A City Hall Elopement With a Live Cellist and Seven Guests

Getting Ready Before the City Hall Elopement

The morning ran calm. Sam had his boutonniere pinned on in one of the building's stone corridors — a charcoal suit, a mauve-patterned tie, a white pocket square, a burgundy rose at the lapel with a tiny gold pin beside it. Kaylee got into an off-shoulder white gown with puff sleeves and a textured cloqué skirt, half her hair pinned up, round wire-frame glasses on. Her bouquet was a whole wild garden of a thing from Vanda Floral Design: coral and burgundy dahlias, daisies, orange roses, purple amaranth trailing down, and dried accents.

The small details were theirs and no one else's — red rhinestone sneakers under the hem of her dress, and a pair of novelty-print socks under Sam's oxfords. Before the ceremony they did a first look, Kaylee's face going straight to open-mouthed joy the second she saw him.

A City Hall Elopement Under the Rotunda, With a Live Cellist

The cellist from Bay Area All Strings & Brass played from before anyone found their places, folk and indie songs carrying up through the open colonnade. When it was time, Kaylee and Sam faced each other in a bay beneath one of City Hall's enormous arched leaded-glass windows, the light pouring in behind them, their people close on wooden chiavari chairs — the bridesmaids in burgundy floral gowns, dabbing at their eyes.

Janette Say Yes said the words. They had walked in together to Johnny Cash's "Rose of My Heart," and the closeness of the group made every line land. They exchanged vows and rings, and when it was done they walked back out to Prince's "Kiss," played on strings, down the marble with everyone following behind.