Surprise birthday parties are great fun for every birthday boy or girl, but it is probably one of the most challenging accomplishments for the person trying to pull off the big event. Take it from someone who has been on the receiving end of a surprise birthday party before.  When you walk in the door and all of your closest family and friends all scream SURPRISE! at the same time, it can be a joyful experience. However, the big moment can fall flat if the guest of honor is made aware of the plans in advance.  Read this blog to make sure all of your hard work pays off and your cover doesn’t get blown.

 Planning a surprise party for milestone birthdays, such as 16, 21, or 40 is a bad idea.  The more eventful the birthday, the more people will be expecting a surprise party.  To keep them off guard, plan a surprise party for their 15th, 20th, or 39th birthday instead.  They will be expecting something simple, but the unknowing surprise will make them feel special.

Loose-lipped people can destroy the surprise before you even have a chance to salvage the mission.  Some people were just born without the skill of keeping a secret and are left without any friends because of so many parties they have ruined.  Hold off inviting these people just before the event takes place (I’m talking a couple of minutes before the party begins).

Planning a surprise party can be very tricky if you live with the person you are planning the party for.  To get over this hump, make all of the plans at work or at a close friend’s house.  Because of Facebook and other social media outlets, it is easier to keep the surprise a secret.  Rather than hiding phone calls, create a Facebook Event page and block the person from the page.  This is an easier way to invite people and inform them of what is going on.

When the day of the party arrives, you need to keep the guest of honor occupied so that you can make the final preparations such as food, decorations, and getting the guests there on time.  Have a relative or close friend take the guest of honor out for the morning and afternoon while you set things up.  This can be as easy as taking them on a trip to the movies or the mall for a couple of hours.  Before the festivities start, exchange text messages with the person who is occupying the guest of honor.  This will keep you informed on how much time you have left to get things done.  Timing is everything involving the entrance to the surprise party.  A key to a successful entrance is to make sure the party guests get there before the guest of honor.  Yelling the word SURPRISE is way cooler if there are more than five people there.

Want to make a successful surprise party and need some ideas?  Consider Tents and Events!  Get in touch with this premier tent rental company in Philadelphia today, to hear more about what they have to offer!