Ot: Planning a Surprise 30Th Anniversary Party

[jdavis]

OK, so my parents will be having their 30th Anniversary Friday, and I figured I would throw a surprise party for them on Saturday, just couldn't do it on Friday with everyone's schedule, and I am wanting any and all tips anyone has to help me out, I have never planned a surprise anniversary party before, So if anyone has any ideas, tips, or suggestions, or even what you might have tried and didn't work I would appreciate any and all of it. Thanks In Advance.

By the way, I am planning on passing around a couple of 1/4 page fliers at work tomorrow, trying to be inconspicuous (sp?) since parents also work there, and I thought I might word it like this, but not sure it sounds quite right so any suggestions here would be helpful also, I have to run right now, but I will check out all your wonderful comments later before I print these off since I know there are LOTS of Brilliant minds on here ready and willing to help out.

Surprise!
It's a surprise 30th anniversary party (or celebration) for ??? and ??? ???. Please join us in congratulating them for their accomplishment Saturday, Nov. 4 at 4 PM --Sr. Citizen's building. Finger food welcomed, but not required.

I also was planning on making a few snacks and of course a cake, but I am not sure what yet, something that doesn't cost too much since I am on a limited budget, and having probably tea, and lemonade of course in our QSP's to drink, lol.

 

[tlennhoff]

I've done a couple surprise birthday and anniversary parties. I always do them as potlucks as I really cannot afford to feed everyone. Don't go to crazy.

One thing that I found is really loved by people is doing a picture collage on a posterboard. So you might want to add to the invitations that you'd love it if they have any pictures of the couple to share them. Also I would ask them to RSVP to let you know if they can come and what they will be bringing so you know where things stand.

Good luck and try to have fun with this. The hardest part is keeping it a surprise.

 

[jdavis]

Well, it's this Saturday so there's no time to really do a rsvp, everything is pretty much last minute around here, never know what's going to happen in this family, lol. As far as pictures, most of our families live quite a ways away so there's not really a lot I could do to get them to bring in pictures, but I will have a big poster board and have all the guests sign it, maybe I will get a smaller sized one that I can use to put a wedding pic in later and have them sign around where I can later put a pic of their wedding or dating days and a pic of them that day.

 

[tlennhoff]

That is a great idea. Good luck. I found that everyone intends to have a good time at these things so as long as you don't over think & over organize it everyone does have a great time.

 

[jenniferknapp]

if you do want to have people rsvp or try to sign up with something they can bring....www.evite.com is a great way to do it electronically!! (free!)