How to Throw a Surprise Birthday Party

Co-authored by Natasha Miller

Last Updated: September 16, 2022 Approved

Surprise birthday parties can be fun, exciting, and memorable for the guest of honor. For the party planner, surprise parties can be a considerable amount of work. It takes a lot of planning to determine logistics and to organize a celebration, all while trying to keep the element of surprise. With some diligent planning, you can seamlessly pull off an entertaining and enjoyable surprise party.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Planning the Logistics

1
Determine if your honoree will react well to a surprise. Not all people react well to something unexpected. so before planning a surprise party consider how your guest of honor will react. If you are unsure, talk to their close friends or family members to feel out the party idea before proceeding. Also consider whether they enjoy parties or like being the center of attention. Lastly, avoid planning a surprise party for someone who likes to be in charge of hosting their own event.
- Rule out meticulous people who prefer to know details about an event before attending.
- Avoid throwing surprise parties for people who get really excited about birthdays. In your attempt to surprise them, they may think you have forgotten to plan anything and become upset.
- Consider whether the guest has health issues that may result in a negative physical reaction to the shock. ^{[1]
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A trusted confidant is one who will assist you in planning the party and ensuring the element of surprise. They can help to make sure the honoree arrives at the right place at the right time. If you live with the guest of honor, your co-conspirator can help with RSVPs and their house can be used for planning purposes so you do not get caught with evidence. Choose someone close to the guest of honor and someone that you can trust to keep a secret.

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3
Pick the day and time. The most important thing to consider when picking a day and time is the guest of honor’s availability. You will have to secretly find out if they are available on the day and time that you have chosen. You can also choose a date before or after the honoree’s actual birthday, to avoid arousing suspicion. ^{[2]
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- Make sure your honoree is kept busy for a few hours to ensure the element of surprise. A short errand might not give you enough time, in which case you will have to speed up or rush the process.
- To ensure a seamless surprise, make sure to organize the party around the honoree's routine. You will be able to retain the element of surprise by organizing the party around the guest’s typical schedule.
4
Choose the location. When planning where to hold the surprise party, consider your honoree’s favorite places. Is their favorite restaurant available? Would they prefer an indoor or outdoor event? Will you be hosting the party in a private home? It’s easier to coordinate details in a private home setting, but public venues are also great options.
- Choosing a public venue usually means you have less time to easily attend to details, because space is often rented shortly before your event, giving you less time to decorate and prepare.
- When choosing a location, make sure it is easily accessible to your guests.
5

Invite guests. Consider the number of people you would like to invite and then consider with whom the guest of honor would really enjoy celebrating their special day. When contacting guests, phone calls or private Facebook invites work best. This way, information cannot be forwarded to friends who have not been invited, and it cannot be accidentally read by the guest of honor.

EXPERT TIP

Natasha Miller
Event Planner & CEO, Entire Productions
Natasha Miller is an Event Planner, Chief Experience Designer, and President of Entire Productions, an event and entertainment production company based in San Francisco, California. Notable clients Natasha has collaborated with include Apple, Google, Gap, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and Salesforce. Natasha and Entire Productions has been awarded Inc. 5,000's "Fastest Growing Companies in America", Entrepreneur Magazine's 360 List of "Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America." Entire Productions is also a Certified Women Business Enterprise. Natasha is a member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI).

Natasha Miller
Event Planner & CEO, Entire Productions

Expert Trick: Put something like "Shh!" at the top of the invitations. That way, even if guests don't read the whole thing, they'll be able to tell that it's a surprise right away.

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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Making it a Surprise

It is important that guests arrive much earlier than the guest of honor, so if someone is running late, it will not ruin the surprise. Plan for guests to arrive at least 30 minute before the surprisee’s scheduled time of arrival. If someone is running late, advise them to remain in their car until the guest of honor has arrived, to avoid spoiling the surprise. ^{[3]
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This goes for before the party, as well as the day of the party. Store pre-purchased decorative items in a place where the honoree will not accidentally come across them. If you live together in the same home, try storing them at a friend’s house. On the day of the party, avoid highly visible decorations like lights or flashing signs that can easily be seen. Also, avoid decorating the outside of the location with balloons or signs. ^{[4]
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Whether the venue is public or private, tell guests to park cars out of sight to avoid being recognized by the honoree. This is especially important if people have unique or easily recognizable cars or license plates. Encourage carpooling to cut down on the number of cars present. ^{[5]
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4
Avoid telling people that cannot keep a secret. For those who have a difficult time keeping secrets, encourage them to not be in too much contact with the honoree. Avoid telling children until the day of the event, to ensure they do not accidentally spill the beans.
- Talk about their birthday as easily and calmly as possible. This will keep them from becoming suspicious or thinking that everyone has forgotten about their birthday.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Deciding Between Different Reveals

When your honoree arrives, you can jump out and yell "Surprise!" or sing "Happy Birthday", but you can also add to the surprise by making a lot of noise. Give your guests instruments like whistles or shakers, or instruct them to sing or clap when the honoree arrives.
Instead of the traditional surprise approach, have guests walk to the guest of honor, instead of the guest of honor walking into the surprise. Choose a day that appears "typical" to the guest of honor, and instruct your guests to casually walk in one by one. Watch your honoree glow with shock as they see the number of their loved ones arriving to honor them. ^{[6]
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3
Use silly string or water guns. If you are planning an outdoor event, surprise the honoree by showering them with items like silly string, or water from water guns or water balloons. If you are choosing the water option, make sure the party is water-themed so that the guest will dress appropriately; either have on a swimsuit or have a change of clothes handy. ^{[7]
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- Consider your honoree's reaction before taking this route. Some people will not be happy about getting their clothes wet or having their hair covered with silly string.
Begin serving food and drinks ahead of time. This will help detract from some of the spotlight and ease the honoree into the party more easily.

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Community Q&A

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Question

What if my birthday is right before my best friend's?

Community Answer

You say you are going to your party, and then surprise her and have your birthdays together.

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Question

What happens if there are not enough things to do for the party?

Community Answer

Always plan extra games/activities just in case, but you could always ask your guests what they would like to do. Worst case scenario, people get bored.

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Question

Can we yell surprise on the count of "1-2-3"?

Community Answer

Of course! You can come up with whatever timing you like for your surprise.

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Tips

Keep reminding your guests that it is a SURPRISE party. Be sure to tell them up front so all of your hard work is not ruined.

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When considering the dress code, think about what your honoree will likely be wearing the day of the surprise.

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If the surprise is spoiled, do not sweat it. What really counts is the thought and the ability to celebrate with friends and family.

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Warnings

Avoid inviting everyone just to have a larger guest list. Only invite people with whom the guest of honor will be happy to celebrate. For example, if you are throwing a surprise party for your girlfriend, you can invite people who are close to her like friends and coworkers.

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How to Throw a Surprise Birthday Party

Steps

Planning the Logistics

Making it a Surprise

Deciding Between Different Reveals

Community Q&A

Tips

Warnings

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