If you’re planning to throw a surprise party, try to pick a date before your girlfriend’s birthday. The further away from the actual day, the less that she’ll be expecting it.
You can also opt for a destination party by celebrating your girlfriend’s birthday at a venue that hosts a specific activity, such as a bowling alley, an arcade, or a pottery studio.
After you choose a theme, don’t just make the decorations match it. Have all of the elements, including the food, entertainment, and music, fit it as closely as possible. If there’s a movie that your girlfriend loves, make that the theme of the party. Have all the guests dress up as characters from the film. A carnival theme can be fun. Make fair-worthy foods, such as corn dogs, snow cones, and popcorn, and set up some games, such as a ring toss. A murder mystery party is a fun idea if your girlfriend likes detective stories. Let the guests know ahead of time, though, so they can get in character and dress up.
For a surprise party, ask your girlfriend’s close friends and family to help you come up with the guest list so you don’t miss anyone. If you’re going with email invitations, make sure that you have email addresses for everyone on the guest list. You can also invite guests more informally, such as through phone calls or text messages.
Making the food yourself can add a personal touch to your girlfriend’s party. If you don’t want to cook for a large group, consider having the party catered from your girlfriend’s favorite restaurant. You can also opt for easy to prepare foods from the grocery store, such as frozen appetizers. If you’re on a budget, just go with simple snacks foods for the party. Put out bowls of chips, pretzels, and some dip. A platter of vegetables is also a good option. Don’t forget beverages. Set up a bar area with bottles of soda, water, juice, some alcoholic beverages if your girlfriend and the guests are of legal drinking age, ice, and plastic cups so guests can help themselves.
Party supply stores have decorations to fit a wide range of themes, so you can find the perfect options for your girlfriend’s party. If you’re going for a low-key party, you may want to forgo decorations and just hang a Happy Birthday banner.
Depending on the restaurant, you may need reservations, so it’s important to plan the celebration with enough advance notice. When you call for reservations, you might arrange to have the table set up in certain way. For example, you might have flowers sent over so they can be waiting for your girlfriend when you arrive.
Make the evening more special by planning a “pub crawl. ” Pick three or four of your girlfriend’s favorite bars, and map a plan to hit all of them in one night with your friends. Give a copy to everyone in case someone gets lost along the way.
If there’s a particular sport that your girlfriend enjoys, such as softball or volleyball, arrange a birthday “tournament” at a local field with friends and family. Keep things simple by taking a trip to the local batting cage or putting green.
It’s usually more fun to keep the event that you’re going to a surprise until the night that you’re celebrating. At some venues, such as a sporting event, you may be able to get a message on the video board wishing your girlfriend a happy birthday to make the night even more special. Check the stadium’s website to learn how to request a message.
You don’t just have to stick to an outdoor celebration during the day. Take her out in the evening for some star gazing. Make a weekend out of it by planning a camping trip to her favorite local spot.
Steak and baked potatoes is a relatively simple meal to prepare, particularly if you cook the meat on a grill. Make the meal a little more special by adding a marinade to the steak, such as soy sauce, lemon and garlic, or a balsamic vinaigrette. Roast chicken can be an easy recipe to follow if you swap a whole chicken for several individual skin on, bone-in pieces instead. Place them in a baking dish with your favorite marinade and roast until they’re brown. Add your girlfriend’s favorite vegetable or starch side dish, and you have an elegant, but simple dinner. Once you have selected the recipes you’ll be using, make a list of ingredients and head to the grocery store. You don’t want to find out that you’re missing an ingredient when you start to prepare the meal. Don’t forget the cake! If you’re feeling overwhelmed by preparing the meal itself, go with a store-bought option that you know she’ll love. You don’t necessarily have to make dinner for your girlfriend’s birthday meal. Surprise her with a delicious, homemade breakfast in bed instead.
If you don’t have a nice tablecloth, napkins, dishes, and glasses, ask a friend or family member if you can borrow some for the evening. Make the table setting even fancier by learning how to Fold a Cloth Napkin in elegant shapes.
If you’re nervous about cooking the meal, ask a friend or family member who has experience in the kitchen to help. Just make sure that your assistant leaves before your girlfriend shows up.
If you don’t want to light candles, you can opt for string lights. Hang a few strands throughout the room for soft mood lighting. Help maintain the perfect mood by making sure that your phone is turned off or on vibrate during the meal. You don’t want any interruptions to ruin the celebration.
You don’t need to have a lot of money to plan a special birthday trip. Even one night away at a bed and breakfast can mean a lot to your girlfriend.
If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas for your getaway, talk to your girlfriend’s friends and family to see if they have any ideas.
Make sure to plan ahead, so you’re not making reservations at the last minute. You may wind up with limited options if you wait too long to plan the trip. If you’re not sure if you need other reservations, speak to the staff at the hotel. They can usually help you figure out what you might want to plan ahead.
If your destination doesn’t lend itself to a gift box, just print out your itinerary or reservation confirmation, place it in a box, and wrap it for your girlfriend to open.
