Nothing quite compares to the thrill of completely amazing your loved one with a surprise party of epic proportions! But the journey to get there is often full of its own surprises — and complications. Instead of letting the party planning catch you off guard, follow this surprise party guide to help it come together perfectly!
Surprise Party FAQs:
Are surprise parties a good idea?
If the person you are planning to surprise enjoys unexpected surprises, then absolutely! It all depends on who you’re throwing a party for.
How do you pull off a surprise party?
The key to a successful surprise party is keeping it a surprise! Plan every detail in advance, assign someone the task of creating decoy plans with the guest of honor,, and decide exactly how you’ll surprise the guest of honor when they arrive!
What time should a surprise party start?
Plan the surprise party at a time that won’t seem suspicious to the guest of honor. Make sure the guests arrive well in advance of the guest of honor. Give yourself more buffer time than you need, in case a guest arrives late!
Our 12-Step Surprise Party Guide:
1. Decide If a Surprise Party is What They’ll Want
Some people love surprises! But others, not so much. Try to get a sense of where the person you’re surprising falls on that spectrum (without spoiling the surprise, of course). If you’re unsure where they stand and don’t want to spoil the fun by asking, think about their personality. Is your friend more easygoing, or do they prefer control and structure? Surprise parties are the lifeblood of go-with-the-flow types, but they can be a serious source of anxiety for anyone who likes more stability and structure.
2. Create a Party Planning Committee
There’s strength in numbers, and a helping hand can go a long way toward relieving party-planning stress! Get together a small group of people who care about the guest of honor and are just as excited as you are to do something special for them.
Delegate responsibilities to each person so everyone has a job to do and nothing is overlooked! Committee jobs might include:
- Surprise Supervisor: The main point person.
- Hospitable Host: Holds the surprise party at their house or coordinates with the venue.
- Diligent Decorator: Responsible for all of the decorations per the theme.
- Frugal Financier: Manages the budget and makes sure everything is covered financially.
- Creative Caterer: Plans all food and beverages, whether catered, cooked or otherwise.
- Errand-runner Extraordinaire: Runs errands and performs tasks for other committee members as needed, especially day-of.
- RSVP Regulator: Manages guest list, sends out invitations, and keeps track of RSVPs.
- Guest-of-Honor Guide: Makes fake plans with the guest of honor to throw them off the scent and keep them busy, then ensures they arrive at the party on time!
Invite everyone who has agreed to help make the surprise party happen to the group chat platform of your choice.
3. Pick a Theme
The best surprise parties have a fun theme to make them pop! You can go simple and classic with brightly colored streamers and balloons, but this is your chance to consider what your guest of honor enjoys and celebrate them with a theme they’ll go nuts over.
If you’re looking for fun party ideas, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got everything you need to make your surprise party unforgettably exciting! But more on that later.
4. Figure Out Your Budget
Decide what your budget is long before you start buying decorations and booking vendors! Creating a budget for each item will make it easier for the whole planning team, especially if the cost is being split evenly or covered by just a couple of people.
5. Choose a Date, Time, and Location
Decide exactly when and where the surprise party will happen. If the location is a venue, be sure to book availability and figure out how you will surprise the guest of honor there. Pick a time that won’t be suspicious to the guest of honor, and ensure guests know when they should arrive (well before the guest of honor is scheduled to arrive).
7. Plan the Menu
Think about what food will look like. A buffet-style selection of snacks and beverages is a great way to go, but you might also consider a sit-down or catered meal if that’s more your guest of honor’s style!
8. Brainstorm Activities
Match activities to the theme and think about what your guest of honor loves to do. Rent their favorite movies, set up some video games, or prepare fun on-theme. If they are a fan of getting active, have a dance party or rent an obstacle course to help them connect with their inner child! Some of our favorites for all ages include:
Make sure any activities you plan are hidden from sight if you want the guest of honor to be surprised when they walk in the door.
9. Schedule Vendors
Contact and book all vendors you will need for the event, and make sure their arrival time is even earlier than when guests arrive so everything can be set and ready before it’s time to entertain everyone. Here are some things you might need to rent or purchase:
- Activity rentals (like our obstacle courses)
- Tables and chairs
- A party tent
- Catering
- Decorations
- Entertainment
10. Create a Shopping List
Organize a shopping list of everything you need to purchase separately from booked vendors. This may include food and beverages, decorations, and cleaning supplies. Don’t forget to delegate! Give each person on the team a section of the shopping list to bring if it’s too much for one person to do solo.
11. Send Invitations
With all the details in place, it’s time to send those invites! Cute paper invitations can be fun, but be sure to mail them with plenty of time. Another option is a private digital invitation (lots of great sites are available!) that the guest of honor is not able to see. Just make it clear to everyone you invite that it’s a surprise so they don’t accidentally ruin it!
12. Prepare to Get the Party Started!
Now that everything is decided and coordinated, it’s time to execute your mission! Keep communication strong with the planning committee and guests, and do whatever it takes to throw the guest of honor off the scent.
And when you’re ready to book vendors and snag some epic Kansas City party rentals, give us a call!
