If you’ve ever been witness to surprise parties, you’ll know that they very rarely, successfully contain the element of surprise. It’s definitely not a very simple task to pull off, but we sure have tried to make it as simple as we can.
Here’s the ultimate breakdown of how to throw a *successful* surprise party for your very loved & lucky person! The plan is split into three phases, each phase listing a few steps that will bring you closer to your goal.
Phase I
- Play Detective – Get the guest of honor to help plan the party without telling them about it by carefully investigating their party-related likes and dislikes. Utilize your other available resources: friends, family, coworkers, and event stakeholders who are close to the guest of honor.
- Assemble Your Team – You can plan a surprise party all by yourself. But if you have friends, family, or coworkers who are willing to help you out, add the following roles to your mini-planning committee: Food & Bev team, Décor team, Music team, Invites & RSVP team.
- Make a Guest List – Talk to the guest of honor’s friends & family for whom to invite. Make a guestlist and make a digital group to carry out communications such as invites & RSVPs.
- Set Date, Time & Location – Set the date and time to seamlessly meld with the guest of honor’s schedule. Book the venue, whether it’s a restaurant, a garden party, or your own house! Don’t forget to add all the details to the invites.
Phase II
- Set a Budget – This is a crucial step that will help you regulate your spending as well as help pool in resources from friends & family. You can further compartmentalize the budget into F&B, Décor, DJ, etc.
- Plan Food & Bev – Place your cake order & delivery for the morning, reach out to caterers or make a menu plan if you’re planning to DIY. Then make a designated trip to the supermarket for party supplies. Consider hiring a mixologist who’ll keep the drinks flowing while you run the show.
- Purchase Décor – Choose a theme to make décor planning and shopping easier. Do check with friends & family for decorations that you can borrow before hitting the stores.
- Make a Playlist – Prep the party playlist beforehand and make sure you’ve arranged for speakers and a projector in case you’re planning to pull off a surprise in a surprise!
Phase III
- Have a Decoy Plan – A decoy plan is what the guest of honor thinks they’re on their way to go do. You’ll need a partner in crime to create a decoy plan, arrange transportation, and time everything out.
- Create a Floor Plan – Have a floor plan ready before the eleventh hour arrives. Educate your guests about where they are expected to stay/hide before the surprise and designate people in charge of the lights and music.
- Shout Surprise!!! – The time has come, and hopefully, you’re ready to surprise our guest of honor with a surprise they’ll never forget. We strongly recommend throwing some confetti in the mix to make the moment as dramatic as possible.