A Romantic and Nostalgic Wedding at Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles, California

Sydney Snyder and Jason Hunter met at work, which they jokingly refer to as “the most romantic place on earth.” Jason spotted Sydney getting off the elevator on her first day, and instantly knew he had to “get to know the girl in the black and pink dress who looked like she didn’t know where she was going.”

A casual office friendship soon turned into a long-term relationship and led to a Christmas Eve proposal in 2017. In Sydney’s hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jason popped the question in a park overlooking the city, where Sydney frequented as a child.

“We knew right away that we wanted to get married in Los Angeles, where I was born and raised, where we first met, and where we had already started our life together,” Jason shares. “We also knew it would be a bonus for our friends and family traveling in for the weekend to enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery.”

Although Sydney had some experience with event planning through work, nothing was ever as personal as piecing together her own wedding. “It takes it to a whole new level,” she describes. “My mother, who has amazing taste, was beyond helpful and worked with us on pretty much every detail. Our wedding planner, Tim, also happens to be a close family friend I’ve known since childhood. Having that familiarity and short hand was definitely comforting. We didn’t necessarily go into our wedding knowing exactly what we wanted it to be like – we just knew how we wanted it to feel. We wanted it to be romantic and nostalgic, while organically embracing the gorgeous natural surroundings."

For the groom, one of the best aspects of the wedding was celebrating that milestone with family. “Having our grandparents there with us was amazing and something that was very important to both of us,” he says. “We are really fortunate to be able to share those memories with them.”

“There is truly nothing like being surrounded by all of the people you love, all in one room,” the bride adds. “It is so special and a feeling that we will both always treasure.”

Shortly after their wedding, the newlyweds set off on an unforgettable honeymoon in South Africa and Mozambique. Their first stop was Cape Town, followed by the Winelands, a safari in Kruger National Park, and a final stop at Benguerra Island.