# An anniversary surprise video with AI: ideas and steps > Make an anniversary surprise video by putting your partner, or both of you, into a scene that means something, with ideas, photo tips and a plan for the reveal. Source: https://vswp.app/guides/anniversary-surprise-video/ · Updated 2026-10-10 For an anniversary surprise video, pick a short scene that means something to the two of you, add a photo of your partner (and one of yourself if you want to be in it too), and let AI put you into the scene while the moves, camera, lighting and sound stay as in the original. In [vswp](/) that takes a video from Trends or a clip you upload, and usually a few minutes of waiting. The rest of the surprise is the idea and the way you show it. ## What makes a good anniversary video? The best anniversary videos are personal. The effect gets a smile; the choice of scene is what they remember. A few ideas that work well: - **The film from your first date.** Put the two of you into its best-known scene, or just your partner into the hero's role. - **Your song.** The song from your first dance, your wedding or a long drive. Make the two of you the couple in its music video. - **An inside joke.** The meme or dance one of you keeps sending the other, now starring both of you. - **A ready couple scene.** Trends has scenes for two where the people are already found, such as [Zombie Love Story](/trend/zombie-love-story/), a horror opening that ends in a hug instead of a bite, and the club scene from [Three Steps Above Heaven](/trend/three-steps-above-heaven/). - **Your partner as the lead.** Leave yourself out and make them the star of a scene they love. Only use a clip you have the right to use. If you're not sure which scene will come out well, our guide on [putting you and your partner into a romantic movie scene](/guides/couple-video-with-ai/) compares easy and hard couple scenes. ## Both of you or only your partner? Both work. Each choice tells a slightly different story: | Who is swapped in | Feels like | Photos you need | |---|---|---| | Both of you | "This is us" | One of you, one of your partner | | Only your partner | "You're the star" | One of your partner | | Only you | A joke or a love note from you | One of you | Replacing one person usually costs less than two. Everyone without a photo stays as in the original, so in a scene with a crowd only the people you choose change. ## Which photos should you use? For each person, one sharp photo of just that person, in good light, with the whole face visible and no sunglasses. For a surprise, a recent photo you already have, one you took yourself or one your partner sent you, saves you from asking for a "photo for something" and giving the game away. Then decide on "Keep the original look": - **On.** The clothes from the scene stay, and only faces and hair change. Best for a wedding dress, a tuxedo, a costume or a period film. A clear portrait is enough. - **Off.** Clothes, hair and silhouette come from your photos. Use a full-body photo of each person, because a portrait cannot show clothing it doesn't contain. More tips are in [which photos work best for an AI video swap](/guides/best-photos-for-ai-video-swap/). ## How do you make it, step by step? 1. **Start a few days early.** That leaves time for another take if one moment looks off. 2. **Sign in.** Open [vswp.app](/) and sign in with Telegram. There's no password, and your partner doesn't need an account. 3. **Pick the scene.** Choose a couple scene from Trends, or upload your own video: 1 to 120 seconds, up to 150 MB, any common format. The person search runs on the first 30 seconds automatically, usually in a couple of minutes, and it's free. In a longer video, choose the part of up to 30 seconds with the moment you want. 4. **Add the photos.** Put your partner's photo on the card of the person they should replace, and yours on the other one if you're in it too. 5. **Set the look.** Turn "Keep the original look" on or off. 6. **Try the free preview.** "Make the free preview" shows about 5 seconds of your video at 480p with a small "vswp.app" mark, so you can check the faces first. 7. **Make the full video.** Check the estimated time and the price, choose 480p or 720p, and press "Create the full video". The full video has no mark. 8. **Watch it before the big day.** If a face doesn't look quite right, pressing "Create video" again makes a new take, which is a new render. ## How do you reveal the surprise? You get an MP4 of the processed part, up to 30 seconds, with the original sound. vswp doesn't add text, so the message goes around the video: - **At midnight.** Send it in Telegram or another messenger the moment the anniversary starts, with a few words of your own. - **At dinner.** Play it on a TV or a laptop, or hand over your phone at the table. - **With a card.** Add "Happy anniversary" in your phone's video editor or the stories editor, or write it in a card and show the video after. - **As part of a gift.** A video of you two in "your" film goes well with tickets to see something together. Show it to your partner privately first. Post it publicly only if they're happy with that. ## What about consent? A surprise doesn't change the basics: use your partner's photo only if you know they'd be fine with it, and ask before you share the video beyond the two of you. Pressing "Create video" confirms you have the right to use the video and the photos. Rules differ by country, and this is not legal advice; in the EU, the AI Act's disclosure rule for deepfakes applies from August 2026, so label the video as AI-made if you publish it. Our guide to [face swap consent and safety](/guides/face-swap-consent-and-safety/) covers this in more depth. ## How much does it cost? The free preview costs nothing. The full video is paid in Telegram Stars (⭐). The price depends on the length, the quality and how many people you replace, and the exact price is shown before you start. Stars are taken when a render starts and returned automatically if it fails or is canceled. ## FAQ ### How long does it take to make an anniversary video? Usually a few minutes for the render, plus a couple of minutes for the person search if you upload your own clip. The app shows the estimated time before you start. ### Can I make it the night before? Yes, most videos are ready in minutes. Starting a few days early still helps, because a moment that needs another take won't leave you rushing. ### Does my partner need to sign up? No. Only you sign in with Telegram. Your partner just gets the finished MP4. ### Will the song from the scene stay? Yes. The result keeps the original audio of the part you processed. ### What if it doesn't look like my partner? Make another take, try a sharper photo with the face larger, or pick a part of the clip where the person is closer to the camera. Our guide on [what to do when an AI face swap doesn't look like you](/guides/ai-face-swap-does-not-look-like-you/) has more fixes.