How to Plan Someone a Suprise Trip to Paris

Step 1 - Have a mom who is having a milestone birthday

Step 2 - Add a family who loves to travel

Step 3 - Call her boss and secretly book her a few vacation days off work

Step 4 - Book a flight and hotel in Paris, France

Step 5 - Plan what and how you will pack a suitcase without your mom knowing

Step 6 - Pre-book a black unmarked limo to pick your mom up at work

Step 7 - The day of the surprise give your mom a note on her way to work & mark it 
                                                                                                         not to be opened 
                                                                                                                    until 1:30 pm that day....

a few weeks ago my lovely mom has a milestone birthday. it was important to us that we help her celebrate in style. my momma plans everything for everyone. she is the most caring and giving person when it comes to planning surprises for others, but this time it was for her. so for a few months my dad, two sisters and I planned what would be best birthday present. you see my mom LOVES Paris. love, love, lovessss Paris. so after some secret researching online and clever planning we decided we wanted to surprise her with a trip. One she wouldn't know anything about. 

momma on the plane sipping her first cocktail!

What To Pack for a Surprise Trip to Paris ...

as a rule of thumb, when packing for someone else always air on what i like to call "the over packing model." here is a sampling of what was we packed for our momma for this special birthday trip. just a few things we knew would go perfectly when paired with a Paris vacation. easy to pack items like collapsible black flats and multifunctional accessories are key. since Paris in the late fall can be a little chilly a wool coat (or two) is best, then mix and match some beautiful scarves (click here for different tying options for a simple scarf) and some leather gloves for a very Parisian look. always keep the basics black and colorize with easy layering options like sweaters and shawls. next throw in a Coco Chanel perfume along with a collapsible Longchamp bag. finally, adorn your suitcase with a Monet luggage tag and you are good to go!

once the bag was packed on the big day we all rushed over to the airport to greet the black unmarked car that was carrying a very confused looking mom. after some hugs, laughs, and yes excited tears, we explained that she was off to Paris for a few days, as she literally jumped up and down. she had NO idea! on a scale of 1-10 i would say that this surprise birthday trip was an 11. it was a milestone birthday of a lifetime as she would tell you and we are so very glad she loved every minute of this memory. age is is only a number if you still let yourself feel young and full of adventure.