Sydney Marie Photography LLC

01/30/2025

Puerto Rico on film.

Over the holidays, we spent some time in Puerto Rico to celebrate Jesse’s 40th birthday. For us, vacations are always about exploring new places and learning about their history from locals.

On our trip, we took a historic walking tour with a local historian through Old San Juan, learned salsa from a local instructor, explored El Yunque National Rainforest with a guide, and immersed ourselves in San Juan’s arts and culture through a tour of Santurce and Loíza. We also enjoyed a sunset sailboat cruise to see Castillo San Felipe del Morro from the water and went on a snorkeling excursion to Icacos Island with East Island Excursions.

Puerto Rico is a beautiful island rich in history and culture, it’s so much more than just a U.S. territory. A few things about San Juan:

· Once Spain’s most important military stronghold in the Caribbean, its historic defenses still stand today.

· The streets of Old San Juan are paved with adoquines, blue bricks brought from Spain in the 1700s as ship ballast.

· Castillo San Felipe del Morro and Castillo San Cristóbal were built to defend against attacks by sea and land. These massive fortresses still overlook San Juan Bay, standing as a testament to the city’s resilience.

Outside of Old San Juan, we spent time in Loíza, the heart of Puerto Rico’s Afro-Caribbean heritage. Known for its vibrant bomba music and dance, stunning coastal views, and traditional vejigante masks, Loíza is a must-visit for anyone wanting to experience the island’s deep cultural roots.

In Santurce, we explored the urban art scene, where entire streets are transformed into open-air galleries during Santurce es Ley, an annual festival that brings together artists from around the world. Each mural tells a different story with some reflecting the island’s history, others celebrating its resilience and artistic spirit.

Puerto Rico is a place we’ll absolutely return to, hopefully with an even deeper understanding of its history, people, and traditions. Traveling responsibly means appreciating not just the beauty of a place, but also respecting its culture, supporting local businesses, and learning from the people who call it home.

12/18/2024

2024 top 9.

What a year 2024 has been.

15 weddings.
10 engagement sessions.
5 markets photographed for .and.makers.
3 proposals.
3 portrait sessions.
3 branding/product sessions.
And 9 mini product sessions.

17,425 photos delivered (not including the last wedding I'm currently editing).

I often speak about gratitude, and I truly mean it when I say how thankful I am for each and every one of my clients. Because of you, I get to continue doing what I love and am so passionate about. Your kind words and referrals mean more to me than I can express.

11/14/2024

Brielle + John's wedding has been featured on !

I've included some of my favorite photos from their day, check out the link for more.

Photographer: ⁠
Planner: ⁠
Florist: ⁠
Ceremony Venue: .patsgh⁠
Reception Venue: ⁠
Rentals: ⁠
Tent: ⁠
Video: ⁠
Photo Booth: ⁠
DJ: ⁠
Hair: ⁠
Makeup: ⁠
Jewelry: ⁠
Transportation: Harbor Trolley ⁠
Cake: ⁠
Bride's dress: ⁠
Groom's attire: ⁠
Wedding party attire: ⁠
Rehearsal Venue: ⁠
Rehearsal Music: ⁠

https://bajanwed.com/michigan-lakeside-wedding-with-tropical-vibe/

01/25/2024

The first wedding of 2024 was absolutely amazing!

Can't wait to share so many more beautiful photos from this day. ❤️

12/28/2023

Here we are again, my top nine posts of the year.

2023 was more than just a year of growth, it was a year of coming into where I want to be in my business. I worked with so many amazing couples this year, and also worked under some incredible photographers. It's truly been one of the best years in my career and I thank each and every one of you for making my dreams come true.

Looking at my goals from last year, I accomplished 3/5 – which is pretty good to me!!

The two that I missed (spending more time outside for personal time, and painting the rest of my house) didn’t quite happen although I did take a few days in the UP to unplug which was nice.

Highlights of 2023:

✨ New branding and new website that feels like me but also reflects being timeless.
✨ Taking 's Abundance Plan course, where I've learned so much about myself as a person and a business owner. I really feel like the course transformed my business completely this year.
✨ Working with the local small business community, especially .and.makers. Where I've met so many amazing business owners and had the opportunity to work with .sticks, and . I also started working with !
✨ Being featured in !!

Goals for 2024:

✨ Book more full weekend weddings (both local and destination)
✨ Finish painting the house (It’s going to happen this year!!)
✨ Learn how to eat with chopsticks
✨ Create art for me, not just client work

Cheers to 2024, I can’t wait to see what this new year brings!

12/05/2023

So excited to be featured in Shoutout Michigan!
I love giving a little insight into my business as well as shouting out a few of my favorite local businesses. Garsnett Beacon Candle Co, Rolling Stone Wood Fired Pizza Co., Brunch House, Morning Star Cafe, Rake Beer Project, Burzurk Brewing Co, Beefy’s Burger Shack, The Paisley Pig, Finn's Chophouse & Speakeasy

Check out the article here:

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sydney Marie...

10/24/2023

I am so beyond excited to finally share, we've been featured in the November issue of , out today!!

When you walk into The Montague Inn, the first thing you see is this grand staircase. I knew from the moment I walked in that I wanted to take this photo of Sara - and it's one of my favorites from their day.

2023 has been such an incredible year. I've grown so much as a business owner, photographer and person. I am so excited to see what 2024 brings. 🥂

Photographer:
Venue:
HMUA:
Dress: Jennifer's Bridal
Florist:
DJ: Falcon Film Studios
Cake: Butter Crust Bakery

09/27/2023

Getting ready for the busiest month of the year and taking a pause to say how thankful I am.

This year has been a whirlwind, from completely rebranding with a new website to being almost fully booked for 2024 already. I've photographed so many beautiful weddings and worked alongside photographers that I admire and aspire to be like.

As I close out my 11th wedding season this October, I'm just so grateful for this amazing career and the people I get to meet and work with year after year. ❤️

07/03/2023

THE NEW SMP WEBSITE IS OFFICIALLY LIVE!!! 🎉🎉🎉

Going through a complete rebrand and moving over to Squarespace 7.1 has been a labor of love over the last few months. I'm so excited to share it with everyone!

Special thanks to and for helping make my website dreams come true.

To celebrate my new website, all weddings booked by August 1st 2023 will receive a complimentary one hour engagement session.

Check out the new website, link in bio of course! ✨

04/10/2023

I am so excited for our 2023 wedding season! So many amazing couples this year, expect to see a TON of new photos.

Venue:
Planner/Designer:
Florist:
Lead Photographer:
Lead Videographer:
Paper Products:
Bridal Wardrobe:
Bridal Accessories:
Hair Styling:.captivating.pgh_hair
Makeup Styling:
Hand Painted Flatlay Mats:
Linen Rental:
Furniture Rental:.co
Tabletop Rentals: .co
Bridal Shoes:

02/01/2023

Kicking off celebrating my birthday month with being interviewed by Voyage Michigan. I'm so excited to share my journey on becoming a professional wedding photographer and all the inbetweens.

https://voyagemichigan.com/interview/conversations-with-sydney-snider/

01/20/2023

So excited to have won The Knot's Best of Weddings for the 5th year in a row! It's also my second year in the Hall of Fame. I can't thank all my couples enough over the last 10 years. I can't wait for the 2023 season to officially start soon!

01/03/2023

Refreshed and excited to be back in the office! 🎉

2023 has a ton of amazing things in store:

✨ Chatting with 2023 + 2024 couples! I already have a few calls on the books for the next two weeks. I am currently still taking a few more 2023 weddings and 13 2024 weddings. (Link in bio to contact me!)

✨ Finalizing and finishing my website and client experience. I took a lot of info from past couples to create a more in-depth experience with tons of tips and info to make your wedding photo planning a breeze.

✨ I'm currently working with to create educational content for photographers of all levels. Education is something I'm very passionate about and working together with my friends in the industry makes it that much more fun and rewarding.

2023 is going to be spectacular! Cheers to the new year! 🥂

12/28/2022

2022 was a year of growth.

I turned 30 this year and celebrated my 10th wedding season.

I feel like 2022 flew by so fast, but yet feels like it’s been two years smooshed together. I think the few covid reschedules and cancelations I had this year didn’t help with that feeling – but I’m so glad we were able to celebrate safely all year!

I let go completely of the numbers game of social media, after my IG was deactivated for a week without any warning. Social media became very toxic for me in 202. Taking that step back and not feeling like I have to post almost daily has helped my mental health a ton.

I want to give a huge thank you to all my couples and clients this year. I honestly couldn’t do this without you; it’s so rewarding to be able to do what I love and share that with you all.

Highlights of 2022:
✨ Spending my 30th birthday in California and getting photos done by the amazing , also made me look so beautiful for those photos!
✨ Getting out of my comfort zone and going to a luxury wedding workshop.
✨ Making a ton of new amazing friends in the wedding industry.
✨ Having my best friend take family photos of Jesse and I with my parents.
✨ Photographing 25 amazing weddings (as well as 5 additional weddings with other photographers), 11 engagement sessions, 3 proposals and 5 sessions.

Goals for 2023:
✨ Finish website updates and get a clear marketing plan set for all of 2023.
✨ Keep updating and elevating 2023/2024 experience for wedding couples.
✨ Spending more time outside. Walking the dog, kayaking, gardening.
✨ Finish painting the house (seriously) lol
✨ Give back more to my local community, I love working with and I want to expand that more in 2023.

I am so excited for what the new year is going to bring, see you in 2023!!

11/28/2022

Hope you had a wonderful holiday and weekend!

For my family, I've been hosting Thanksgiving for the last 5 years. No matter how big or small our crowd is, we still enjoy time together.

After having frozen pizza last year with just my parents (since I was very much still recovering from surgery), we've decided to go more of a non-traditional route with dinner. I made a beef roast with roasted veggies instead of turkey.

Thanksgiving also includes pulling out the record player and playing "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie. My dad and I sing along while everyone else thinks we're weird. It's great. 🤣

The rest of the weekend included some much needed rest and the start of deep cleaning the house. It's my goal this winter to go through the whole house and donate anything that doesn't get used. Just with the kitchen alone, I have three big boxes to go to our local thrift store.

11/03/2022

Thank you so much to Wedding Rule for listing SMP as one of the top 10 wedding photographers in West Michigan!

EDITOR'S CHOICE: We've handpicked the best of the best wedding photographers in West Michigan to help you pick the right one for your big day.

10/04/2022

New on the blog:

Hannah and Josh’s summer wedding at CityFlatsHotel downtown Grand Rapids was one of my favorites from 2021. I photographed their engagement session earlier in the year and I knew their wedding was going to be AH-MAZING. Both the ceremony and reception were at CityFlatHotel’s ballroom, which is a