The Botanical Garden - Zellerbach Garden
San Francisco, CA
| Venue type | Garden & Conservatory |
| Location | San Francisco, CA |
| Published price | From $3,180 |
| Capacity | Up to 150 guests |
| Setting | Outdoor |
| Event type | Ceremony and reception possible |
What the venue publishes
SF Rec & Park Botanical Garden site page, Cost: "Reservation Fee: $954 / Hourly Rate (2 Hour Minimum): $1,113". Minimum bookable cost = $954 reservation fee + 2 hours x $1,113 = $3,180.
$3,180 is the lowest published rate for this space. Day, season, and residency can move it up.
1199 9th Avenue, inside Golden Gate Park. One of the most popular wedding locations in the Botanical Garden. Altar lawn 45ft x 24ft, seating lawn 75ft x 80ft; you can use either the lawn or the gazebo as the altar. June to July is the best time for full bloom. Booked through SF Rec & Park. An in-person pre-event meeting at the Botanical Garden with the Park Ranger supervisor is required, and a Park Ranger must be assigned on the event date (staff salary is quoted separately - the site page lists it as "See 'Reservation Policy'"). Reservation times must include all set-up, break-down and clean-up, including vendor time. $1,000 refundable cleaning/damage deposit (not part of the price). Amplified sound is not allowed; chairs and tables are not provided; the Garden stays open to the public during the ceremony.
Published on sfrecpark.org, checked August 2026. Fee schedules change, so confirm before booking.
Where this price sits in San Francisco Bay Area
$3,180 is the 46th lowest published starting price of the 46 venues listed in the San Francisco Bay Area metro. The metro median starting price is $487, and no other listing in the metro publishes a higher starting price.
Among the 13 garden & conservatory listings in the metro it ranks 13th lowest, against a median of $939 for that type.
What the capacity costs per guest
The source publishes a capacity of 150 guests. At $3,180, filling the space works out to $21 per guest for the site fee alone, before the license, an officiant, food, or rentals. The median published capacity across the 34 San Francisco Bay Area listings that publish one is 100 guests, so this space is larger than the metro median.
Cheaper published prices in San Francisco
These listings in San Francisco publish a starting price below $3,180.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| The Botanical Garden - Exhibition GardenSan Francisco, CA · Garden & Conservatory | From $1,272 | 100 guests |
| The Botanical Garden - Fragrance GardenSan Francisco, CA · Garden & Conservatory | From $1,272 | 100 guests |
| The Botanical Garden - Redwood GroveSan Francisco, CA · Garden & Conservatory | From $1,272 | 70 guests |
Other garden & conservatory listings in San Francisco Bay Area
Same venue type, prices closest to this one.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeside Park Garden Center - Entire BuildingOakland, CA · Garden & Conservatory | From $1,280 | not published |
| The Botanical Garden - Rhododendron GardenSan Francisco, CA · Garden & Conservatory | From $1,272 | 25 guests |
| Golden Gate Park - Queen Wilhelmina GardenSan Francisco, CA · Garden & Conservatory | From $939 | 200 guests |
Marriage license in City and County of San Francisco, CA
The venue fee above does not include the license. San Francisco sits in City and County of San Francisco, CA, and these are the terms that county publishes. Checked September 2026.
| Issuing office | Office of the County Clerk, City and County of San FranciscoCity Hall, Room 160, 1 Dr. Carlton B Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102 |
| License fee | $129Public Marriage License $129; Confidential Marriage License $129. New fees effective July 1, 2026. |
| Waiting period | None |
| License valid for | 90 days |
| Who must appear | Both parties, in person |
| ID required | unexpired government issued photo ID such as a passport, driver's license, resident alien card or military ID; if the ID does not show the full legal name, a certified copy of the birth certificate or Social Security card is also needed |
| Appointment | Required |
| Apply online | Application available online |
| Same-day issue | Issued the same visit |
| Ceremony at the office | Offered for $113Civil marriage ceremony at City Hall during office hours by appointment, $113. Offsite, weekend and holiday ceremonies are $336 total ($186 at reservation plus a $150 commissioner fee). A one-day deputy marriage commissioner is $186. |
| Witnesses | 1 required by statute |
Source: sf.gov, sf.gov, cdph.ca.gov
You must submit the marriage license application when you book the appointment. Appointments cannot be rescheduled, only cancelled, and there are no refunds. Applicants under 18 need written consent of at least one parent plus written permission from a San Francisco Juvenile Court judge and are only eligible for a public license.
How the metro prices out
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Other spaces at The Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden rents 5 spaces for weddings and each is priced separately, so booking this one does not get you the others. Compare all 5 side by side.