As a photographer I get to be part of some pretty cool events and surprises — sometimes that’s a proposal, sometimes it’s a labor and delivery that’s gone differently than planned, and sometimes it’s a birthday party!  I don’t know about you, but I.LOVE.SURPRISES.  So when I had the chance to capture Kenny’s 50th birthday party surprise, you bet I was excited about it!

Melissa, Kenny's wife, told him he was headed to someone else's surprise birthday party, so he was a *tad* surprised when he walked in and the surprise was actually for him.  My favorite was when his skin tone changed from completely normal to beat red in a matter of moments ;)

The cool thing about this birthday was this was not only the first surprise party Kenny has ever had, but it was the first ever birthday party he has ever had!  INSANE, right?!  Melissa, Kenny’s wife, thought so too and decided it was about darn time all the attention was on him!

Melissa and Kenny are huge Blues fans, so naturally Melissa threw him a Blues themed party and had every detail worked out from the invite to the decor to the snacks on the table.  I’ve told Melissa she really should look into being an event planner.  She thinks of EVERYTHING!

If you photograph a party at The Cardinal Rigali Center and you have some connections, you might be lucky like I was and get a chance to go up into the bell tower to get a 360 nearly birds eye view of St. Louis.  Seriously, amazing!!  

The staircases behind the scenes in that building were hauntingly cool.

It was incredible to be inside the tower as the bells rang…although not everyone was impressed with surround sound ;)

Happy 50th Birthday, Kenny!