Every year, millions of people all over the country throw surprise parties for their friends, but not everyone knows how to plan one perfectly. Here are some expert tips for planning your next surprise party, so it can be full of fun and surprises.
Decide On A Theme
Before assembling your team, take some time alone to carefully consider your options. What’s the occasion? Who is the person being celebrated? Is this a special birthday or a milestone anniversary? You need to have an idea of what you want before sharing it with others because all members will have ideas and opinions.
For example, if it’s a child’s birthday party, you probably don’t want to hire an inflatable bouncy castle because it might be too much. Come up with the most suitable theme for your occasion, and surprise everyone with how closely you’ve paid attention.
Organize Your Team
The first step in planning a surprise party is to assemble your team, also known as a hand-picked group of the most experienced and trustworthy planners, according to experts. Remember that not everyone has what it takes to pull off a surprise party or even enjoy them. Gather together an enthusiastic group of individuals who are willing to put forth the necessary effort for success. Once you have your team assembled, keep them in the dark and only reveal the big plan to a select few.
You might find yourself pressed for time if all members of your cabal are busy with other tasks during the pre-party preparations. It’s important to have a backup plan in case the original team of planners becomes unavailable for any unforeseen reason. On the day of your event, you’ll be tired and nervous, so it’s important to have a contingency plan in place. Have backup music or emergency costumes prepared just in case something doesn’t go as planned.
Plan The Food And Drinks
While the rest of your team is busy setting up, you should be responsible for preparing refreshments and appetizers. Keep in mind the time of day, the type of cake you ordered, and if there are any special dietary considerations. This is not the time for a cake that has been sitting in a case all morning or a cake that everyone can’t eat because of allergies. You can make arrangements for cake delivery in Singapore ahead of time if you are planning to celebrate there.
Also, stick to simple foods that are easy to enjoy while mingling with others, and don’t forget drinks. It is important to have plenty of drinks available, especially if you’re hoping for people to stay until late at night. No one wants to get thirsty during their surprise party.
Make Your Guest List
Once you know what kind of surprise party you need, it is time to assemble the guest list. Gathering this information will give you some insight into how big or small your event should be. However, err on the larger size is recommended when in doubt, instead of risking running out of space for guests or food or having people make multiple trips to the bar. As they like to say in this business, “expect the unexpected” (just in case). Be sure to include your people, such as the planners and your spouse (if you’re married).
Decide On The Activities
While you have the dancers, magicians, acrobatics troupe, etc. on deck to provide entertainment, there’s no need for them to stand around all day; they need something else to do. Brainstorming with your team about different activities ensures that guests will remain occupied and entertained until it is time for cake and gifts (and maybe even a little bit after). Some great ideas include: taking polaroid pictures of guests or having them make masks; offering DIY crafts; playing charades; and getting everyone involved in a game of hungry hippos.
Be open-minded and consider all possibilities for error or malfunction; don’t let anything get in your way. Remember that this surprise party isn’t about perfection, instead, it’s an ideal opportunity to take everyone by surprise with your creativity (and maybe even involve some confetti). If something goes wrong, be ready to adapt and overcome by remaining calm and courteous instead of getting angry or frustrated.
Don’t Forget The Decorations
If you want your surprise party to look cooler, you can have created personalized inflatable products matching the theme and its colors. The designs of inflatables might be of any shape and size you want. Matching the inflatable to the celebrant’s dress, his/her favorite brand, character or maybe an animal, would be a great idea. The key is to think of any possibilities beforehand and choose the most relevant one that’ll be appreciated by them.
For the cake and food to be a surprise, you need to take care of any decorations that would spoil the fun. It is up to you if you want to leave fancy cake decorations in place or if it is time to remove cake decorations. For example, consider using custom mold tips that can guide you in creating unique and eye-catching molded treats or decorations. These tips will help you achieve the best results with your custom molds, ensuring that your party treats are delicious and visually appealing, leaving a lasting impression on your guests. You can also take care of all other decorations in advance and make sure they are ready to go before guests arrive. If you ordered party supplies online, you may want to leave them wrapped for now.
Plan The Playlist
If you’re planning to use music, put together a playlist of happy songs that go with the theme of your party. Also, it is good to be ready for any special requests or lulls in music so that you can fill them in when they come up. You can make a list for this or hire someone to handle these things on their own, such as a DJ. However, how you handle your playlist is up to you and will be unique to this event. Some people like to improvise based on the situation, while others prefer a more detailed strategy. Either way can work but do not leave these things until just before the party starts.
Initiate the Party
With all other tasks taken care of, it is time to plan out the big moment. All members should gather in a central “surprise location” where they can coordinate their efforts anonymously and without distraction. Before your designated guest(s) arrive, introduce yourself to your other guests and get ready to make history. Once everyone has arrived, make an excuse for turning up the music or whatever else needs adjusting. When you say go, “it’s time” your entertainment will have begun while you lead others in a chorus of happy birthday/congratulations/etc.
Planning a surprise party takes careful consideration, and the best way to be prepared is to have a good idea of what you want to do. Whether it’s hiring dancers or photo booth “wrap-around” service, planning will help you avoid problems that could otherwise ruin your big moment. As always, be flexible with things because there are going to be some curveballs thrown along the way. In the end, make sure everyone has a great time and enjoys themselves. After all, this was all planned for them.
