want an elopement and honeymoon destination all in one
You want a location that has TONS of great food!
You want tons of options for things to do before and after your elopement to make it truly unique

If that sounds like something you and your partner are looking for, then keep reading to learn all about how to elope in San Francisco!

Set a budget for your San Francisco elopement

Okay first thing’s first: let’s talk budget. Elopements do usually cost less than traditional weddings because there are far less vendors involved. But that doesn’t mean you should skimp on the vendors that you do hire! It would be a good idea to sit down with your partner and have a realistic conversation about how much you want to spend on your big day.

If you want to browse vendor prices before creating a budget, then you would definitely have a more accurate starting point. It’s also important to talk about what aspects of your elopement you want to prioritize. As a photographer, I see couples prioritize different things, but no couple has ever regretted prioritizing documenting their day from start to finish. Especially when you’re eloping in such a beautiful place with so many things to do like San Francisco, you’ll want to have as many tangible memories as possible!

When I say this, trust that I have my couples’ best interests at heart: If you’re going to splurge on anything, let it be the documentation of your day. You only live it once, and you’ll want to look back on it for years to come!

Find an elopement photographer

That brings us to the next step of planning your San Francisco elopement: finding the perfect photographer to be there with you. Couples typically find their photographer by searching on Instagram, coming across their profile on Pinterest, or through blog posts like this one! It’s important to find a photographer that you feel like you really connect with, because we’re the ones that will be with you the most consistently throughout your day.

Once you come across a photographer that intrigues you, be sure to browse their website to see more of their work, learn what type of couples they work with, and get to know them a little better. If you’re traveling from outside the area, I recommend finding a photographer that’s familiar with the city so that they can give you location and activity suggestions based on your vision!

If you want to learn a little more about me and my values as an elopement photographer, you can do so here!

What do you want your elopement to look like?

Your photographer will most likely help with this step, but start thinking about what you want your San Francisco elopement to look like. Do you want to have a City Hall elopement with just the two of you and explore the city afterwards? Or do you want to elope with the sand in your toes with your closest friends and family? We’ll talk more about specific locations a bit later, but ask yourself this question: If you could get married any way that you like, without any traditions in mind, how would you do it?

I recommend planning a date night with your partner and chatting about this exact question! Your elopement is all about you and celebrating your love, so it’s up to you how you want it to look.

Best time to elope in San Francisco

California is known for its good weather all year round - so there’s really no specific time of year that’s best! There are different factors to consider when choosing a date, which is what we’ll be talking about.

If you want to avoid large crowds when eloping in San Francisco, I wouldn’t recommend eloping in the summertime. This is when tourist season is at its peak, and you might have a hard time finding privacy at public elopement spots! However, there are lots of super fun events and festivals in the summer that would make for a very fun and authentic experience. So if that’s what you want to prioritize, I say go for it!

If you want warm temperatures but less crowds, eloping in the fall would be a great choice. I’m sure you’ve heard (or experienced) the thick, dense fog that San Francisco has to offer, but believe it or not, fall is the season that has the least amount of fog. Being a PNW gal, I’m never one to shy away from a good overcast, moody elopement! But I know that doesn’t align with every couple’s vision, so the months of September/October/November would be best to avoid that.

If you’re wanting to elope in San Francisco during the least expensive time of year, consider eloping in the winter. If you don’t mind the brisk temperatures and possibility of rain, then I say go for it! There’s definitely not many crowds during the winter months, so the city will be much less crowded than other months of the year.

The springtime is the most neutral time of year in the Bay Area; not too warm, not too cool, pretty sunny, with a little bit of fog here and there. If you elope during this season, you’ll still be avoiding the summer rush of tourists! If an outdoor elopement is something you have in mind, spring would be a great time to plan that.

My favorite San Francisco elopement locations

San Francisco City Hall

SF City Hall is probably one of the most picturesque city halls there are. The exterior and interior are historic, regal, and honestly just as beautiful as a traditional venue! They have one hour, two hour, and evening wedding packages depending on how you want your elopement or intimate wedding day to look like.

Marin Headlands

The Marin Headlands are known as the crown jewel of the Golden Gate National Parks with sweeping views of the iconic San Francisco landmark. The dramatic cliffs of ocean rock make this location such a scenic one for outdoor elopements!

Twin Peaks

The Twin Peaks hill sits at the second-highest point in San Francisco, with Mt. Davidson taking the number one spot. You get seriously spectacular views of the Bay Area from this spot, which is why I recommend it as an elopement location. And the hike to get here is not bad at all, being just under a mile, which I think is totally worth it for the 360 views.

Muir Beach Overlook

This spot is actually a little ways out of the city, for the couples who want to experience San Francisco but don’t want to elope near the hustle and bustle! The overlook has expansive views of the Pacific Coast, and on clean days you can actually see the city from a distance. We can also head down to the beach after you say your vows to get some beautiful sunset photos on the water!

Sutro Baths in Lands End

The Sutro Baths ruins are, in my opinion, one of the most unique San Francisco elopement locations. The Baths were comprised of six saltwater and one freshwater pool that were filled by the high incoming tide way back in 1890. Although they were closed down quite a few years ago, it still remains a fantastic place to visit!

Book your elopement vendors

Once you have a location nailed down with your photographer, it's time to book your additional elopement vendors! Depending on how many guests you’re having and what your elopement looks like will determine which vendors you’ll need to book.

If you haven’t considered it already, I highly recommend hiring an elopement planner to help you with all the details! An experienced planner will tell you exactly what you need and will help bring your vision to life in the most efficient way possible. My personal rec for this is Curated Mess Co., an expert on elopements, and she offers a variety of packages based on your needs.

Other than an elopement planner, here are the vendors you may want to consider hiring:

A videographer to document your day in video form
A florist for your bouquet and other decor
A caterer or personal chef (like Dakota Eats)
A hair & makeup artist if you’re not comfortable doing it yourself
An ordained wedding officiant

The legalities of eloping in San Francisco

To legally elope in San Francisco, you have to obtain a California marriage license beforehand. You can make your appointment for this at the San Francisco County Clerk’s Office using their online reservation system! Their hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and I recommend making an appointment as soon as you know the date of your elopement to be safe. When you get to your appointment, make sure you have your completed application, your I.D., and the fee of $113. Once you’ve obtained your marriage license, it's good for 90 days and there’s no waiting period! For your ceremony, you’ll need an officiant and only one witness (that can be me!).

What to do after you elope in San Francisco

There are tons of things to do after your elope in San Francisco, the options are endless! Here are some of my favorite activities to check out:

Head to Chinatown for the afternoon: San Francisco has the largest Chinatown outside of Asia and the oldest one in North America, so of course you have to visit. There are tons of authentic restaurants and cafes that any foodie would die for!
Have a picnic on the hill across from the Painted Ladies: This location is at the top of most visitors’ bucket list, probably because it’s been featured on the infamous show Full House. The pastel colored homes, otherwise known as The Painted Ladies, are located in Alamo Square park and the hill right across from them would be a perfect place to sightsee the city and share a charcuterie board! And bonus, this is my favorite dog watching park in San Francisco! I could sit there for hours watching the dogs run around and socialize!
Take sunrise or sunset photos at Golden Gate Park: If you want to kill some time and take beautiful photos in your elopement attire, let’s head to the infamous Golden Gate Park! There are meadows, gardens, and lakes all throughout the park that would make for stunning elopement photo spots for us to choose from.
Ride a trolly!! These SF Iconic cable cars have 3 different routes to hop on from: California Cable Car, Powell/Hyde Cable Car, and Powell/Mason Cable Car. Find out more about booking these tickets in advance here.
Get a tattoo on Haight & Ashbury! Another must visit area in San Francisco which is known for its hippie charm and full of lively shops, crazy colors, and a super lively artist scene. Getting a tattoo there is definitely on my bucket list!

Getting Around San Francisco

If you’re flying into the city, you’ll arrive at SFO which is a 20+ minute drive away from the city center depending on traffic, or a 30 minute train ride. I often choose to opt out of renting a car if I’m staying within the city. The public transportation there is amazing, and they make it super easy. Just download the Muni Mobil app, preload it with a few tickets, and you’re good to go! I also utilize ubers and lyfts occasionally too, which are all over the city.

I also have to mention my absolute favorite mode of transportation in San Francisco is their rentable electric mopeds which are scattered throughout the streets. Meaning you can find them pretty much anywhere when you use the app. If you want an extra bit of romance…it’s super easy to share one moped between two people if you don’t mind getting cozy. Just download the app, put in your info, and you’re all set!

Ready to book your San Francisco elopement photographer?

I would love to chat with you about what you envision for your San Francisco elopement! To get in touch with me, you can fill out my contact form and I’ll get back to you within 48 hours with a response. In the meantime, come hang out with me on Instagram so we can get to know each other!