Lauren and Alex’s San Francisco City Hall wedding was the perfect mix of classic style and modern, personal touches. With the help of planner Kaella from Madix & Co, they brought warmth and personality to the marble-filled space with lush florals, natural textures, and thoughtful details. From a ceremony led by Lauren’s brother to a packed dance floor with a DJ, and a surprise after-party reveal complete with dramatic lighting and late-night pizza, the whole day felt like one big love-filled celebration of their 15 years together.
Location: San Francisco, California, US
Style: Timeless, modern, romantic
Number of guests: 110
Time of planning: 10 months
Setting: City Hall
Season: Fall
Lauren and Alex’s love story began in the most classic of places – high school. Sixteen years before their wedding, the two met in 5th-period Spanish class. After months of playful flirting and shared lunches in the band room, Alex finally asked Lauren to be his girlfriend over peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Their journey spanned more than a decade: high school dances, long-distance college years, a cross-country move, and the adventure of growing up side by side.
The proposal took place on a sunlit hike to Slacker Hill, overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, a spot filled with nostalgia and meaning. It was the very first place they explored together when they moved to San Francisco seven years earlier.
Bride's Morning & Fashion
Lauren got ready with her bridesmaids and family at the home she shares with Alex, one of the perks of getting married just across town. The morning felt relaxed and celebratory, with everyone in mismatched blue pajamas, sipping coffee and enjoying the atmosphere.
She began her dress search without a clear vision, unsure of the silhouette or fabric she wanted. After trying on countless gowns and feeling disconnected from each one, she started to worry. But on a spontaneous girls’ trip to New York, a stop at Oscar de la Renta changed everything. The moment she slipped into the dress, she was in tears – the off-the-shoulder elegance, structured silhouette, and bold yet delicate lace were everything she didn’t know she was looking for.
She chose Bella Belle shoes with a soft tulle bow and lace toe box that echoed her gown’s romantic details. The veil took more effort – she wanted lace that wouldn’t compete with her dress. She finally selected a Bel Aire Bridal veil and flipped the comb to bring the lace detail to the top. Embracing her natural curls, Lauren grew them out and worked with April Foster Bridal who knew how to highlight them. Her makeup was kept soft and fresh to complement her look without overshadowing it.
Lauren’s bouquet was a timeless all-white arrangement, designed to echo the soft floral lace of her dress while contrasting the more modern elements of the day’s floral design. One of the most meaningful details: her bouquet was wrapped with a ribbon from silk taken from her mother’s wedding dress, paired with lace from that same dress sewn discreetly inside Lauren’s gown. A quiet, beautiful nod to her parents’ loving and happy marriage.
Groom's Fashion
Alex knew he wanted a classic tux for their formal celebration, so the focus was on quality and fit. He partnered with menswear designer Hall Madden to create a timeless look that reflected the day’s elegance.
Always up for a challenge, Alex agreed when Lauren suggested embossing their shoes with their custom wedding monogram. After ordering a leather embosser, he hand-stamped both pairs himself. While he admits they weren’t all perfect, the handmade detail added a personal and meaningful touch.
Ceremony
At their wedding, Alex and Lauren wanted every guest, whether a lifelong friend or someone who knew only one of them, to feel part of their journey. Having been together for more than half their lives, they wrote their ceremony script together, weaving in stories and shared memories to offer everyone a glimpse into their love and what marriage meant to them.
They chose to see each other for the first time at the ceremony, when Lauren walked down the aisle. They said their vows in front of all their guests, creating a shared moment of intimacy, sincerity, and joy, wonderfully captured by Yuliya Jul Photography. Family played a central role throughout: Lauren’s brother officiated, siblings stood beside them as best man and co-maids of honor, and both walked down the aisle with their parents. Their presence reflected the deep influence of family on their lives.
The ceremony was emotional and surreal, filled with laughter, tears, and grounding love. Though words often fall short of capturing love’s depth, for Lauren and Alex, their wedding ceremony came as close as possible to expressing just how deeply they are in love with each other.
Venue & Cocktail Hour
Though Alex and Lauren grew up just minutes apart in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., it was their shared love of historic architecture that drew them to San Francisco City Hall. Its grand, elegant design reminded them of the museums and monuments they explored together back home. Choosing such an iconic San Francisco landmark for their special day felt like the perfect way to blend their past with their present, a reflection of both where they came from and the life they’ve built on the West Coast.
After the ceremony, guests made their way up the same iconic staircase Lauren and Alex had just walked down as newlyweds, heading to the balcony for cocktails. While everyone mingled over drinks, they got a behind-the-scenes look as the space below was transformed from ceremony to reception, which added an unexpected buzz and made the whole experience feel fun and dynamic.
Alex, a devoted coffee lover, knew Espresso Martinis were a must, especially after Lauren gifted him a La Marzocco machine for their engagement. Inspired by her favorite olive oil ice cream flavor, they added a second signature cocktail and, with the help of their planner, brought in an espresso cart for the reception. When they realized the drinks matched the colors of their cats, Cleo and Marie, they named the cocktails after them. They collaborated with Salt Paper Co. to create a custom-illustrated sign featuring watercolor portraits of the cats, adding a personal and playful touch to the bar.
Planning & Decor
With the help of Madix & Co., Lauren and Alex’s wedding dreams came to life, captured on video by Sagebrush Film. Where the couple had strong opinions, Kaella knew how to interpret their vision and translate it into a design that felt just right. And when unexpected questions arose, she guided them through every step of the process, always keeping their personalities at the heart of it all.
Thanks to her calm presence, clear direction, and a trusted network of vendors, the planning felt seamless, and even a major day-of shuttle delay didn’t faze her. She adjusted the timeline on the fly without anyone noticing, allowing the couple to stay present and enjoy every moment.
The reception space was a perfect blend of elegance and nature. Lauren and Alex wanted to bring a touch of the outdoors into San Francisco City Hall’s grand marble interior. The planners softened the space with large floral installations on the stairwell, natural wood finishes, and a warm palette of greens and browns.
Their escort card display doubled as a personal moment, a bookshelf filled with envelopes, each holding a handwritten note and a Polaroid memory for every guest. Balancing Lauren’s maximalism with Alex’s minimalist taste, Kaella proposed incorporating deeper autumnal tones and darker tableware to complement the building’s ironwork, and it all came together beautifully.
"Working with Madix & Co was a complete game changer for us. Kaella took a vision described with simple words such as modern, elegant, energetic, fun, and turned it into the wedding day of our dreams."
Celebration
Lauren and Alex wanted their reception to be a fun, joyful, and energetic celebration of their journey together. Their first dance was to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley, a favorite from the playlist Alex had made for Lauren early in their relationship. The song, filled with nostalgia and meaning, perfectly captured their love story, always coming back to each other, year after year. It also happened to be a regular on their speakers at home, making it feel like a natural choice.
Even their cake reflected their personalities and differences. Rather than compromise on a single flavor, they went with both: Lauren’s choice of carrot cake with cream cheese icing, and Alex’s pick of raspberry almond with buttercream. Pretty Please Bakery created a stunning cake that blended classic architectural elements inspired by San Francisco City Hall with a clean, contemporary design. It was the perfect sweet ending to a joyful, music-filled night.
A lively dance floor was non-negotiable. Alex, a huge fan of mashups, and Lauren, a dance floor regular, wanted a DJ who could keep the party going with energy and spontaneity. DJ Truthlive delivered a standout performance by perfectly mixing tracks, reading the crowd, and keeping guests on their feet until the very end. One of the most memorable moments was dancing the hora, Lauren’s favorite part of her Jewish traditions. Being lifted in chairs, surrounded by cheering friends and family, and dancing to her favorite version of Hava Nagila was a dream she’d had since childhood.
After Party
Lauren and Alex envisioned their wedding day as a journey, starting formal and ending with a huge party. The ceremony was the most traditional part of the day, dinner felt relaxed yet elegant, and to close the night, they hosted an epic “After Party” right at the same venue. After the hora, they snuck away for a quick outfit change, Lauren into a fun party dress and her mom’s wedding veil.
Meanwhile, their planner coordinated with the lighting team to stage a dramatic re-entrance: the music paused, the lights dropped, and then the DJ hit the next track as tube lights along the staircase lit up. A spotlight revealed Lauren and Alex on the steps, ready to dance their way back in for round two.
They also added fun late-night touches to keep their guests surprised and energized. A coffee cart opened when the dance floor did, to celebrate Alex’s love of coffee, followed by an ice cream station featuring Lauren’s favorite treat. As the night wound down, the head table transformed into a pizza “takeout” station, complete with custom boxes and a laid-back after-party vibe. The smell of hot pizza was the only thing that could tear Lauren and Alex off the dance floor.
Advice from the couple:
• Try to plan ahead, stick to your timeline, and make sure to take time to enjoy the little things with your soon-to-be spouse! That includes sneaking in time along the way to work on your vows. It can be difficult to capture the exact sentiment you want on the first try, and time away can help bring a fresh perspective.
PLANNING & DESIGN Madix & Co | PHOTOGRAPHY Yuliya Jul | VIDEOGRAPHY Sagebrush Films | VENUE San Francisco City Hall | HAIR & MAKEUP April Foster Bridal | DRESS Oscar de la Renta | SHOES & VEIL Bel Aire Bridal | AFTER PARTY DRESS Rosie Etienne Bridal | AFTER PARTY SHOES Badgley Mischka | GROOM’S TUX Hall Madden | GROOMSMEN The Black Tux | GROOM’S RING Shreve & Co | BRIDE’S RING Vrai | LIGHTING Got Light | DJ Truthlive | TRANSPORTATION Nationwide Limousine Service | RENTALS Theoni Collection, Standard Party Rentals | COFFEE CART Subconscious Coffee | CAKE Pretty Please Bakeshop | CATERING Foxtail Catering | SIGNAGE & STATIONERY Salt Paper Co
