Talk about kicking off 2015 in style! This fabulous celebration began when Collin hatched a plan to surprise his wife & birthday girl Melissa with a soiree befitting of her sparkling personality inside the grand ballroom of The American Theater.

To pull it off, friends and family enlisted the help of the Patrick Properties event team alongside the talented Kerin Wright of Kerin & Co. Events and Design – who helped transform our 1942 vintage theater with shimmering linens, soft pink florals, metallic gold accents and oversized birthday balloons. Vintage lounge furniture and glowing candlelight added a warm, feminine touch, while the custom-designed invitations and gilded birthday cake by PPHG Pastry Chef Jessica played up The American Theater’s Art Deco roots.

Before the big reveal, guests sipped on flutes of sparkling champagne cocktails as musicians provided the soundtrack for a slideshow tribute.

Melissa made her grand entrance beneath the lights of her personalized vintage marquee, greeted with cheers and shouts of “Surprise!” before joining the celebration with music, dancing and a delicious menu by the Patrick Properties culinary team.  Crowd favorites included mini-sliders, tacos pequenos and Southern display with boiled peanuts, black eyed pea hummus and from local farms, goat cheese, devilled eggs and pickled vegetables.  Oh, and slices of that heavenly red velvet cake.

Happy Birthday, Melissa!

Special thanks to photographer Claire Barrett for her stunning images of this birthday celebration in Charleston!