How To Plan A Memorable Birthday Surprise

There’s almost nothing better than throwing an amazing birthday party or quinceañera for a loved one, except pulling off a fabulous birthday surprise party! The anticipation of your loved one’s arrival, the adrenaline while hiding the guests, their initial shock turning into recognition and delight, and the joyous party that follows. 

Sounds unforgettable, right? 

However, a well-executed surprise party can be tricky to organize. If you don’t know how to plan a surprise birthday party, do not fear–we’ve got some great tips and tricks to help you plan the best celebration possible! Below is our checklist of vital considerations to keep in mind when preparing for the big day.

Keeping the Surprise a Secret

There is a pretty obvious key word in “surprise birthday party.” (which so happens to be one of the most difficult tasks in the whole venture!) Trying to make sure none of the party guests spill the beans before the big surprise moment can be tough, but you can do a few things to ensure your loved one stays in the dark until the proper moment. 

One of the most important things you can do to prevent the dreaded accidental reveal is to make sure the guests know it’s a surprise. This may sound obvious, but as you may know, people don’t always read things very carefully or follow directions diligently, so a few reminders won’t hurt. To prevent someone from spoiling the birthday surprise, here are a few things you can do:

• Put “SURPRISE” in the subject line or event name
• Only provide your own contact information for RSVPs
• Hide all online and social media events from the guest of honor 
• Ask guests to arrive early
• Greet your guests at the venue

The Venue

Another key part of planning any party is finding the right place to host everyone. To better inform your venue-picking decision, the first thing you’re going to want to figure out is how many people you want to invite. If you don’t mind being surrounded by strangers that aren’t attending the party, then a reservation at a restaurant or bar may suffice. Or maybe you want to keep things intimate and host it in your own home. But if you really want to create a special experience, you should look into booking an event venue.

Surrounded by the beautiful mountainscape of North San Diego County, our event venues at The Centre Escondido are more than worth checking out. Whether you want to party outside under the stars or sun, or in a beautiful indoor space, we’ve got it all! Whether you want an intimate affair or something a bit larger, we have a multitude of spaces to fit your needs. Plus, our amazing and experienced event team will be there to help create the most smooth, successful birthday surprise possible. 

The Decorations

Whether you’re planning a quinceañera and need the perfect theme or are throwing Grandpa a super special 80th-year birthday bash, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the endless birthday surprise ideas out there on the internet. You want the event to look and feel great, how do you know which birthday decorations are the right one for your party?

If you want to have a cohesive theme to inform the decorations for your party, one thing you can do to get your ideas flowing is make a list of your loved one’s favorite things. What’s their favorite movie? Band? What do they like to do on weekends? Did they have a funny childhood obsession? What makes them laugh? Do they like dressing up and feeling classy?

Of course, you can always stick with one of the tried-and-true party themes like a Pajama Party, Funny Hat Party, a Black and White Ball, or a certain decade like 70s Disco or 80s Retro. Or if you want something less elaborate, it can be super helpful to choose something simple like a color-scheme. Another great method is evoking a certain kind of environment like a beach or a meadow. This will help ensure all of your decorations are cohesive and creative.

Food & Activities

It may seem obvious, but it is worth saying that the food you choose to serve should reflect the guest of honor’s favorites. Some things you may want to consider when planning the menu are the time of day of the event and how many people will be attending. If you want to keep things simple, maybe you opt for a fun dessert table. Who doesn’t love a chocolate fountain and a birthday cake?! Or if you want to go more classy, charcuterie boards are trendy, easy to make and all the rage right now. However, if you’re looking to do something a bit more elaborate, looking into catering companies or restaurants that cater may be a good idea. 

At The Centre, we’ve taken catering into our own hands. Our award-winning, in-house Vintana catering team is here to create the ultimate birthday spread. From delicious California cuisine to an unforgettable, luxurious wine list, Vintana can take your food experience to the next level. 

The birthday venue you choose will definitely influence the activities accessible for the party. If your venue has a dance floor, hiring a live band or a DJ never fails to pump up the party. If you’re hosting somewhere outdoors, team-building games like cornhole or a scavenger hunt can be fun and entertaining. But regardless of where you are, remember that everyone will want to mingle and chat so make sure there is space for that!

Relax & Enjoy

Last, but certainly not least, is: take a deep breath and remember to enjoy the party you spent so much time and energy to make special! Your loved one is going to appreciate your thoughtfulness and effort tenfold. We would love to help make your perfect birthday surprise a reality, so do not hesitate to check out The Centre Escondido’s many venues and amazing event planning team at our website.