A milestone birthday surprise from every decade
Thirty, forty, fifty or more years of evidence, in one place. Guests scan a card at the party and scroll through the birthday girl’s or boy’s finest moments together.
Build and preview free. £24 once to go live.
photoleak.co.uk/demoCODE: GARYWhy PhotoLeak beats a slideshow
A decade-by-decade journey
Albums by era turn the photos into a story, from baby pictures to last year’s holiday.
Family and friends both join in
Old school friends and new work friends react to the same photos, and everyone laughs at the 90s.
Easy for a surprise party
Build it in secret, invite relatives to add photos and reveal it when the cake comes out.
From camera roll to The Gary Files
Gather the evidence
Upload photos of the birthday star into albums: Embarrassing, The Baby Years, School Photos and more. Invite friends to add theirs; you approve each one.
Print the cards
Download an A4 sheet of 8 QR cards titled “The Gary Files”, with the clearance code and their face in the middle of the QR code.
Leak it
Reveal the clearance code at the right moment. Guests scan, browse and react on their phones while the birthday star finds out what you found.
Albums to start you off
Every site starts with albums suited to the occasion. Rename them, delete them or add your own. Embarrassing is always the headline, with the Cringe-o-meter.
- Embarrassing
- The Baby Years
- School Photos
- The Teenage Years
- Fashion Crimes
- Nights Out
When to reveal it
Just before the cake, or as part of a toast, is the sweet spot. Put the cards on tables or by the drinks. For a surprise party, have someone hand the birthday star the first card.
Make it land
More in our guide: 30th, 40th and 50th Birthday Ideas: A Photo Surprise From Every Decade.
- Albums by decade make the best structure for a milestone birthday.
- Scan old prints with your phone. They don’t need to be perfect: the worse the quality, the funnier.
- Ask parents and siblings for the baby and school photos. They always have the best ones.
- Add captions with the year, so guests can guess the haircut’s decade.
Birthday FAQs
Which birthdays does it suit?
Any, but milestones are the favourite: 18th, 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th and beyond.
Can relatives add old photos?
Yes. Invite them by email. They can photograph prints on their phones and upload them, and you approve each one.
Can I keep it a surprise?
Yes. Build and preview it privately for free. Nobody can open it without the clearance code.
How long does the site last?
Thirty days after you go live, so guests can show it to anyone who missed the party.
See it before you build it
Open the demo on your phone, type the clearance code and play guest for a minute. It’s the same site your guests will get.