Amid the towering eucalyptus trees of Golden Gate Park, Amber Carroll Tyrell and Josh Mayer tied the knot Saturday — but not in a quiet ceremony. They married at Outside Lands, San Francisco’s largest annual music festival.
They’d already planned on going with some friends when they heard this summer that OSL added holy matrimony to its lineup. Dubbed the City Hall experience, lovebirds can wed with a festival-provided officiant, photographer, reserved time slot, wedding lounge for pre-ceremony prep, locker for the day, two drink tokens, dedicated seating for guests and a dedicated City Hall concierge — all for a tidy $349.
For Tyrell and Mayer, they already intended a courthouse wedding in order to save money for a house. “We thought it would be more fun this way,” Amber told me. “It felt serendipitous that they announced this right before we came.”
Serendipity became fortune when artist Daniel Caesar entered the festival’s lineup. The pair already wanted his song Best Part to be their first dance. As the festival gods would have it, they experienced the pleasure live. It was all too good to be true: Caesar actually joined OSL belatedly, following Snoh Allegra dropping out.
“It felt like the stars were aligning,” Amber said.
This year marks the first time Outside Lands has introduced the “City Hall” experience, where couples can legally tie the knot in the middle of San Francisco’s largest annual music festival. The offering commemorates the 20th anniversary of San Francisco’s “Winter of Love,” a landmark moment when the city began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
With over 20 couples already saying “I do” during the festival weekend, the City Hall experience has quickly become one of the event’s most talked-about additions. And while it is rare to see such destination weddings at music festivals, Outside Lands is by no means the first.
Hangout Music Festival in Alabama, for instance, offers couples the chance to get married on the beach, complete with a wedding chapel set up right on the sand. Meanwhile, Burning Man is also known for its spontaneous and planned weddings in the desert, where couples can tie the knot amidst the festival’s surreal art installations and communal atmosphere.
For Amber and Josh, their wedding was perfectly casual on Saturday. The venue was a small enclave that shared some real estate with a coffee stand and was outfitted with bohemian wedding decor. Lanterns hung from the trees above, giving a solid Alice in Wonderland vibe.
Amber appeared relaxed as she greeted friends, who arrived in tasteful festival attire. The groom showed up with a Susie Cakes bag in hand. “You’re allowed to bring food in!” he said with a grin.
“Yeah, you are — I have a muffin in my pocket. It’s from the breakfast spread at the hotel,” said bridesmaid Janine Kirtland from Colorado, dressed immaculately in a green pantsuit and sunglasses. She shared stories of the low-key preparations, including a “Jamber” playlist she made for guests to familiarize themselves with the artists performing at Outside Lands.
Looking like a seasoned festival-goer in a blue tie-dye suit, the father of the bride was ecstatic for the occasion. “She and Josh have been coming here every year since they got together, so I think it’s so cool that they’re getting married here. It’s one of the happiest days of my life. She’s my pride and joy, and this is perfect for them,” he said with a proud smile.
The ceremony itself was short and sweet. Guests filled the wooden seats, some crafted from raw timber, while curious onlookers gathered at the venue’s edge, drawn by the unique scene. Both Amber and Josh recited their own vows, with Josh improvising when Amber playfully stole his intended punchline about accepting ketchup into their lives, despite his strong distaste for it. The heartfelt exchange left everyone in a dreamy haze from the couple’s evident love and devotion.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds shared loving embraces with their guests, snapped some shots in front of the Outside Lands wedding-themed decoration table, and FaceTimed with Josh’s parents. With no plans other than to “do Outside Lands” for the rest of the day, Amber and Josh joined the festival crowd, ready to dance, celebrate, and make the most of their unique wedding day.
As Outside Lands continued to unfold around them, it was clear that this wasn’t just a special day for Amber and Josh — it was a perfect fusion of love, music, and the festival spirit that brought them together in the first place.
Courtney Muro is a San Francisco-based content strategist, producer, designer, and creator.
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More photos from Amber and Josh’s wedding day — and a couple other weddings, too
All photos by Courtney Muro for The Bold Italic.
