By a Pro: Surprise Party Activities by a Professional

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03 creating atmosphere

activities keep the energy up and atmosphere lively

On a practical level, activities help shape a party’s atmosphere.
One often overlooked element of party planning—that professionals play close attention to—is the importance of circulation and flow.
Keeping people moving, so they explore different areas, mingle with other guests, and discover new things is a key ingredient in ensuring a party has a lively and fun atmosphere.
The alternative, where the layout forces guests to stay static in one area—clustered in corners and chatting only with the people they came with—makes for a low energy and often dull party.
It’s why people often dread seated dinners; because when you sit down, the energy goes down, and you end up stuck next to the same two people for long periods.
So, spreading a few interactive elements around the venue encourages people to circulate and explore, which keeps the energy up, and the atmosphere lively.
Not to mention they can be a handy excuse for people to extract themselves from any awkward conversations!

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fun facts balloons

Hang photos with ‘fun facts you may not know about the guest of honor’ from helium balloons to entertain guests

Photos and 'Fun Facts' about the guest of honor hanging from helium balloon strings used as party room decorations

fantastic finds

great Ideas i wish i’d thought of…

Check out this great idea below from Marta Dansie of Marta Writes

the idea

fun facts garland banners

Personalize your party decorations and entertain guests with garland banners highlighting fun facts about the guest of honor

surprise birthday fun facts about the birthday boy/girl garland banner decorations hanging from tree at garden party

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FUN FACTS FILLED BALLOONS

Fill balloons with ‘fun facts you may not know about the guest of honor’ and encourage guests to pop to reveal

Fun facts filled 'Pop Me' balloons for a surprise party

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a YEAR TO REMEMBER

Entertain party guests by decorating with printable signs listing fun facts and trivia about the year the guest of honor was born

birthday facts and trivia sign about year you were born displayed on an easel at a surprise party

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photo collage sign

Entertain guests by placing a photo collage showing the guest of honor at different stages of their life on welcome desks or bars

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04 bringing everyone together

SHARED EXPERIENCES CREATE BONDING

Aim to have at least one point in the evening where you bring everyone together as a group.
A shared experience—especially one that places the couple at the center—is a subtle way to unite all the different groups present; family, friends, co-workers etc, and recognize them collectively as one group; people who are all important to the guest of honor.
Whether it’s something as simple as:
a welcome speech; where everyone is acknowledged and thanked for coming,
an entertaining toast (or even a roast!); where guests share funny stories and poignant memories,
or a sentimental photo / video slideshow; where you celebrate their life so far in pictures (a favorite of mine as they often bring a tear to the eye!)
Creating a moment that everyone shares helps people bond.
I recommend doing something like this earlier in the party—once you’re sure everyone has arrived.
People love to feel included, to be part of a group, and you’ll find there’s usually a much better sense of connection and cohesion among party guests following a shared group experience.
It encourages people to drop their guard and will help get the party off to a great start.

a simple example

I read about a dinner party where the host decided to make a quick speech once everyone had arrived, to explain why she’d felt motivated to bring them all together.
She explained that there had simply been so much stressful news in the country that particular week that she knew just seeing their faces would be reassuring.
She told her guests that it made her feel connected and grounded seeing them, and that she was grateful they could all just gather around the dinner table together on a blustery night.
Her simple, honest, and touching speech prompted all her friends to burst into applause.
People love to feel connected, especially through something authentic or meaningful, and creating a bond encourages more interaction.

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custom piñata

Create a talking point, memorable moment, and photo op for guests to share with a custom piñata resembling the guest of honor

man standing next to a custom pinata of himself

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surprise slideshow

Invite friends, family, and co-workers to contribute photos and videos of the guest of honor to surprise them with an animated slideshow

group of friends watching a backyard slideshow

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thank you speech

Bring guests together and share some of their contributions to activities such as ‘Reasons We Love You’, ‘A Trip Down Memory Lane’, and ‘Bucket List Suggestions’