How to plan a surprise party for DH?? I don't know where to start

[ByThePowerOfGreyskull]

any tips advice gratefully recieved.

I have decided that it is the one thing that he really would love and not expect.

I think I want to do it here at the house, then he will feel comfortable in his own surroundings.

would it be wierd to ask early arrivers to meet at our neighbours house and then come when I take him to the pub for a drink?

or would it be nicer for people to drip feed arrival so he gets to see everyone and the whole thing unfolds slowly to him??

how do I organise food/drink/invites accomodation etc??

HELP I love the idea but not sure about the exocution (sp?)

It depends on what he is like.

The bit where lots of people shout 'surprise!' is probably more fun for you than for him.

I know if someone organised a suprise party for me I would prefer people to arrive slowly so I got a chance to talk to all of them.

You could get the first few to say 'we just thought we'd pop round ot say happy birthday' and the next to say 'what a coincidence, we were driving past and thought we would come and say happy birthday'... etc

I think he would prefer the drip feed,

Was hoping to get some of his oldest friends to come but they live a long way away, how do I get them here without him twigging?

Surely you need to contrive some expedition for you and DH, or DH and another friend or relative during the time the guests are arriving, and then bring him back home to a full house of guests. So it's your DH who is out of the house, rather than your guests.

Although you'll know whether your DH would prefer the slow burn surprise of a drip drip drip of guests, or a big room of people shouting "surprise!". Personally I think the big room full of people is fun!

Re invites - you just invite people and tell them it's a surprise and not to tell DH!

Are you thinking day time or evening?

I think you need to rope in some co-conspiritors to help out with the logistics.

Re food - I think you need to get him out of the house for a period of time to allow the co-conspiritors to arrive with food.

All sounds very exciting! My DH still remembers the time when I got his parents and brother & his wife, and sister to meet us in a cafe near where we live, on his birthday, as a surprise, which to be honest wasn't a big deal, but he really liked it as he wasn't expecting it!

thanks wigeon.!! Am getting excited about planning it all

If you have people coming from far away then it is definitely easier to gather thenm all in the house whil ehe is out of the house.

You'll need someone to either take him away from the house while you organise the guests, or to organise the house while you take him away.

A big room full of people is fun. I did it for DH's 50th. He was expecting to have a small family dinner at his sister's restaurant. Instead he walked in to 100 people shouting SURPRISE!!!! at him Thankfully we have photos of the occasion, so I did get to see the look on his face (I was so nervous about it I was shaking like a leaf).

If you want to do it at your house, then you'd best get a friend of his to take him out somewhere - for a good few hours - while you prepare all the decorations, food, drink, etc.

Send invites out but make sure you use a private email address for replies (don't want anyone leaving a message on your home phone sending their apologies).

It is a really exciting thing to do. You'll love it and he'll really appreciate it. When's his birthday?

I used this site for the invitations. They were brilliant and you could design it all online.

If you're having the party at your house, think about where all the guests are going to park.

end of november - looking at first weekend in december so I want to talk to people now!

I have a private gmail account so can keep things separate from home address. and will leave my mobile no on invites so home phone shouldn't be used.

need to make a list of things to do!!

Ok...nice time of the year to have a party but be prepared for the date to clash with some people's Christmas parties. DH's b'day is in July and I had quite a few people who couldn't make it because of holidays.

Things to do...

List of attendees - ask friends/family of his to think of possible people too. It's likely that there will be some people who you won't know/would just miss out.

If you have lots of people coming from afar, go to a couple of local hotels and see if you can get a good room rate.

Send out invites (specify a date for RSVPs. I hate people who don't respond)

Plan music/entertainment

Plan food & drink

You could do a memory book type thing and get friends & family to contribute with old memories/photos/etc.

fab - thanks!!!

how do I make it clear that it is an adult only invitation..

eekk!! (know it is a MN hot debate)

That sounds like you need a whole new thred just to answer that question...