Surprise Party Basics
It's your friend's birthday and you want to throw her a surprise party. Party planning, especially surprise parties, takes preparation and effort to pull off something fun and exciting for all invited. A surprise party helps a friend to feel special and accepted, but if it isn't done right it can blow up in your face leaving your friend feeling unloved and a failure. Don't let your friend's surprise party flop by following these surprise party planning basics.
Step One: Pick the Date and Location
The date and location of your party should be set in stone before anything else so preparations can be much more easily accomplished.
Step Two: Occupy the Guest of Honor
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Once you've settled on a date for the party make sure there is someone ready to occupy your friend's time the day and time of the party so you know it is free and open for a party. You wouldn't want to get caught throwing her a surprise party when she is studying for finals or going away for the weekend. The person assigned to prepare for a decoy activity should not be the party planner as you have to make sure everything else goes smoothly.
Step Three: Send Out the Invites
Send out invitations for the party specifying that it is a surprise. Most people are pretty good at keeping a secret like this, but if one of your attendees is one that may give away the secret, don't give them the invitation until just a few days before the party and eliminate opportunity for a slip. The time of the party for guests to arrive should be at least thirty minutes before your guest of honor is to arrive. This helps anyone who may be a late arrival still get there before you friend does. You should include on the invitation some sort of dress code. You don't want your friend showing up to her own party dressed unlike everyone else. If casual attire is in order, make sure people know. If your friend is going to the opera before-hand however, you may want to include a note on the invitation to dress up in your finest party regalia.
Step Four: Party Activities
Plan your party activities, food, and drink around what your guest of honor will enjoy, not everyone else. Brainstorm with her close friends about what to serve and what activities to plan. If mix and mingle is what your friend likes, plan the atmosphere to compliment it. This party is for your guest of honor, not for you or the people you invite, so fill it with the things she loves.
Step Five: The Event
Assign someone to be outside when guests arrive to help them park in an inconspicuous place so your guest of honor isn't tipped off by cars lining her street. When everyone has arrived, go over the surprise plan and help people position for the best surprise when you friend walks in. Keep everyone occupied with appetizers and fun until just before the guest of honor arrives. Be sure your decoy person lets you know when they are about to arrive so you can turn out lights and get ready. Surprise the heck out of her and laugh together about what fun it was to plan it for her. Enjoy the party.
