Hundreds of couples made for San Francisco City Hall on Friday to be married on the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling establishing same-sex marriage as a constitutional right.
The San Francisco County Clerk’s office, which books the ceremonies, said 270 couples signed up to exchange vows, almost five times the usual traffic.
Couples, witnesses, family and friends streamed into City Hall’s North Light Court to sign their licenses and take advantage of Pride Friday marriages with rainbow backdrops and officiating by city officials including Mayor Daniel Lurie, who conducted two marriages between men.
“It’s always heartwarming and thrilling to see when people commit themselves to each other,” Lurie said. “I’m just happy and excited for those couples, and I’m happy and excited for our city to show off what makes San Francisco so great. Our LGBTQ+ community is a huge part of why San Francisco’s so special.”
A sign at the North Light Court of San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco directs couples and witnesses to the line to get their marriage licenses Friday, June 26, 2026. The San Francisco County Clerk’s office said 270 couples registered to get married. (Valerie Conklin/Bay City News)
Wedding photographers trailed after two brides, two grooms or other couples, claiming space and recommending poses. Cheers and whoops could be heard all over City Hall.
San Francisco issued its first same-sex marriage licenses in 2004 under then-Mayor Gavin Newsom. Couples lined up around the block to get them, according to the County Clerk’s office.
Left: Randy Garcia and Ted Huang smile for photos after their wedding ceremony. Right: Shawn Tifft holds photos of one of the couples at San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco on Friday, June 26, 2026. (Valerie Conklin/Bay City News)
The California Supreme Court later invalidated those same-sex marriage licenses, ruling that the mayor had overstepped his authority.
On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states were required to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and to recognize same-sex marriages.
Couples, friends, family and photographers find space to take wedding pictures on a staircase at San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco on Friday, June 26, 2026. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said he was proud of the couples and of San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ community, which helps make the city special. (Valerie Conklin/Bay City News)
Friday, Julia Bromley was one of the people queued up to officiate weddings as couples finished their paperwork. She said she had a very busy morning.
“I don’t see a lot of same-sex marriages,” said Bromley as she looked around the North Light Court. “I think you don’t need a special day for same-sex marriages anymore. It’s like you want to get married, you don’t have to wait for some determined day.”
Alexandra Way and Karen Mayen were two brides who thought City Hall was a nice and convenient place to get married. They said they didn’t specifically plan to be there for the Pride celebration.
Left: Karen Mayen (L) and Alexandra Way (R) hold their bouquets. Right: Alexandra Way receives her ID back so she can complete her marriage paperwork at San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco on Friday June 26, 2026. (Valerie Conklin/Bay City News)
“We were not aware that it was going to be the Pride weekend until later on that we’d already put the day,” said Mayen.
They’ll be missing the rest of the weekend’s Pride festivities for their honeymoon.