It was Caleb's birthday on July 17th, so we (his parents and I) decided to throw him a surprise birthday cookout! The planning was pretty simple - steaks and some appetizers, and lots of beer/wine. The guest list was pretty small, we didn't have the manpower to feed a ton of people, and a few of Caleb's good friends weren't able to make it to the island. So, 2 days before his birthday I told him I wanted to take him out to dinner, and have some wine on the beach beforehand. I attempted to blindfold him on the ride so he wasn't sure what beach we were going to go to, but he annoyingly knew every turn we took. However, he was a good sport and left the blindfold (which was actually my sweatshirt wrapped around his head) on, and humored me until we got onto the beach. What a great boyfriend I have. When we walked onto the beach, I let him take the blindfold off, which is when he realized everyone was waiting to surprise him with good food and drinks. The party was great, and Caleb had absolutely no idea! Now, to share a few tips for planning an amazing surprise, and a few photos from the cookout!
Some delicious shish-kebabs that Caleb's mom put together!
A few guests enjoying the party! Caleb's mother is on the left, and my mom is in the dress!
Caleb and I
Squinty!
And now for the tips!
1. Make sure to think of EVERYTHING. Food, drinks, guests, place, time, and of course, how to get the guest of honor there!
2. If you slip up at all, be very careful and simple with your coverup! If you make a complicated story you are bound to lose track of the details.
3. Think of a backup plan - just in case. Especially if your surprise party is outdoors, weather can change everything.
4. Bring a camera! You definitely want to have someone capture the surprise in action.
5. Don't do it alone! Planning a party (especially a surprise) is difficult to plan and execute alone.
6. Have fun! If you try and think of everything, and keep it simple, there is no way they will find out!
