Woman Throws Husband a Surprise Birthday Party at His Favorite Grocery Store — and the Celebration Goes Viral (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Alex Mickenberg during surprise birthday party.Photo:Amanda Mickenberg

Amanda Mickenberg

About a year ago,Amanda Mickenbergcame across a TikTok video of someone throwing their partner a surprise party at Costco. The Lakeland, Fla., local thought it was a fun and unique way to gather friends. As soon as she saw it, she knew she wanted to throw her husband Alex a birthday party at his favorite grocery store, Publix, when his 32nd birthday came around.

“He never misses an opportunity to make a grocery run, and he talks to everyone at that particular store,” Amanda, 37, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “So it just felt perfect!”

Alex Mickenberg running into friend at store.Amanda Mickenberg

Leading up to Alex’s birthday, Amanda, who married Alex in April 2024, made a list of local friends and family and sent a text explaining the plan. She was a little nervous, wondering if she could pull it off since it was definitely a creative concept. But after about half of the friends she invited confirmed they could participate, she knew they had just enough people to make the surprise work.

A total of 26 people were able to come — family, neighbors, friends from their church, coworkers, and people they’d become close with over the past few years in Lakeland.

“Keeping it a secret was so hard because I was beyond excited, and Alex is nearly impossible to surprise!” Amanda says. “He’s incredibly sharp and picks up on things quickly. He probably suspected I was planning something (because, let’s be honest, I do every year), but he knew better than to press me too much.”

She continues, “At this point, I think he just trusts that I’m going to make his day special, so he goes along with it — no questions asked!”

When Alex’s birthday finally rolled around, Amanda planned out his entire day—brunch at his favorite café, a long massage, and then dinner. She says he didn’t question it at all; he just went along with the plans she had for him.

Before dinner, Amanda told Alex they needed to stop at the grocery store first to grab his favorite cake — Chantilly, of course! But as they were driving there, she added a little urgency: “We’re running behind, so be quick — straight to the bakery. No lollygagging or chatting with everyone you know!” she recalls telling him.

“He walked right in, laser-focused on getting the cake, which meant he kept moving through the store exactly how I needed him to,” she says. “And it worked! After spotting a few familiar faces, he quickly caught on — but instead of slowing down, he sped up because he wanted to see who else was there! By the time he made his way through the store, everyone was gathered and ready to head next door for dinner. It was such a fun moment — and absolutely hilarious to watch unfold!”

“He started catching on after seeing two couples we know, a couple from our old neighborhood, and a friend from church,” she adds. “At first, he wasn’t exactly sure what was happening, but he knew the coincidence was way too perfect to be accidental. I watched as he started scanning the store, his pace picking up, and this huge smile spreading across his face.”

When Alex finally pieced together that Amanda had planned him a surprise party at Publix, she says he was so excited. She captured the whole surprise on camera.

“One of the things I love most about Alex is that he’s a gatherer of people,” Amanda says. “He naturally connects friends, neighbors, church family — anyone he meets — because he genuinely loves bringing people together. He thrives in moments like this, where he can celebrate with the people he loves while also helping them form new connections.”

“It was high-energy, joyful, and just the perfect party for him!” she adds.

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Alex Mickenberg running into more friends.Amanda Mickenberg

After the party, Amanda pieced together the videos and posted them toTikTok, not thinking much of it. Then, she noticed the video started gaining traction. At the time, she just laughed and thought, “Of course, something wild like this would take off!”

“So many people commented on Alex’s power walk through the store — he definitely has that!” she adds. “He’s usually the one in charge, leading the way and bringing people together. I truly believe that’s a special and unique gift God gave him. And if this video showed anything, it’s that the world needs more leadership in how to love people well — even if it’s just through genuine hellos and hugs.”

Alex Mickenberg hugging friends.Amanda Mickenberg

“This kind of love and community is wealth,” Amanda says. “It’s beautiful. God created us to live in community, and Alex and I have embraced that fully. We get to live a rich, full life — not because of money or material things but because of the love we give and receive. That kind of wealth goes far beyond the world’s definition of success.”

“At the end of the day, we don’t need fancy things,” she adds. " We just need to feel seen — and to make others feel the same. Love is the greatest gift of all, and it’s available to everyone, no matter where they’ve been, what they’ve been through or what they’ve done. Everyone is worthy of love."

source: people.com