This Couple Planned a Chic City Hall Elopement in San Francisco, California, Before Stopping by a Coffee Shop to Celebrate
It started with two lattes and a chance encounter at a cozy city café. Jewels Figueroa and Maddisson (Maddie) Leavitt, both new to the city and in pursuit of fresh starts, found something unexpected amid their solo journeys. “Our first date included meeting each other’s cats and making plans for a drag show later that night,” Maddie laughs.
Their relationship blossomed, leading to two heartfelt proposals. “Maddie proposed to me first, followed by me proposing to Maddie a few months later.” Jewels added, “She initially planned on proposing at a park picnic but could not wait and proposed at home after work one night.” They celebrated their engagement with friends and family, using the planned picnic as an engagement photoshoot. In a beautiful reciprocal gesture, “Jewels proposed in a park at sunset, with my parents there,” says Maddie.
Both Master’s students, Maddie in Occupational Therapy and Jewels in Social Work, they balanced their academic pursuits with a shared love for the simple joys of life — walks, bike rides and the company of their three beloved cats. They wanted their wedding, much like their lives, to blend serendipity and shared passions. “We wanted this celebration to be intimate,” Maddie shares. The pair envisioned a day filled with close family and friends, focusing on their love and commitment. Their experiences with their families further solidified this desire for intimacy. Just days before the wedding, they made the heartbreaking decision to uninvite family members who were not supportive of their union. “This wedding surely brought out people’s true colours, and we could not be more loved by anyone than our family that was in attendance,” Jewels reflects.
Their theme was inspired by the fortuitous moments that had shaped their relationship. Maddie fondly remembers, “It is crazy for us to think that all those times we were walking to get a coffee and going to the park, we may have crossed paths before we actually met.” This sense of destiny and fate was woven into every aspect of their wedding.
Fashion choices were deeply personal. With her love for simplicity and elegance, Jewels chose a look that resonated with her inner self. “I wore an indigo blue suit, a white dress shirt with no neck accessories, and a gold pearl brooch,” she describes, her outfit reflecting her favorite color and a nod to her beloved’s pearl drop earrings. Maddie, embracing that spontaneity, shares: “I ordered my dress online for less than $100 and also found my veil online pre-embroidered with ‘Forever and a Day.’”
As their wedding day approached, they decided to spend it in a way that reflected their journey: together every step of the way, starting with reading their private vows the night before and getting ready together in their hotel room. “The morning of, we had room service and Ubered our Starbucks coffees,” Maddie explains the quiet, intimate moments before the big event.
Their wedding ceremony, held on the Mayor’s Balcony at San Francisco City Hall, was a dreamlike experience. “Together, hand in hand, we both walked down the aisle, and the rest of the world melted away,” Jewels says. “We had a harpist play some of our favorite songs, including Home by Edward Sharpe and At Last by Etta James. We cherished the pure love flowing through the building as so many weddings were happening around us.”
Following their picturesque I dos,” the newlyweds ascended the steps of city hall triumphantly while their nearest and dearest blew bubbles. Still outfitted in their wedded best, the duo went out for—what else?—coffee.
Reflecting on their experience, they offered sage advice to other couples planning a smaller wedding. “Remember, the day is yours,” they advise. “The whole wedding or elopement experience goes by so quickly, and it is important to be present and in the moment as much as you can.”
Looking toward tomorrow, the Figueroas dream of an ever-evolving landscape. “For the future of the Figueroas, we hope to travel and enjoy our DINK (Dual Income with No Kids) life as much as possible while simultaneously completing our degrees. Five years from now, we want to expand our family to have children and settle somewhere in Canada.”