If you and your partner are excited to say “I do,” then yes saving moneyor simply worried about when all of your family and friends will be back in one place, you might have an interest in throwing a surprise wedding party.
Change the event from engagement or birthday celebration into the marriage vows takes careful planning and a little bit of craftiness but makes for a memorable day.
Keep Those Who Knew The Secret Very Small
The more people who find out about your plans to get married earlier than expected, the more likely it’s that somebody will accidentally miss something when they should not. Therefore, try to keep the number of individuals learning about your decision to have a surprise wedding to a minimum.
While suppliers such as tailors, caterers, florists, musicians and the like should be on hand for the day, try not to overlook quite a lot of people in your close circle. You might want to limit your sharing to just the groom and your bridesmaids or your parents, perhaps.
Create a Significant Drawcard
Keep in mind that if you just invite people to a general birthday celebration or New Year’s Eve hoopla or other event, they possibly will not be as motivated and able to attend as they would if they knew how special the event was. To ensure you get as many of your loved ones on your wedding day as possible, make a decent raffle card.
You may need to fake the reality a little to convince people to come, such as by saying that you have big news to share, that you’ll have a tremendous live show there for all to see, or that you just got engaged and are throwing a party to celebrate if it became news to people. Think about what will get your nearest and dearest to set aside time for the event and travel from afar, if relevant.
Allow Adequate Time for Proper Planning
Oftentimes, when people decide to have a surprise wedding, they decide at the last minute that they cannot wait any longer to say their vows. Or, maybe it is because they have been working out so they are not interested in the stress that comes with planning for a year or more at a time and getting everybody involved to contribute their voice to the marriage. While it is possible to have a special event like this together at the eleventh hour, you will make your life easier if you take at least a month or two to get ready for the day.
You’ll need time to find custom clothing and flower arrangements, plus arrange food, find available bands or DJs, photographers and videographers, and, most significantly, get the required legal paperwork in order. Note that marriage licenses can take weeks or more to get approved, so unless you want to throw a fun party and then legally say “I do” again to a celebrant, etc., later, you should get the paperwork organized ASAP. .
Plan for the Big Disclosure
While telling people you are in fact getting married when they think something less significant is going on is a big reveal, the way you share this news can even be astonishing. If you are going to surprise people, you better do it!
For example, you can set a drum roll or the music stops abruptly and the lights dim as you take your position. How about setting some great fireworks, including roman candles, cookies, mortars, rockets and the like to signal by sound and sight that something extraordinary is in the cards? You can serve everybody champagne and toasts in which you spill pleasant news. Or you could invite special guests to become involved in the vows, such as a pet dressed up and carrying a marriage ring or a family member who has been abroad but was flown out to make the marriage official.
If you are hosting your event at a venue with lots of rooms, you can invite everybody to a magnificently appointed wedding venue when the time comes. You might have participants complete a treasure hunt and guess the clues to find the final answer to your tidbit. Another idea is for the happy couple to slip away and get changed, getting back into the party mix in their special outfits.
How you go about this big reveal is up to you, but think of ways to make the surprise even more extraordinary for your guests and in turn the entire event more memorable.
Throwing a surprise wedding requires a clear strategy and robust organizing skills. However, it sure can be fun and create an event that not only you and your partner but everybody you love won’t ever forget.
