Surprise party invitations
The two lines that make or break a surprise invitation: what time guests must arrive, and who to reply to (never the guest of honour).
Lemonade Big Type · 5×7 in
Surprise party invitation wording
Copy one, then paste the lines into the Words step above.
Shh… it's a surprise! Join us for Mark's surprise 50th Please arrive by 7pm sharp Reply to Karen, not Mark!
Can you keep a secret? We're throwing Jess a surprise party Saturday · arrive 6:30, she arrives 7
Surprise! Help us surprise Dad for his retirement Hide in the garden by 3pm
What to include
- Send invitations privately: never by a group chat the guest of honour is in.
- Give an arrival time 30 minutes before the guest of honour.
- Mention parking away from the house.
Templates that suit a surprise party
Questions people ask
How do you word a surprise party invitation?
Make the surprise obvious in the first line, give an arrival time before the guest of honour arrives, and name a different person to RSVP to.
When should surprise party invitations go out?
Three to four weeks ahead; much earlier and the secret is more likely to slip.
Can I make a surprise party invitation for free?
Yes. The maker above is free with no sign-up or watermark. Download a 1500×2100 px PNG (5×7 in at 300 dpi) or print to PDF.
Can guests RSVP online?
Switch on the RSVP step to print a QR code on the card. Guests scan it, choose yes or no and send you a reply code you paste into the free RSVP tracker, with no accounts for you or them.
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