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17 April, 2023
Pasadena City Hall Wedding – COMPLETE Guide for 2023!
Are you looking to have a Pasadena City Hall Wedding or elopement in 2023? I am a Pasadena wedding photographer who has documented several weddings and elopements at Pasadena City Hall and the Pasadena Courthouse.
This guide includes all of the updated information for 2023 that you need to know for a Pasadena City Hall wedding or elopement!
Pasadena City Hall Wedding Photos
Does Pasadena City Hall Allow Weddings or Elopements?
Pasadena City Hall is a public space so couples are free to bring their own officiant and utilize the space as long as it doesn't impede on the rights of other using it (AKA - the ceremony is tiny, discreet, and during non business hours!)
IMPORTANT INFO:
If you're having a tiny, super discreet wedding or elopement where it's just the couple, officiant, a witness, and photographer, one can typically have a ceremony at Pasadena City Hall during NON business hours without reserving a wedding ceremony permit. For this option, most couples opt to have an early morning ceremony before 8 am.
If you're planning on having a larger wedding, Pasadena City Hall requires a wedding permit in order to reserve a space for your ceremony! This can be reserved in advance HERE. This permit allows couples to invite as many people as they'd like to their ceremony and freely utilize the space.
Pasadena Courthouse VS Pasadena City Hall
The Pasadena Courthouse is right next to Pasadena City Hall, however Pasadena City Hall is much more beautiful in terms of architecture. Like Pasadena City Hall, the Pasadena Courthouse doesn't perform civil ceremonies, so I always recommend a Pasadena City Hall wedding vs a Pasadena Courthouse wedding in order to have photos with amazing architecture in the background. You'll need to bring an officiant in either case.
Steps to Have a Pasadena City Hall Wedding
1. Select Your Guest Count
Your guest count will dictate whether you need to reserve a space for your Pasadena City Hall wedding for or not.
Tiny, discreet weddings (ceremonies under 5 people including vendors) don't typically require a reservation as long as they don't take place during business hours (9 - 5 pm).
Larger ceremonies will require a Pasadena City Hall wedding permit in order to reserve a space for your ceremony! This can be reserved in advance HERE.
2. Select Pasadena City Hall Wedding Date + Time
When is the Best Day to Have My Ceremony at Pasadena City Hall?
I HIGHLY recommend eloping here on a Monday - Thursday to avoid crowds. Weekends can get super crowded at Pasadena City Hall with several wedding parties using it as their location to take portraits.
When is the Best Time to Have My Ceremony at Pasadena City Hall?
If you'd like to have a very intimate wedding ceremony without making a reservation, it needs to be during non business hours. Note: Pasadena City Hall doesn't allow ceremonies without a reservation during business hours. Most couples opt to have their ceremony very early in the morning (before 8 AM) before the light gets harsh.
If you're making a reservation and having a larger ceremony, I recommend have your Pasadena City Hall wedding ceremony approximately 2 - 2.5 hours before sunset to take advantage of the golden hour.
IMPORTANT: Please keep in mind that Pasadena City Hall gets darker earlier! This is because it's surrounded by buildings, which means a lot of the light is blocked. With this in mind, you'll want to start about 2 - 2.5 hours before sunset. This will also ensure enough time for portraits.
3. Secure Your Marriage License
You can apply for your Pasadena marriage license HERE. The Los Angeles County provides a marriage license to couples getting married for a small fee of $91.00.
IMPORTANT: Keep in mind you'll have to have your ceremony without 90 days of getting your license. An officiant will be needed for the ceremony and to legalize everything by the signing the license right after the ceremony.
4. Book Your Vendors
Vendors for Pasadena City Hall weddings or elopements typically include the following:
- An officiant
- Your photographer
- A florist for your bouquet
- Hair and Makeup Artist
Looking for a photographer for your Pasadena City Hall Photos? Reach me Below!
5. Secure Your Pasadena City Hall Photography Permit (If Necessary!)
As of right now, a photo permit is not needed for Pasadena City Hall if you're taking photos on their first level. However, a Pasadena City Hall photography permit IS needed to take photos on their second floor, which costs about $85.00 and can be obtained HERE.
The exception to this is if there is a special event happening at Pasadena City Hall. In this scenario, a permit would be needed to take photos on both floors. While this is rarely the case, I encourage couples to look up their potential ceremony date on Pasadena City Hall's calendar to make sure there is no special event happening that date. This will also help to avoid crowds.
6. Make Plans for After Your Ceremony!
Below are my personal favorite restaurants for a Pasadena Courthouse Wedding or Elopement!
The Arbour
This is a farm-to-table restaurant with a relaxed, woodsy feel.
Cafe Santorini
This would be personal option as a restaurant to celebrate at after a Pasadena City Hall wedding. With twinkling lights surrounding the restaurant, the ambiance is so romantic! It has incredibly delicious mediterranean food, too!
The Luggage Room Pizzeria
This place has THE BEST pizza. It has an elegant, yet relaxed atmosphere, making it an excellent choice for a casual elopement dinner. If you’re looking for brick oven pizza for a late night wedding snack, this may also be a great option. They can bring everything to make the pizzas at your Pasadena wedding reception, offering guests a fun dining experience!
La Grande Orange Cafe
This place has a really cool ambiance, making it a great option for a Pasadena elopement, intimate wedding, or rehearsal dinner. The restaurant is an old train station, now turned into a fancy restaurant that takes you back in time. It’s super charming and visually beautiful!
7. Get Your Guests on the Same Page!
For a seamless Pasadena City Hall wedding, it helps to tell your guests to arrive at least 30 minutes before the actual ceremony start time. Additionally, inform them about Pasadena City Hall parking. Pasadena City Hall is located at 100 Garfield Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101. There is metered parking surrounding the area!
Pasadena City Hall Wedding Cost
The price of this will depend on whether you're having a very small elopement or inviting more guests. If you're planning on having a larger ceremony during business hours, Pasadena City Hall requires a ceremony reservation permit which costs about $900. This can be reserved in advance HERE.
If you're leaning towards a tiny, discreet elopement style ceremony during NON business hours, Pasadena City Hall is free to use. Your wedding cost will depend on other factors, including:
- Your marriage license fee (your officiant will help you with this!)
- Whether you'd like to take photos on the 2nd floor of Pasadena City Hall. In this case, a photo permit is required!
- Wedding Day Outfits
- Wedding bouquet
- Photography
- Makeup / Hair
- Whether You're Hosting a Dinner Reception
Does Pasadena City Hall Perform Civil Wedding Ceremonies?
No, Pasadena City Hall does not perform Civil Ceremonies, however, it provides a breathtaking, budget friendly, and accessible backdrop for your wedding day ceremony and photos. To formally legalize your ceremony, you will need to bring your own officiant and apply for your marriage license beforehand. This process is very easy!
Does The Pasadena Courthouse perform Civil Wedding Ceremonies?
No, the Pasadena Courthouse (which is right next to Pasadena City Hall) also doesn't perform Civil Ceremonies. For this reason, I recommend using Pasadena City Hall OVER Pasadena Courthouse for your ceremony location due to it's exquisite architecture!
SoCal Courthouses that DO Provide Civil Ceremonies
I provide all of the steps to have your Pasadena City Hall wedding above (at the start of this post!) The process is super easy! You just have to provide your own officiant for your ceremony (can be a family member/friend) and apply for a marriage license.
However, if you prefer to get married at a city hall that is one & done, in the sense that it performs civil ceremonies on site by providing their own officiant, the following two SoCal Courthouse options are great. Check out my guides on how to elope at those city halls below!
Beverly Hills Courthouse
Santa Barbara Courthouse
Reach Out About photography for your Pasadena Elopement Here!
Pasadena City Hall Elopement VS Pasadena City Hall Wedding
Pasadena City Hall Elopement
From my personal experience, most people opt to have an elopement type of ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, meaning it's a little more relaxed.
In this case, you'd be there with your partner, the officiant, your witness, and a photographer.
With this, most couples opt to follow up their ceremony with a dinner at a local Pasadena restaurant.
Pasadena City Hall Wedding
If you'd like a larger, more formal ceremony at Pasadena City Hall, you also opt to do that! I've seen couples bring in chairs, a floral arch for the ceremony, etc. Please keep in mind a ceremony reservation is absolutely needed for this option or your wedding won't be allowed on site. This can be reserved in advance HERE. This reservation allows couples to invite as many people as they'd like to their ceremony and freely utilize the space.
In this case, most couples follow up their ceremony either with a dinner at a local restaurant or a more formal reception at a nearby wedding venue.
Best Photo Locations for Pasadena City Hall Wedding Photos
The following are my personal favorite locations!
- In front of the Pasadena City Hall building, near the street
- In front of the fountain inside of the Pasadena City Hall courtyard
- In one of the open passageways/hallways, near the courtyard
- On of the many staircases - I believe there are 4 total
- On the Bridge, located on second level of Pasadena City Hall (this can be accessed via one of the staircases). ** Keep in mind, a photo permit is needed to take photos on the second level!
- Across the street, there is this really interesting older church with gorgeous architecture
Tips for Pasadena City Hall Wedding Photos
Let's talk tips for your Pasadena City Hall wedding photos!
Schedule enough time for your photos
There is so much variety when it comes to any Pasadena City Hall photoshoot. For this reason, I wouldn't schedule any less than 90 minutes for photography here, including the time for the ceremony. Anything less than that would feel super rushed.
If you're having a larger wedding and are planning on having a ceremony, as well as taking couple portraits, family portraits, and wedding party portraits at Pasadena City Hall, you'll definitely need to schedule more time. Around 2 hours would work well!
Schedule photos during the morning or golden hour
The best time for a Pasadena photoshoot is in the early morning, before 8:30 am or during the golden hour, which is the hour before the sun goes down. Please keep in mind that Pasadena City Hall is enclosed by the building's structure and trees, so it gets darker earlier there. For that reason, I recommend starting portraits 90 minutes before the sun goes down.
Benefits of a Pasadena City Hall Wedding
The architecture is breathtaking
If you and your partner are fans of amazing architecture, this City Hall Pasadena is a great place to say "I do." The photos will come out spectacular as well, which is always a nice bonus! The space brims with beauty, attention to detail, and elegance in every corner.
It is close by to a lot of restaurants
The amazing thing about Pasadena is that is has SO MUCH variety. It is a charming place filled with so much to do and see. This includes restaurants, museums, nightlife, bookshops, architecture, coffee shops, parks, wine shops, the rose bowl, etc.
With this in mind, you can always host your elopement or ceremony at City Hall Pasadena and then have the reception somewhere nearby, perhaps at a local restaurant.
It's easy to have a wedding there
Planning a wedding can be exhausting! Having an intimate Pasadena City Hall elopement or wedding will save so much time, money, and energy!
Hotels Near Pasadena City Hall
Perhaps you have guests traveling to attend your Pasadena City Hall wedding! Below are my personal hotel recommendations around the area!
- The Westin Pasadena - This hotel is right across the street from Pasadena City Hall. It's literally a two minute walk away! I always recommend this hotel if couples are traveling from out of town. Staying so close to Pasadena City Hall will make everything very simple and stress free on your wedding day!
- Langham Huntington, Pasadena - This hotel is luxurious and gorgeous! If you want an amazing experience, this is the hotel to stay at in Pasadena! Keep in mind that this hotel is about a 10 minute drive from Pasadena City Hall as its located in South Pasadena.
- Hyatt Place Pasadena - This hotel is about a 5 minute drive from Pasadena City Hall, however it's located in old town Pasadena, meaning you'll be close to A TON of restaurants, bookstores, shopping, etc. If you're staying in Pasadena for the weekend and want to easily explore the area, this is the hotel to stay at!
Wedding Venues Near Pasadena City Hall
You may want to integrate the beauty of City Hall Pasadena into your wedding day somehow, but perhaps you're still looking for a wedding venue for a larger wedding reception.
In this case, Pasadena City Hall can be used for your ceremony or some portraits, while a nearby wedding venue can be used for your reception. Below are some of my personal favorites. The great news is that they are all very close to Pasadena City Hall.
You can view my list of the 50 most unique Pasadena wedding venues below!
List of 50 Unique Pasadena Wedding Venues
Inquire about photography for Your Pasadena City Hall Wedding!
GET IN TOUCH!
I’m Elyana, a Los Angeles wedding photographer whose intention is to capture relationships in a manner that is artistic and heartfelt.
My goal on your wedding day is to make sure you feel beautiful, celebrated, and seen.
Get in Touch Here!
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