9 “Must Dos” for Your SF City Hall Wedding Day

Hiring a Makeup and Hair Stylist

I know a wedding is a big budget day, but if you’ve spent the money on the dress and photographer, don’t try to cut corners by doing your hair and makeup yourself. Trained professionals will know all the techniques and products to get your makeup to set and stay, reduce shine, cover spots, and keep that eyeliner from smearing. When it comes to your hair, if you’re thinking of an elaborate updo, your professional will know how to make sure it doesn’t budge, no matter how many guests hug you or how hard the wind blows. If you’re wearing a veil, tiara, or blinged-out hair clip, they’ll know how to position it to your best advantage to make it stay put. Give yourself a full two hours because it does not take that long. If your MUA is working on other family members, they usually take one to one and a half hours each. Our makeup artist and hairstylist are on the team, and all the brides tell us it was well worth the expense. Plus, you’ll look at these photos for a long time. You want to remember your best!

Getting a Hotel The Night Before

I’ve been in the wedding industry for over fifteen years, so let me tell you, get a hotel near your wedding venue. Suppose you’re getting married at San Francisco City Hall. In that case, there are plenty of excellent hotels nearby, from the simple and clean three-star Courtyard By Marriott, which is a 2-minute drive, to the luxury vintage, four-and-a-half-star Palace Hotel on Market Street, a nine-minute drive. There are so many pluses to this. You’ll wake up at a reasonable hour and have your hair and makeup artists come right to you. You can sip your coffee and have a light breakfast while they do all the work to make you a queen. You don’t have to stress about traffic coming into San Francisco, long drives, or possible car breakdowns. You also won’t be in your everyday space looking around at all the chores you didn’t do, projects that still need to be tackled, and getting out the door on time, which is hard enough on a regular day.  Make a list, pack all the wedding gear, and get out of dodge. You can focus on being a beautiful, happy bride or groom.

Arranging For Transportation To Your Wedding

Have a friend or family member drive you to your wedding, or take private transportation. If you’ve got a big dress, it’s nearly impossible to get behind the wheel anyway, and even if you don’t, you won’t want to wrinkle what you’re wearing. You should be gently poured into a spacious backseat, feeling like Cinderella in her pumpkin coach. Later, after cocktails and dancing, you won’t have to worry about driving. For a seamless day, have all of your transportation needs set in stone ahead of time.

Bringing a Bridal Bouquet

A bridal bouquet says, “These are my wedding photos.” There are no other photos we’ll ever take that say Wedding Day in such a definitive way. Your photographer will set you up for formal photos, and it’s awkward if you aren’t holding something in your hand or as a pop of color between the two of you. It can look awkward if you just have your hands at your sides in group photos; not all wedding dresses have pockets. Now, I have no problem with DIY bridal bouquets or some artsy creations made out of styrofoam and rhinestones and gems, and I think it’s sweet when a friend or family member makes something special for the bride. Intentional creations are significant, and that’s a plus. Faux flowers look great in portraits, and an alternative object like a pretty clutch or a vintage fan can also fit the bill nicely.

Buying Enough Photography Time

This is a one-of-a-kind day, with enormous thought and effort put into every detail. From your bridal gown and wedding guest list to the location you’re getting married at, the rings, and your wedding cake, you’ve put in the hours and made difficult choices, so make sure you have enough time to capture all of it. Possibly, there are other areas you’d also like to take pictures at afterward. Most couples want the most beautiful, dreamlike settings for their wedding photography but don’t realize how long it can take to move and set up groups of people for family and friend photos. Have you heard the expression, “It’s like herding cats”? Well, it is like that, but the cats are hungry, distracted, and want to take a LOT of selfies with you first for THEIR social media. It’s a common misconception that a City Hall wedding is speedy. Yes, the ceremony is short and sweet, but the check-in and waiting for that ceremony is anyone’s guess. If it’s a very busy or crowded day, you can expect to work more slowly to get everything on your shot list. I do suggest making an essential list of the friend and family groupings for us to use as a guide. It can be an adjuster, but it’s still helpful. We suggest a minimum of two hours in the building. There are a lot of jaw-dropping locations in SF to go after City Hall (there’s a whole other blog post dedicated to that!), so check with your photographer on the right amount of time. Don’t be rushed and panicked about running out of time; the stress will show in your images. When you look at your pictures long after the wedding day, I want you to be transported back in time. Remember what the air smelled like, what scent your new spouse wore, and how their smile went all the way up to their eyes, which were filled with love.

Including Comfortable Shoes In Your Bride Bag

You need a bride bag. In this collection of bridal wonders should be a container of water, two band-aids, a small snack that you know won’t bloat you, mints for all that smooching, pressed powder in the correct shade, touch-up lipstick or gloss because, again, the kissing, safety pins and flat shoes for when your fancy bridal shoes are making you crazy. And they probably will. Most brides prioritize style over comfort (That’s fine!), but you need an escape from those pointy-toed stiletto beauties. I particularly like Tieks. These are fold-up ballerina flats that come in a million shades and patterns. My favorites are the ones with Tiffany blue soles that say I Do on them. They’ve also donated ten million dollars to empower women worldwide with small business loans. Converse sneakers in a rainbow of fun colors to match your color palette is another excellent choice for walking between photo locations or just “you doing you” at the end of the day.

Trying On Your Undergarments Before The Wedding Day

Please do this for me. Do this for yourself. One thing that can ruin a wedding day quickly is a wardrobe malfunction. If you’re buying a dress that will require you to have dress fittings, you should bring all of your undergarments with you to every fitting and wear them as they are adjusting your dress. You need to know if a bra strap is showing, if your bra peeks out of a deep plunging V in the front, or what’s going on if you have a backless gown. Not one peek is acceptable. What about Spanx? Did you buy a set that rides up and makes ripples under your body-con bridal wear, or does it show if you twirl in a shorter number? All of the things I just mentioned are situations that happened with my brides in the last few years, and I decided that I’d like to say it in one of the blogs to save you from the stress and emotional pain of worrying all day. Never wear black or colored items under a white dress. If they don’t peek out, they could show through. Unless that’s your style, then go for it. If you can buy bridal foundation wear that matches your skin tone, that’s the best bet. If something does show and we need to use Photoshop to remove or blend it, there’s more chance of it being corrected. We’ve worked with Danas as our editor for nine years, and he’s fantastic, but not all photographers are willing or able to make those corrections. They’re very time-consuming, and you may have to pay extra for those services.

Trusting Your Gut Feeling

Many brides feel like their wedding is “everybody’s” big day, and what their heart desires gets swept to the wayside. There’s nothing sadder than a bride having an out-of-body experience because her wedding is nothing like what she envisioned. Some brides need help but don’t ask, afraid of being a burden. Your family would do anything for you and not mind a bit. Most people are thrilled to be of service. It gives them a feeling of purpose. I see many brides or grooms not crying tears of joy during the ceremony because they feel embarrassed to make a funny face or mess up their make-up. But they aren’t fully present in the moment and experiencing their authentic emotions. I say to be fully present. Feel all the feels! A different side of this could be letting yourself get talked out of essential services, including a wedding videographer or day-of coordinator. I could go on and on, but the idea here is to listen to your heart. Whether you want a large or small event, all the media, or none of it, traditional or rock n roll bride….listen to your inner voice.

Self Care

A wedding day is like a marathon; you have to train for it physically and mentally. Once you’ve chosen your ideal dress, you might realize that you want to make some diet and exercise adjustments to feel most confident. Some brides go to extremes, but I’m not suggesting tummy tucks and veneers. (But if you want it more power to you) Here are a few basics:

• Get a facial four weeks ahead of time.
• Use some tooth whitening, whether you go to your dentist or use the at-home strips.
• Drink lots and lots of water in the days before the wedding. Not only will you have a gorgeous plumped-up glow, but you’ll also smell better (really!) and be sharper mentally.
• Time permitting, get a fresh mani-pedi. Your photographer will most likely be getting close-up shots of the ring being put on your finger. You don’t want to see grown-out or chipped nails.
• Eat a light and healthy breakfast on your wedding day with protein and carbs to get you through the day. I’ve met many brides who became shaky and had hunger headaches.
• Give yourself space the night before. Set aside downtime to relax, spoil yourself, and get a good night’s sleep. Bring all of your usual sleep rituals, such as relaxing tea, eye mask, and earplugs, or have your favorite app handy when going to sleep meditations cued up. Or pack a special bath bomb and your favorite crystals and candles to create a mini sanctuary. There’s nothing wrong with intentionally honoring yourself with some time to unwind. Tomorrow, you’ll belong to everyone and want to be fully charged!