How To Pull Off The Perfect Surprise Party
/We all have a special someone in our lives. That person inspires us everyday. That person is always there for us. That person…deserves a surprise party! If you’ve considered expressing your love and appreciation for someone by throwing them the most epic party that they never saw coming, here are 12 tips to help you get started.
1. Do They Even Want This?
Surprise parties come in all shapes and sizes and the reality is that they aren’t for everyone. Keep it real and consider who you want to throw a party for. If you are working with someone who loves surprises, you’ve got to decide whether they would prefer a low-key gathering or an elaborate blowout.
2. Planning Gang… ASSEMBLE!
As awesome as you are at party planning, you could always use some help. Getting support from your closest friends and team at Bahamia Rental will help alleviate any pressure associated with planning a surprise party by yourself. Pick a point person who’s going to bring the honouree to the party and escort them in while you take care of the party guests.
3. Start Planning NOW
Last minute planning could be super stressful and could put the surprise at risk. When you start planning early, you up your chances of working with those amazing venues and caterers that you’ve had your eye on. Don’t forget to notify guests early on so that they can work the party into their schedules.
4. Location Location Location
Avoid choosing a location that’s completely random because the guest of honour could get suspicious. Also, planning to have the party at their home could make the surprise aspect more difficult to pull off. Instead, keep it simple and have it somewhere that they frequent like their favourite restaurant, a cool bar, or even a nearby friend’s house.
5. Timing Is Everything
Plan the party around something they normally do. So, if they go to a Karaoke bar every Thursday night, have all of the guests meet up there. If this is a birthday surprise, consider having the party before their birthday for a pleasant surprise. Having it afterwards could come off like you forgot about their birthday and that’s not good.
6. “Who Comin’?”
Choose the guests wisely. Who would the guest of honour want to see there? Remember to consider whether they would prefer an intimate group or a massive crowd. It’s important that you frequently emphasise to the guest list that this is a private and secret surprise party and if they ruin the surprise, they will be held accountable. Just kidding, but seriously, enforce that this surprise party is a secret.
7. Crowd Control
Reach out to guests the day before the event to confirm their attendance and the time that they should arrive by. In most cases, 15–30 minutes before the honouree’s arrival is considered a “safe zone”. However, if you are giving a time to a Bahamian crowd you need to be strategic. Let attendees know where to park ahead of time and make sure that this designated area is away from the party spot. If you have invited “gossips” tell them about the party closer to the date to reduce the risk of them ruining the surprise. Also, emphasise that there should be no social media posts or groups created for the party.
8. Make An Entrance
Ensure that the entrance is set up appropriately for the special guest’s arrival. Avoid having loads of parked cars nearby because that’s a dead giveaway. Decorations shouldn’t be visible from the street. Have your point person WhatsApp you when they are getting close so you can silence the guests and music. Remember, there are better ways to quiet down excited guests than flickering lights or shushing really loudly.
9. It’s All In The Details
No matter the budget or style, decorations will elevate the party to the next level. If the party is at someone’s house, simple embellishments like streamers and balloons could be perfect. But if you are hosting the surprise party at an actual venue, having a themed party could come in handy. A theme will help you choose decorations which can transform an event space.
10. Food And Music Make The People Come Together…YEAH!
Eats and tunes are essential to pulling off the best surprise parties. Are you thinking finger-food or a sit-down dinner? No matter what, there needs to be cake! It could be a complex five-tiered cake, mini cupcakes, or an entire donut wall—there just needs to be some sort of sweet treat for everyone to enjoy.
What would make the party even sweeter is hiring a performer or DJ to provide musical entertainment. Choosing someone who specialises in the preferred genre to match the party’s vibe is an investment worth making and will truly get the party started.
11. If In Doubt, Test It Out
In some cases, having a test run could help the party go off without a hitch especially if you’re feeling nervous. You could use the test run to confirm the best routes to the party or to factor in any obstacles that could get in the way.
12. Relax Yourself!
If the surprise doesn’t go as planned, try not to let it get to you. When a host is visibly stressed out or annoyed, the guests are able to sense it and that could bring down the vibe of the party. Instead, remember that it’s the thought that counts—the guest of honour will appreciate all of your hard work. Most importantly, it’s party time…so have fun!
Get in touch with Bahamia Rental today so that we can make planning your next surprise party a great success.
Have you ever had an epic surprise party thrown for you? What was your experience like?
