“Look Jim!”I laughed. “We don’t have to take you out for your birthday dinner, there’s a barbeque right here.”Jim reached for the latch, and opened the door at the Angle Armoury Building. The building erupted in a chorus at the same time. “Happy Anniversary!”I was stunned and instantly looked over to Jim, who still held the door open. Jim looked back at me. Then, a woman shouted from within. “Gordon and Trish!”
Trish and me were stunned and completely baffled! It was our surprise to learn that so many of our friends and relatives had come together for our celebrations.ThIt’s our wedding anniversary It was a blur. We had to take several moments to realize that we weren’t going out for Jim, our son-in law’s birthday celebration.
They managed to pull off this surprise party without Trish or I being even the slightest bit concerned that there was something going on. These are the facts as it happened. You may find this a helpful template to help you plan your surprise party for any occasion, such as a birthday celebration, coming home celebration, or wedding anniversary.
The Idea
Amanda, Amanda’s eldest daughter, came up with the idea to plan our 30th birthday.ThKimberly and Melissa, her twin sisters in the military approached Kimberly and Melissa to discuss their wedding. Kimberly who serves in the military suggested they use Kelowna’s Angle Armoury as the venue. She had both access to the building and the bar. If you are looking for an unexpected party idea, share it with your family or friends. These people may have the ability to help organize your surprise party or suggest the best venue.
The Distraction
They discussed how Trish and I could accept a distracting or ruse. Amanda was married to Jim on May 18.ThThat date was selected for the celebration. This date was an ideal diversion to the event and would have negated any plans for him celebrating his birthday. Our 30 year olds are a great example of this.ThWedding anniversary is June 2,ndIt was never in our thoughts. There would not be any suspicions and there would never be red flags. We should be celebrating Jim’s birthday. Viable distractions are great and don’t indicate anything unusual. It will pay off if you consider the planned event more important than the missed birthday party. You can also have a second celebration to celebrate the birthday that was missed.
The Plan
As Amanda, Kimberly and Melissa live in the Chilliwack/Vancouver, B.C. All the planning and execution of the landmark anniversary celebration took place in Vancouver. Amanda called Uncle Marvin (who is Gordon’s older brother, and Uncle Ron is Trish’s younger brother-in law) and asked them to speak at the event. After the location was found, a cousin brought food to the event. The couple was contacted by the girls via phone, who called their longtime friends, family members, and others. They were asked by Jim’s coworker, from a bakery they used together, and Trish’s wife to bake the cookies.ThAn anniversary cake
An exhaustive list should be made of all the tasks that need to be completed for events like these. If possible, it is essential to create a committee to help you accomplish your goal. The arrangements should be managed by the original person responsible, which is usually the one who came up with the idea. At the first meeting, the different tasks of arranging food and drinks should all be delegated. It is important to communicate between members of the committee so that everyone who was invited responds with a yes or a no. It is important that the catering company, potluck or catered, confirms the delivery of the cake and food on the scheduled date. As items are added to the checklist, the Chairman of Special Event Committee should review them. One last meeting of the committee should take place before the event, via videoconference or face-to-face. This will ensure that every detail is covered.
Pre-Event Planning
Jim, Amanda, and Phoenix, our three daughters arrived on Friday, the day before Saturday’s event. Trish and Amanda made arrangements for Trish to take the kids to the Grand Ten in Kelowna. Jim and his daughters were able to take a break from their normal routine and look through our photo albums. Ron also provided additional photos to be used for an audio-visual display or static display. The decorations were up. Lonnie, another cousin called people who were interested in organizing the potluck food that they would each bring to the event. Lonnie contacted people who were willing to help her make salads and cook, as well as those that would bring desserts or baked goods. Gary was asked by another cousin to bring his barbecue to the event. His job was to prepare the meat and serve it to all guests.
Trish, Trish, and I cleaned the golf course’s offices that night. Amanda suggested that Trish and I take our great-granddaughter along for the task. During the 3-hour time that Amanda was away Amanda produced stills from and photographs taken in our family album, wedding album, and other albums. Uncle Ron also assisted with this project. Amanda had asked Trish and myself a while before the wedding what the title of our first dance song was. It was. “Fools Rush in”By Elvis Presley. The slide presentation used that song as its audio.
Day of the Event
Our May 18th morning was filled with delicious bacon, eggs and toast. It was Jim’s birthday so we had to get up early for breakfast. This was something that my wife and I both cherished. Jim and me drove just a few miles to Summerland to play 18 rounds of golf. I was able to enjoy the green fee payment. Jim received it as a birthday gift. Jim lost the game for me. But, we still had a lot of fun.
Jim and I went golfing while the actual event was being planned at Kelowna’s Angle Armoury. Decorations were made, there was a place for photos and other memorabilia, video/audio equipment was connected and tested, and then the bakers brought the delicious 30th Wedding Anniversary Cake. There was also a table set up for refreshments and finger food. Finally, our nephew set up the grill right outside the main entryway. Kimberly was our daughter who managed the Angle Armoury’s set-up. To avoid being identified as belonging to relatives or close friends, guests were requested to park vehicles no more than a block away from the Angle Armoury venue. This is extremely important.
Jim and I had an early dinner when we returned from our trip. Naturally, we did not want to ruin Jim’s appetite for his birthday dinner at a lovely restaurant in Kelowna. Trish made the announcement to Amanda. “Rayn (Jim and Amanda’s daughter) can help me bake a birthday cake for Jim.” Amanda replied. “No, Jim doesn’t want a birthday cake.”Trish replied. “We got to have a birthday cake for Jim!”Amanda accepted. “OK, but just a small cake.”Trish and Rayn then gathered all the ingredients and began assembling them. Rayn (8 years old at the time) mentioned that Jim would be celebrating his birthday with other family members. That revelation nearly led to the cat getting out the bag. Amanda quickly retorted. “No, Rayn doesn’t know what she is talking about.”Trish replied. “Well, we just have to make a bigger cake!” Amanda acquiesced. “OK Mom, go ahead, but really, we don’t need a bigger cake! So Trish and Rayn made a bigger cake.
Even though this was a very stressful turn of events for Amanda, not realizing that an 8 year old could innocently spill the beans, and spoil the surprise element of the party. She coolly deflected her daughter’s comment in a convincing manner that gave Trish no reason to doubt her. Nevertheless, that was a close call!
At around 4:30 p.m. we all got nicely dressed up, and headed out the door to head to Kelowna for Jim’s birthday dinner. There was one last hook, to avoid any suspicion from Trish or me. Kimberly had made arrangements for our group to stop on the way to dinner for Jim to come in to the Angle Armoury to play a new military war game on their simulator. When we arrived there Trish wanted to stay in the vehicle while the rest of us would go in to watch Jim play the game. Amanda casually coerced her mom to come in. “You don’t have to be a mom, just come by and see it. This is pretty awesome!” Trish relented and thankfully joined us for an amazing celebration that we will never forget!
Summary
Planning a surprise birthday, milestone-wedding anniversary, retirement or special event celebration party, is no easy task. You need a dedicated team with diverse skills. To begin with, a good leader, either yourself or one who is capable and experienced, must be able to plan the event to the last detail, and follow it through to the moment the party yells “Surprise!”
1) Plan around an authentic celebration such as a birthday. So no one will lie about the celebration. They won’t think that someone is doing something behind the subjects they are honoring. You don’t want to raise suspicion about the subject/s.
2) Establish a small committee. It is difficult and delicate to delegate the tasks. Asking members of the committee for their suggestions is a smart thing to do.
2) Choose a date for the event. Consider the cost of the event and how it will be funded. You should find and book the right venue to host your event. A larger space will be needed if you need to cook or hire a caterer. You can have finger food or pastries in a small meeting room. Contact your friends or colleagues who can assist you in finding a suitable venue or providing decorations and catering, or other assistance. These services and items may be offered at no cost or for a discounted price.
Create a guest list. You should confirm the attendance of your guests by following up after food has been prepared, ordered and catered. You will be able to determine the exact number of attendees.
5) Entertainment that is recorded or live must be scheduled and booked. It will take approximately one hour for live music groups to setup their equipment and tune their instruments. For disc jockeys, it will take between 30 minutes and an hour to put together their equipment. They will also need to take time to gather photos and create the video, along with the music, for the official part of the party. For this project, they will need to have at least two weeks notice.
A team member must contact the attendees who own these memorabilia to organize their displays. It will also take many weeks to collect these items.
Group members will need to agree on food and drinks. A team member must either request quotes from a caterer or ask people who will be attending the event for a hot or cold dish. In the event of duplicate items, the responsible team member may ask another potluck participant to bring another food item.
For the best event flow and audience engagement, speeches during formal events should not exceed five minutes.
During the planning and execution of an event, there will be many details. While some of these details are expected, others will not be. They will all be expected, but the leader must be ready to handle them as they arise.
Finally, everyone needs to discuss and understand how and when the honored couple will arrive at the venue. If they are arriving in their own car, will they be traveling with others? This strategic party arrival strategy will not be implemented flawlessly. The failure will cause the following: This event could be a surprise. If there is no one to look out for, someone will alert someone via walkie-talkie or cellular phone. This person will have ample time to get the inside contact to help prepare party attendees (when they open the door), to shout in unison. Surprise!