Sometimes, a special occasion like a landmark birthday is just calling out for a big family party, so what’s the best way of bringing everyone together for an event to remember?

Here are some ideas on how to throw a great party and even keep it a surprise from the person who is that star of the show, including how to keep a lid on your plans so the secret doesn’t get out, picking the right conspirator, and a way to keep them in the dark up to the very last moment.

Up for the challenge

There is something truly unforgettable about the look on someone’s face when they turn up at a venue and discover that the whole evening is about them and the surprise party can now get started.

It is really hard to contain the excitement and keep the party a secret and the more people who are invited the harder it can be to avoid revealing your plans to the person who you are trying to spring a surprise party for.

The main thing to do is to keep talking about the party to an absolute minimum.

Discretion guaranteed

The best way to coordinate the invites and responses from guests without risking a conversation spoiling the surprise is to designate someone to handle the communications who you know is the absolute soul of discretion.

Create an email address that can be used without fear of discovery and make sure you tell everyone on the invite that it’s a surprise party and that you are counting on them not to be the one that gives the game away.

If you are using a venue like the Marriott Manchester UK, for instance, make sure that they also know the nature of the event and give them contact details that will ensure that no communications are sent that could arouse suspicion.

Diversionary tactics

Something that can be just as hard to pull off as keeping the party a secret is the task of creating a suitable diversion and getting the guest of honor to arrive at the chosen venue right on time.

It is best to work on the assumption that your guest of honor is not likely to turn up on time just because you have asked them to, especially when they have no idea why their arrival and the timing are so critical.

A good tactic would be to choose someone as an accomplice who can be responsible for taking them out for the evening on the pretense of going somewhere else, then diverting them to the party venue at just the right moment.

Pick your date carefully

A final tip that is worth remembering is that if you organize a surprise party that is on the actual date of their anniversary or birthday that is going to flag up some clues that something is going on.

If you want to ensure that they don’t suspect a thing, set a date that is near enough to be relevant but won’t yield any clues about what is going on.