No upfront payment
They have everything, except this. For your husband’s, wife’s or partner’s birthday, their old friends, family, coworkers and your kids each add a photo with them and a few words, and the photos become one professionally made video. The video above is our real example, made for a mother’s 65th birthday.
Perfect video gift for a partner’s birthday
Video gift for Mom’s 65th birthday
Everyone adds photos
What happens when everyone sends a photo for your partner’s birthday?
They see their whole life, including the years before they met you. Picture the birthday dinner: the cake is on the table, you press play, and their school friends, their brother, the old roommate and the kids appear one by one, each with a photo and a few words. Nobody gave a speech, and everybody said something.
- At the birthday dinner
- Friends, family and the kids
- From you, with everyone
Love you, my dear!
Kate
The whole family together
Alex
And here I am!
Leo
Remember this? My wedding day...
Alex
All four frames are from our real example, made for a mother’s 65th birthday: 8 people in 3 countries, 19 photos in two days, and not a single recorded clip.
Who has the photos of your partner you have never seen?
The people who knew them before you did. School friends, old roommates, teammates, the first boss, cousins and the friends from every place they have lived. They have the photos and the stories, and a link lets them add both without you having to know them all.
- cousins
- old friends
- roommates
- in-laws
- neighbors
- teammates
- brothers and sisters
- the kids
- old classmates
- former bosses
- coworkers
- hobby friends
- godparents
- parents
- college friends
- travel buddies
- childhood friends
- gym friends
Don’t know their old friends? Send the link to the one or two you do know. After adding a photo, each guest is asked who else should be in the video, so the link travels on by itself.
Happy tears for everybody, memories forever.
Why is a video from everyone better than another thing to unwrap?
Because nothing in a shop has their whole life in it. A watch or a gadget is a guess at what they want. A video of photos from the people who love them shows them who they are to everybody, and they can watch it again on any ordinary evening.
- 1A photo from the sender’s phone or album. The older and funnier, the better.
- 2A round portrait. It shows who sent the photo, so they know who to thank. It is optional.
- 3A few words. Up to 40 characters. One true line beats a long speech.
Lines that fit the 40-character limit:
“Happy birthday, my love!”
“Still crazy about you.”
“Best dad in the world!”
“Thanks for every adventure.”
“You haven’t changed a bit!”
“Same smile since school.”
More ideas are in What to write in a group video message.
Can the kids be part of it?
Yes, and their frames are often the ones that make people cry. Any photo works, so a child can add a picture with Mom or Dad, or a phone photo of a drawing made for the day. Older kids type their own line of up to 40 characters; for little ones, you type it for them.
A photo together
The beach, the first bike, the morning in pajamas.
A drawing
Photograph it with your phone. It becomes a frame like any other.
A line in their words
“Best dad in the world!” fits in 40 characters.
Is there a version for phones, for the friends who weren’t there?
Yes. You get two videos from the same photos: 16:9 for the TV and 9:16 for phones. Both are made at the same time and included in one price, so the friends who added photos can watch the phone version the same evening.
- 16:9 for the TV. Play it at the birthday dinner or the party.
- 9:16 for phones. It fills the screen. Send it to everyone who took part.
- One price for both. The same photos, words and music in each.
Two promises
- No selfie videosGuests add a photo and a few words. Nobody has to film themselves.
- No upfront paymentStart free and watch the preview first. You pay once, after you see the video.
Start the birthday video. Add a few photos, send one link to friends and family, and watch the video before you pay.
Create a video giftFree to start. No upfront payment.
The practical part
What you get, the three steps, how to keep it secret, when to start and what it costs.
What are the key facts?
You get two videos from the same photos: 16:9 for the TV and 9:16 for phones. Friends, family and the kids add 10 to 30 photos in total. Building takes up to 10 hours, the preview costs nothing, and the single payment is $39 for up to 15 photos or $49 for up to 30.
- EveryoneWho adds photosfriends, family, coworkers and the kids.
- 16:9 + 9:16Two videosfor the TV and for phones.
- up to 10 hBuild timeafter you press “Make the video”.
- $39 / $49Priceonce, after a free preview.
How do you make it? Three steps for the organizer
Add a few photos, send one link, press “Make the video”. Once 10 photos are in, you can start the build, which takes up to 10 hours. In the free preview you can still replace a photo, edit a line or move frames around, all before paying.
- Step 1Add a few photosStart with your own favorite photos of them.
- Step 2Send one linkSend the ready message to their friends, family and coworkers.
- Step 3Press “Make the video”It needs 10 photos in all. Watch the free preview, fix anything, pay once.
The app writes the invitation for you, with the name you enter:
Hi! 🎁 I’m making a surprise video for Chris from everyone’s photos, and I’d love you to be in it. Could you add photos with Chris (and a short line for each), ideally today? Just photos: no selfie video, no sign-up, about a minute. Know anyone else who should be in it? Pass the link on. Shh, it’s a secret!
How do you keep it a secret from your partner?
Send the link in a chat your partner is not part of, and ask people not to mention it. Anyone who has the link can see the photos in the group, so never post it in a chat you share with your partner. The invitation already ends with “Shh, it’s a secret!”. When the video is ready, you choose the moment to play it.
How early should you start?
About a week before the birthday, so old friends have time to dig out their photos. Their best photos are often in old albums or on old phones, so give them a few days and send one reminder. Once you press “Make the video”, building takes up to 10 hours, and an order that is not ready within 20 hours can be cancelled.
How much does it cost?
One payment after the preview: $39 for up to 15 photos or $49 for up to 30. Nothing is charged to start or to watch the preview. The TV version, the phone version and the music are all included, and if friends want to chip in, any of them can pay with the gift link.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good birthday gift for a husband or wife who has everything?
A video made of photos from the people in their life: old friends, family, coworkers and your kids. Each person adds a photo and a few words, and the photos become one professionally made video they can watch again and again.
How do I surprise my partner with a video from friends?
Start the video, then send the link to their friends and family in a chat your partner is not in. Each person adds a photo and a few words. You watch the free preview and play the video on the day.
Can our kids add photos too?
Yes. Any photo works, even a phone photo of a drawing. Older kids can type their own line of up to 40 characters; for little ones you can type it for them.
What if I don’t know my partner’s old friends?
Send the link to the one or two friends you do know. After adding a photo, each guest is asked who else should be in the video, so the link travels on to people you have never met.
Do people need to sign up or record a video?
No. Guests open the link, add photos and type a few words, with no sign-up and no app. Nobody records a video, and the small round portrait of each sender is optional.
How long does it take?
Give friends a few days to add photos. After you press “Make the video”, it takes up to 10 hours to build. Then you watch the free preview and can still change anything before you pay.
How much does a partner’s birthday video cost?
$39 for up to 15 photos or $49 for up to 30, paid once after the free preview. A 16:9 version for the TV and a 9:16 version for phones are both included.
Add a few photos, send one link and watch the video before you pay. Nobody records a selfie video.
Create a video giftFree to start. No upfront payment.
Sources and how we checked
The FromAll.gift details (photo counts, the 40-character limit, the optional portrait, who can see the photos, price, timing) come from our own service. The example video was made by a family for a mother’s birthday and is shown with their permission.
Who wrote this. Jane A. writes the guides on FromAll.gift. We make one of the services mentioned here, so details about other services show the page and the date we checked.
FromAll.gift is the new version of FromFoto, which has been turning photos into videos for 8 years and has made 112,000 of them. Those videos were made for one customer at a time; FromAll.gift adds new visuals and one shared link, so a whole group can contribute to one video. About FromAll.gift