SURPRISE: Come for a BBQ, leave with a piece of wedding cake
The surprise home wedding switcheroo - the sneakiest, and hardest type of wedding to pull off. But if you can get it right, it pays in full.
Why so hard? In wanting the biggest gaping mouth post-surprise reaction from your guests, the more nonchalant you need to be about the gathering. Essentially, zero to 100. And we all have the friend that says they’ll “pop in” or “swing past” at some point during your BBQ. Not really conducive to ensuring your nearest and dearest there for the big event, as well as catering plans hey?
So how do you plan a seemingly casual affair, but expect a solid RSVP and guests to show before you walk down the garden path? Here are a few ways to approach the surprise wedding, and achieve maximum mic-drop.
Link your wedding with a milestone event
There’s no doubt that 30th birthday trumps lazy Saturday beers, especially if you’re asking guests to travel (where and when allowed) or block out an afternoon without ducking off to do a weekly grocery shop. By sending out a formal invitation and requesting an RSVP for “catering purposes”, you’ve set the expectations that this is an event not to be missed.
Rope in the stragglers
If there’s a friend or relative that is a bit flakey in the RSVP department but you really want them to be a part of the day, ask them to help set up before the event. Ask them to come over a couple of hours before - enough time to help, but not enough time to have to go home, get changed and “swing past” later - and trap them by putting them in charge of trestle tables, napkins, checking on the potato salad, or wrangling the fairy lights under the verandah. Suggest that you get ready together, or have a quiet drink together before things get too busy. It’s the perfect guise for ensuring their punctuality.
Plan a surprise party for your partner
Once you’ve decided on your fake(ish) milestone event to attach your surprise wedding to, add the word “surprise” in front of it. The beauty of this type of ruse is your guests need to be at your place by a certain time, to make sure they’re ready to jump out from behind the couch to shock Bill at his “Surprise 40th”. Our favourite thing about this setup? The tables get turned on your guests, and you can get married on the spot.
An unforgettable transition from party to wedding
We’re used to herding the cats in the crowd before you walk down the aisle, so leave this part to us. The thrill of mingling as your cousin in a Hawaiian shirt, and then taking the mic as your celebrant is part of the fun, and we’re up for any sneaky plan you want. You give us the wink from the back, and we’ll do our thing at the front, making this surprise wedding the most unforgettable prank that you’ve ever played on the people who you care about most.
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Interested in starting off your relationship with a few little white lies and a surprise backyard ceremony? Let’s chat about setting the scene for the best (and most romantic) heist of all time.