Abbie Gonzalez, top, poses for photographer Miguel Plascencia as she has her quinceañera portrait session taken at City Hall in San Francisco, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
San Francisco’s City Hall becomes a dream destination for quinceañera photos
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco’s City Hall, with its ornate marble staircase, elegant balconies and soft natural light streaming through its massive art deco windows, has become a top destination for girls marking their 15th birthday.
The Beaux-Arts building has long been a wedding destination. But social media has helped the San Francisco landmark in the heart of the city become a must-have photo backdrop for many girls in Northern California about to hold a quinceañera party — a traditional coming-of-age celebration among Latino families.
___
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Photographer Miguel Plascencia, right, talks with Abbie Gonzalez, second from left, as she arrives with her mother Anna Gonzalez and mother’s boyfriend William Umanzor to City Hall for Abbie’s quinceañera portrait session in San Francisco, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Abbie Gonzalez walks up the stairs during her quinceañera portrait session at City Hall in San Francisco, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Abbie Gonzalez, left, arrives to City Hall with her mother Anna Gonzalez and mother’s boyfriend William Umanzor for her quinceañera portrait session in San Francisco, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Abbie Gonzalez laughs as her mother Anna Gonzalez and mother’s boyfriend William Umanzor lift her gown during her quinceañera portrait session at City Hall in San Francisco, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Abbie Gonzalez poses for her quinceañera portrait session at City Hall in San Francisco, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Abbie Gonzalez poses for her quinceañera portrait session at City Hall in San Francisco, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)William Umanzor takes a cell phone image of his girlfriend Anna Gonzalez and her daughter Abbie Gonzalez as Abbie gets her quinceañera portrait session done at City Hall in San Francisco, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Abbie Gonzalez exits the elevator behind her mother Anna Gonzalez after her quinceañera portrait session at City Hall in San Francisco, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Abbie Gonzalez, top, poses in her quinceañera gown for her professional portrait session at City Hall in San Francisco, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Allison Garcia stands in the City Hall rotunda for her quinceañera portrait session in San Francisco, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Allison Garcia, left, gets help from her friend Leslie Montero as they get their quinceañera portrait sessions at City Hall in San Francisco, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Young women in quinceañera gowns hold their profesional portrait sessions at City Hall in San Francisco, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Leyla Portillo holds up her gown as she arrives to City Hall with her grandmother Olga Cetina, left, and mother Olga Portillo for her quinceañera portrait session in San Francisco, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Leyla Portillo gets help with her gown from her mother Olga Portillo, left, and videographer-photographer Paola Soto, second from right, as Soto’s husband and photographer Cesar Lopez, far right, walks ahead during her quinceañera portrait session at City Hall in San Francisco, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Leyla Portillo pets her dog Canela before the start of her quinceañera portrait session at City Hall in San Francisco, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Leyla Portillo gets into an elevator with videographer-photographer team Paola Soto and Cesar Lopez during her quinceañera portrait session at City Hall in San Francisco, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.
