Las Vegas Wedding Planner Andrea Eppolito. Images by Rene Zadori. Engagement Photos at Red Rock Canyon.

When the bride to be is a luxury realtor and the groom goes by the name “Big Time Hank” you celebrate in big ways, which is exactly what we did for their engagement party photo session. 

Mahsa and Hank met years ago at a nightclub and quickly became inseparable. Their sweeping love story took them from Oakland to Dallas and back again before ultimately bringing them to the city of Las Vegas when The Raiders relocated from California. Newly pregnant and in Las Vegas, the couple reached out to me and invited me to plan their baby shower. We celebrated baby Miliana‘s arrival at Lotus House with a beautiful, pastel pink shower, and have stayed friends ever cents. I know that I was anxiously waiting for Hank to propose, and he certainly did not disappoint when he got down on one knee and asked Mahsa to marry him with a stunning, radiant cut engagement ring, crafted by their personal jeweler. 

Planning something for clients who turn into friends is an incredibly intimate and special experience. I have the benefit of really understanding who they are as a couple, and I have a front row seat to their every day lives, which allows me to create something special that really speaks to them. Mahsa and Hank love Northern California, as it reminds them of the early days of their relationship. They love getting away from the city and being out in nature, with great wine, great food, and a small group of much loved friends.

This particular couple also loves documenting their life together with photos and video. Having taken a series of beautiful portraits throughout their pregnancy, I knew that getting great images was going to be one of Mahsa’a top priorities. Even before she got engaged, Masha knew that she wanted my friend and colleague, Rene Zadori, to shoot her wedding. In fact, we considered his schedule when we selected our venue and date!

One of Mahsa and Hanks favorite things to do is drive through the scenic loop in Red Rock State Park.  Avid car collectors, they would put the top down and drive through the mountains, stopping to take in the view of the city, and the strip beneath them. For this engagement shoot, we waited until golden hour, and drove up the mountains. Dressed to the nines, my bride looked absolutely stunning in a fitted white dress from house of CB. My groom, dapper than ever in an ivory suit, was right beside her, as we walked through the peaks and valleys, which is really such a beautiful metaphor for their life together. 

Changing into a darker ballgown and matching suit, they were photographed with one of their favorite cars from their collection, a black convertible Rolls-Royce. Baby Miliana matched her mama and even gotten for a few family photos.

With the groom recently being traded from the Las Vegas Raiders to the Dallas Cowboys, there are a lot of moving pieces to their life!  We look forward to celebrating “big time” when Mahsa and Hank wed in Napa Valley in Spring 2023.  Please leave them your congratulations below and follow along on their journey on IG and TikTok.

Always xoxo - Andrea