Karissa Bleser & Albert Mack

When Albert Mack crashed a girls’ night outing in September of 2008, he fell hard for one particular partier: Karissa Bleser, a law student hanging out with her friends in Newport Beach, California.

Karissa, in turn, was intrigued by Albert’s sweet demeanor. One week later, the two met up again, on Albert’s turf in Los Angeles, where he was working on his MBA. “We talked about everything,” Karissa recalls. “He was so easy to talk to.”

The couple dated for years and, yet, Karissa admits the proposal—a private moment between the two at Albert’s 30th birthday party—was a complete surprise. “He had called my parents to let them know what was coming,” she laughs. “I was clueless.”

In search of a grand Las Vegas venue for their event, the two became smitten with The Smith Center for its dramatic five-acre site located in the newly developed Symphony Park. “We’re huge fans of Frank Sinatra,” the bride says. “So, the venue fit well with our love for classic Las Vegas.”

Albert and Karissa married center stage, under a hydrangea and rose-covered chuppah with their 200 guests encircling them. Karissa confides that she cried through it all. 

“The tears began when I first saw my father before our walk down the aisle,” Karissa says, “and continued as I realized I was truly marrying the man of my dreams.”

The couple debuted as newlyweds when a curtain was drawn revealing their first dance. A Sinatra impersonator followed serenading guests as they dined. “We had the time of our lives,” Karissa recalls. “I will always remember the joy we shared that night.”

Busy work schedules kept the couple from honeymooning immediately following their wedding, but they are planning a vacation to Italy this winter.