First, you must establish a party date. You must designate someone to plan a fictitious activity with the guest of honor. The invitations should clearly indicate that the party is a surprise. The time of the party in the invitations must be at least 30 minutes before the arrival of the guest of honor, so plan accordingly. Include in the invitation an alternative place to park on the day of the party so as not to alert the guest of honor that a party is being held.
Involve the family and friends of the guest of honor when planning the surprise. They can be very useful when setting up the false activity event. They can also provide valuable information about the things that the guest of honor likes. This can help you choose holiday food and decide on a theme idea. Use them to help you create the guest list, so make sure you do not leave anyone inadvertently.
When planning a surprise birthday party for children, it is a good idea to route the invitation through the parents of the guests. This will prevent an accidental gift of surprise to the guest of honor before the date of the party.
Decide where the surprise party will take place. This will depend to a large extent on your budget. If you are planning an outdoor party, you should plan an alternative location in advance in case of bad weather.
Plan the party decorations and the food according to the budget of your party. There are some excellent theme party ideas that you can use depending on the age of the guest of honor. If the guest of honor grew up in the 60s, for example, they could enjoy a party with 60s music and decorations that revolve around that period of time. If the party is for a child, a great theme could be based on your favorite superhero or cartoon character.
There are brick and mortar party supply stores that offer a wide variety of decorations and party ideas. There are also many online party supply sources that make shopping easy and items are sent quickly to your door. Make your shopping party in advance of the party. Make a checklist at the beginning of your planning to keep you up to date on everything that needs to be done. Give priority to the list and take special note of all the activities that can be done before the date of the party.
Plan to take snacks for the guests to enjoy during the wait. Something that is commonly forgotten when planning a surprise party is the surprise plan itself. Have the plan prepared in advance and be sure to inform the party guests about the plan as they arrive. Distribute confetti and noisemakers when the guests arrive so that everyone is ready in the moment of surprise.
Throwing a surprise party is not really that difficult. It requires a little more planning than other types of parties, but it is very funny to see the astonishment on the face of the guest of honor at a well planned and successfully performed surprise party. Going to the extra hassle of having a surprise party for someone makes them feel very special in their eventful day.