SFO City Hall wedding guest limit > 6?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Atl
Programs: Delta PL & MM, Starwood PL, Hyatt Diam, Hilton Diam
Posts: 216
SFO City Hall wedding guest limit > 6?
Does anyone know first hand how strict SFO City Hall is on the number of guests that can attend the civil ceremony?
My partner and I and are getting married in SFO and we saw on their website that it states 6 guests. I guess we are lucky that we have 16 people that want to attend and we are worried that 10 of them won't be able to attend??
Has anyone had or attended a ceremony at City Hall that had more than 6 guests?
My partner and I and are getting married in SFO and we saw on their website that it states 6 guests. I guess we are lucky that we have 16 people that want to attend and we are worried that 10 of them won't be able to attend??
Has anyone had or attended a ceremony at City Hall that had more than 6 guests?
#2
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 2,348
We just got married at SF City Hall last Monday, and I don't recall seeing any party with more than 6 guests.
Having said that, I think it can be done. After you two and your witness (1 or 2) sign the paperwork with the commissioner in the smallish office, you'd be asked if you want to hold the civil ceremony in the main staircase/rotunda area. When I was there, everyone opted to do so.
In the main rotunda area, I've seen the commissioner marrying couples at the bottom or the top of the grand staircase. If you do it at the bottom, there is a lot of space, and there are other people around you, and the commissioner probably wouldn't care or necessarily notice if those other people are part of your party. If you do it at the top, space is more limited, and the commissioner may not like it. But it's such a joyous occasion, I doubt a big fuss will be raised.
Congratulations!
Having said that, I think it can be done. After you two and your witness (1 or 2) sign the paperwork with the commissioner in the smallish office, you'd be asked if you want to hold the civil ceremony in the main staircase/rotunda area. When I was there, everyone opted to do so.
In the main rotunda area, I've seen the commissioner marrying couples at the bottom or the top of the grand staircase. If you do it at the bottom, there is a lot of space, and there are other people around you, and the commissioner probably wouldn't care or necessarily notice if those other people are part of your party. If you do it at the top, space is more limited, and the commissioner may not like it. But it's such a joyous occasion, I doubt a big fuss will be raised.
Congratulations!
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Portland
Posts: 11,572
I wouldn't risk it. SF city government is not known for being flexible. You don't want this to be memorable for all the wrong reasons.
You can pay about $100 to have a friend deputized to do the ceremony for you, and then you can have as many people as you want wherever you want. Check the hours for deputization carefully, though, it's only a few hours a day, four days a week. My wedding is next weekend with about 25 people, so we chose to do it at a nearby restaurant with a deputized friend.
You can pay about $100 to have a friend deputized to do the ceremony for you, and then you can have as many people as you want wherever you want. Check the hours for deputization carefully, though, it's only a few hours a day, four days a week. My wedding is next weekend with about 25 people, so we chose to do it at a nearby restaurant with a deputized friend.
#4
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Berkeley, CA
Programs: CO Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 68
Try the rotunda
Hi,
My Husband and I were first married there in 2004 and we had a few more than the limit so we asked to move to the rotunda and they agreed. This was the exact spot where Jo Dimaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married as well.
We just got married again on Friday to make the deadline before the election.
Congratulations on your wedding!
LC
My Husband and I were first married there in 2004 and we had a few more than the limit so we asked to move to the rotunda and they agreed. This was the exact spot where Jo Dimaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married as well.
We just got married again on Friday to make the deadline before the election.
Congratulations on your wedding!
LC
#5
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 284
From NYC, and just got married in San Francisco yesterday to my better half of 20 years.
Yes, there is a limit. No, I don't know how well enforced it is.
Their marriage bureau is very well organized and very efficient.
We were treated with great respect.
Yes, there is a limit. No, I don't know how well enforced it is.
Their marriage bureau is very well organized and very efficient.
We were treated with great respect.
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Atl
Programs: Delta PL & MM, Starwood PL, Hyatt Diam, Hilton Diam
Posts: 216
Congrats...
Congrats....glad to hear your experience was good!! We weren't going to risk it but it's just too late for us to scamble around trying to find an alternate location. Hopefully, they will let everyone attend the ceremony. I'll report back on how it turns out...
Thanks everyone for your feedback...
#7
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Dublin, Ireland & Florida for all that sunshine!
Programs: CO Silver, DL
Posts: 210
Hi,
My Husband and I were first married there in 2004 and we had a few more than the limit so we asked to move to the rotunda and they agreed. This was the exact spot where Jo Dimaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married as well.
We just got married again on Friday to make the deadline before the election.
Congratulations on your wedding!
LC
My Husband and I were first married there in 2004 and we had a few more than the limit so we asked to move to the rotunda and they agreed. This was the exact spot where Jo Dimaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married as well.
We just got married again on Friday to make the deadline before the election.
Congratulations on your wedding!
LC
#8
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: TPA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro 2MM, HH Diamond, WoH Globalist, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,207
Hi,
My Husband and I were first married there in 2004 and we had a few more than the limit so we asked to move to the rotunda and they agreed. This was the exact spot where Jo Dimaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married as well.
We just got married again on Friday to make the deadline before the election.
Congratulations on your wedding!
LC
My Husband and I were first married there in 2004 and we had a few more than the limit so we asked to move to the rotunda and they agreed. This was the exact spot where Jo Dimaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married as well.
We just got married again on Friday to make the deadline before the election.
Congratulations on your wedding!
LC
#9
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 2,348
That's why many of us have rushed to get married prior to Nov 4, in case Prop. 8 passes. (Even if it were to pass, nobody knows for sure if same-sex marriages performed prior to Nov. 4 would still be recognized.)
#10
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Dublin, Ireland & Florida for all that sunshine!
Programs: CO Silver, DL
Posts: 210
Since the Calif. Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriages in June, conservative religious bigots have put Proposition 8 on the ballot for California. If it passes on November 4, it would eliminate same-sex marriages in California.
That's why many of us have rushed to get married prior to Nov 4, in case Prop. 8 passes. (Even if it were to pass, nobody knows for sure if same-sex marriages performed prior to Nov. 4 would still be recognized.)
That's why many of us have rushed to get married prior to Nov 4, in case Prop. 8 passes. (Even if it were to pass, nobody knows for sure if same-sex marriages performed prior to Nov. 4 would still be recognized.)
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Atl
Programs: Delta PL & MM, Starwood PL, Hyatt Diam, Hilton Diam
Posts: 216
No worries at all....very successful
What a great and positive experience at City Hall in SFO...everyone was very friendly and plesant!!...great venue too
#12
Former user name: laundrian
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: NYC / LA
Programs: Moderator: Traveling with Jewelry, UA GS, Starwood
Posts: 384
SF
Congrats to all of you ....
I got married in Spain two years ago to my then amazing fiance. However, we just finalized our divorce 5 months ago...
I wanna go to a gay wedding
I got married in Spain two years ago to my then amazing fiance. However, we just finalized our divorce 5 months ago...
I wanna go to a gay wedding
#13
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: RDU
Posts: 5,242
I wouldn't risk it. SF city government is not known for being flexible. You don't want this to be memorable for all the wrong reasons.
You can pay about $100 to have a friend deputized to do the ceremony for you, and then you can have as many people as you want wherever you want. Check the hours for deputization carefully, though, it's only a few hours a day, four days a week. My wedding is next weekend with about 25 people, so we chose to do it at a nearby restaurant with a deputized friend.
You can pay about $100 to have a friend deputized to do the ceremony for you, and then you can have as many people as you want wherever you want. Check the hours for deputization carefully, though, it's only a few hours a day, four days a week. My wedding is next weekend with about 25 people, so we chose to do it at a nearby restaurant with a deputized friend.
I guess I haven't been paying attention to the current rules. I would have thought the process was like any marriage -- apply for a marriage license and then have a ceremony in a church (God forbid!), at home or wherever. Aren't clergy conducting weddings, assuming you have the marriage license from the state?
I'm glad to see folks taking advantage of this to get married. I decided not to do it again, but wait until the whole thing is decided, for better or worse. I don't like having my rights given and then taken away. Having been through this once, I don't want to get married now and have it annulled if Prop 8 passes. I've heard conflicting stories about whether marriages performed now would still be valid.
Congratulations to all of you on getting married. Yes, the rotunda is a beautiful place, more so than I expected. We were not on the ground floor, but in some ways it was nicer that way, since we could look down and see everyone. It was very emotional at the time.
Last edited by zitsky; Nov 3, 2008 at 2:49 am Reason: Congratulations