Birthday
18th, 30th, 40th, 50th or 60th: milestone birthdays often bring together people from every part of someone's life, sometimes in complete secrecy. You need to find a date, invite guests, organise the gift and collect messages without the guest of honour suspecting a thing. Here are the steps, and how Filomy helps.
- 3 months before
Find a date discreetly
What makes it complicated
For a surprise, you have to sound out friends and family without the guest of honour stumbling on the group chat.
With Filomy
A poll shared by link helps choose a date or a venue, anonymously or by name, with a closing date.
Poll → - 2 months before
Send the invitations
What makes it complicated
Childhood friends, colleagues, family: replies come in through different channels and the count gets blurry.
With Filomy
The invitation page takes 2 minutes to create and tracks replies in real time, with the number of plus-ones and custom questions.
Invitations & RSVP → - 6 weeks before
Organise the group gift
What makes it complicated
Gathering contributions from 30 people for a weekend away or a trip means tracking every pledge and every transfer.
With Filomy
The personalised gift voucher names the gift (for example "A weekend by the sea"), shows a target amount and everyone's words; participants pay the organiser directly.
Personalised gift voucher → - 1 month before
Collect messages from loved ones
What makes it complicated
Secretly gathering videos and photos from faraway friends ends up as dozens of scattered files.
With Filomy
The online guest book collects messages, photos, videos and voice notes via link or WhatsApp, with no app or account, and can be moderated.
Online guest book → - 2 weeks before
Chase late replies
What makes it complicated
You have to message everyone who hasn't answered, without raising suspicion.
With Filomy
You remind guests who haven't replied in one click and export the list as a CSV file.
Invitations & RSVP → - On the day
Show the messages during the party
What makes it complicated
Putting together a slideshow from files received over several messaging apps takes whole evenings.
With Filomy
The guest book has a slideshow view to project during the party, and contributions can later be printed as cards or a book.
Online guest book → - After the party
Never miss important dates again
What makes it complicated
Birthdays jotted down here and there end up slipping by unnoticed.
With Filomy
Birthday reminders alert you automatically before important dates, for free.
Birthday reminders →
Sophie's surprise 50th, 60 guests
Marc and their two children are throwing a surprise party for Sophie's 50th, on a Saturday in June in a village hall near Lyon, with 60 guests: family, childhood friends and colleagues. Sophie thinks she's going to a quiet family dinner.
The countdown plan
- 3 months before
- Send a poll by link to a dozen key people to choose between 3 Saturdays in June, closing after 10 days.
- 10 weeks before
- Book the venue and the caterer for the chosen date, and come up with a cover story to get Sophie there.
- 2 months before
- Create the invitation page with a custom question (dietary needs) and send it to all 60 guests, never through a group Sophie is in.
- 6 weeks before
- Create the gift voucher "A weekend in Venice" with a target amount, and send its link to the guests.
- 1 month before
- Open the guest book with moderation on and ask everyone for a message, an old photo or a video, starting with those who can't attend.
- 2 weeks before
- Remind guests who haven't replied in one click, then check how the group gift is going.
- 10 days before
- Export the guest list as a CSV file and give the caterer the final headcount.
- 2 days before
- Read through the guest book, test the slideshow on the projector and brief the friend who will bring Sophie.
- On the day, 8 pm
- Everyone in place 30 minutes before Sophie arrives; the guest book slideshow starts after the speech.
- 2 weeks after
- Export the guest book as an A4 PDF, have the messages printed as a book and add the date of her 51st to your birthday reminders.
The checklist
- The list of 60 guests with contact details
- The links for the poll, invitation, gift voucher and guest book
- A believable cover story and a friend to bring Sophie
- The venue and caterer booked
- The target amount for the group gift
- The guest book QR poster (A4 PDF) printed for the tables
- A projector, a screen and a speaker
- About twenty photos of Sophie through the years
- A €39.90 budget (box or unlock) if contributions go over 50
Ready-to-send message — WhatsApp message to guests (keep it quiet!)
Hello! Sophie is turning 50 and we're planning a surprise party for her on Saturday [date], at [venue]. She thinks she's coming to a quiet family dinner, so not a word! To reply (and tell us if you're bringing someone): [invitation link] To chip in for the group gift: [gift voucher link] To leave her a message, photo or video that we'll show during the evening: [guest book link] Please don't post anything on social media before the day. See you soon! Marc
All these steps gathered on a single mini-site, shared by link or QR code.
Discover the boxFrequently asked questions
How do I prepare a surprise party without the person finding out?
Everything is shared by link: poll, invitations and guest book. You don't need a shared group where the guest of honour could see the conversation.
How many messages does the guest book accept for free?
Up to 50 contributions. Beyond that, it is unlimited with a box or a one-time unlock of €39.90.
What is in the Birthday Souvenir Box?
Guest book, photo wall, kitty and invitations, for €39.90.