LIFE

 

If there’s one thing that you anticipate nearly as much as your own birthday, it’s your best friend’s birthday. BFFs are there for the ups and downs of everyday life, so when it’s time to celebrate your favorite gal pal, why not throw a surprise party? If you aren't a good secret keeper, telling little white lies to your bestie can be tough (and scary) but it'll be *so* worth it when it’s all said, done and surprised!

There's a lot that goes into throwing a surprise party so if you’re totally lost, ask yourself this question first: What would you want your own surprise party to be like? Then, gear it toward your BFF’s taste and you’ve got yourself the perfect celebration. If you’re still stuck on the how-to’s, check out these tips to turning a dream surprise party into reality.

Get together a squad of planners.
First and foremost you’re going to need help. No great party was ever planned alone. While your ideas can rock the socks off of your BFF, there will be a limit to your creativity. That’s when you’ll want to seek the ideas and input of other friends and some family. Choosing a group of people that are close to the birthday girl is key. Be sure to include siblings and other best friends as much as you can.

Decide on the type of party.
Would your bestie prefer a surprise sleepover full of  rom-coms and sweets? If she’s a social butterfly, you might want to consider something more public and co-ed. Maybe she’s talked party planning before. Try to remember what she said she would do. If you’re unsure, you can subtly try to ask her something like, “What do you plan on doing for your birthday this year?” It will allow her to think aloud about what she’d like to do. 

Maybe she’ll say she prefers a quiet night in or she might want be adventurous. You’ll have your answer right there in her response. She’ll also get in the mindset that she’s throwing her own party but little does she know...

Pick a theme.
Every party, big or small, needs a theme. While super specific and flashy parties are great, don’t get discouraged if you can’t make that happen. Planning an all pink and gold party is just as awesome as a beach-themed bash. Wrapping her gifts in pink paper and gold bows, having pink cupcakes with edible glitter and balloons out the wazoo are all *adorbs* ways to keep with the color theme.

Make a guest list & decide how to send invites.
While mailed invitations are always a fun and traditional way to invite friends to a birthday party, it’s expensive and time consuming. The task of obtaining cute invitations, addresses and stamps is a hassle. Who even wants to have that party job? Social media or group chatting are both great ways to add people to a group invitation. Provide all of the details through updated statuses and texts. Don’t forget to make it private, though.

Be ready to lie a little.
Your biggest asset to keeping this a secret is to be prepared with plenty of fibs. She’s going to want to do something for her birthday. Ideally, you’ll have a plan of action when she starts to ask about who is available to celebrate. Strategizing should entail a group of girls who are totally (fake) unavailable the evening she’d like to celebrate. Excuses like “My parents made plans for the family that night,” or “I have to babysit my siblings,” are great ways to keep her surprised. Also, make sure her parents know about the plan so they can tag along with the fibbing. 

Note: Don’t all come up with the same excuse. Suspicions will rise!

Throwing your best friend the greatest surprise birthday party she never saw coming can easily be pulled off. All it takes is a ton of trickery and silly string! Oh, and don’t forget the video camera. She’ll want to see that later.

Have you ever thrown a surprise birthday party? Let us know below!

by Gabby Regalbuto | 4/20/2019